Finally the Supreme Court gets something right!
Update: From the man himself.
Pete Williams: "This was a very broad ruling... that can be used by proponents of same sex marriage to attack laws in other states."Update 2: Courtesy of Time Magazine:
— Slate (@Slate) June 26, 2013
The Supreme Court says legally married same-sex couples should get the same federal benefits as heterosexual couples.
The court invalidated a provision of the federal Defense of Marriage Act Wednesday that has prevented married gay couples from receiving a range of tax, health and retirement benefits that are generally available to married people. The vote was 5-4.
Is that high pitched screeching sound I hear a wounded cat, or are Fundamentalists just now hearing about this decision?
Update 3: SCOTUS has decided they do not have the proper legal standing to rule on California's Prop 8. So same sex marriage is now legal in California! (This according to MSNBC's Pete Williams.)
Update 4: The President just tweeted this video saying they are now taking the fight for equal rights to the states.
HALLE-FREAKING-LUJAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts exactly!
DeleteExcellent!
ReplyDeleteFantastic news!!!! Finally . . . . .
ReplyDeleteThis ruling is very emotional for me. I am the mother of a fine, hardworking, smart daughter, who happens to be gay. Having laws struck down that make her a second class citizen are joyful events for this mother's heart.
ReplyDeleteLove and joy to you and your daughter--
DeleteAnd to all beings.
Let's rejoice.
(And start working to insure the right to vote)
And I have a young nephew, I am so happy for what the future will now hold- a chance at a happiness that the rest of us take for granted. Wonderful news!
DeleteOn another topic, why can't the US have a ruling like this? :)
http://featherfiles.aviary.com/2013-06-26/f77694d11/8e8e5aa357f24bf689dddbf96452681e_hires.png
This was so important to me. I'd been holding my breath all morning because of the decisions earlier this week. This will make such a difference in the lives of so many friends I love.
ReplyDeleteMe, also, too! I'd been afraid to go online today, but came to IM first... * Whew*
DeleteSay, Gryphen, can you confirm or refudiate sketchy reports I'm hearing over shortwave radio and disreputable websites that soon after the SCOTUS ruling was announced a large sinkhole opened up on the windswept shores of Lake Lucile in Wasilla, Alaska, which I understand is not too far from where you live?
ReplyDeleteNo that is just the same bottomless all devouring orifice that has always been up there.
DeleteWe used to call it "Governor."
HEE HEE HEE!
DeleteI've been anxious all morning! Thank goodness!! On be half of my gay son and his partner, I say thank you!!!!
ReplyDeleteGood news ... Aaron Hernandez will be able to marry his cellmate.
ReplyDeleteIt's great news for the LGBT community.
ReplyDeleteCelebrate equality throughout the land, and be glad.
The ultra right folks will be determined to overturn, marginalize, or outright defy this ruling, and some may go postal
You can already hear the Wasilla Wendigo frantically dialing Mansour, demanding the harshest critique of this decision by SCOTUS, so she can sign her name at the bottom, and pretend to be outraged.
Why should Sarah Palin be outraged, Todd can come out now?
DeleteMansour would be the last person she should be bitching to concerning this. HA!
DeleteThe Fundo-Conservative closet cases in C4Peeville seem to enjoy taking their bitter frustration out on everyone, don't they? C'mon out! The light is so much brighter on the other side, and we are ALL equal. And free. Isn't that what they're always yapping about?
DeleteAnd imagine Michele Bachmann's relief.
DeleteSo I wonder if Kenndy and Sotomayor are going to be excommunicated by the Catholic Church for upholding equal rights for gay people? And I it has been over an hour since the decision, is Scalia still reading his dissent? I heard it was almost thirty pages. That man is so hateful
ReplyDeleteIr ead that he sais the SC did not have the authority to overturn a law passed by Congress..um, Anthony, you just did that yesterday, you scum.
DeleteI doubt the pope would bother, he is busy trying to stop a group of gay cardinals from coming out right in Vatican city.
DeleteA day and decisions that will live in infamy forever
ReplyDeleteOur nation has surrendered to the gay agenda
Shut the fuck up Sheppard and get back to jerking off to SkeletaGriftalot.
DeleteUs humane folks are celebrating this morning!
And what is the 'gay agenda?' Oh yeah, being able to love someone, and marry them, and pay taxes, and get the same benefits as others. That's it. They will not convert you (they don't want you!) nor your kids. When's the last time a gay person bombed a building? Shot up a school? Killed his wife because he was drunk? Grow up, 7:40. The world is moving on without you.
Delete@anonymous at 7:40 am
DeleteYou LIE!
The bottom line is that the Federal government should enforce equality.
You ultra right religious supremacists would turn us into a theocracy if you could get your way.
Fortunately, we still have a 1st amendment, and we have a Supreme court that said YOU ARE WRONG. So go back to C4pee and lament with the Christian Taliban crowd.
Perhaps you should consider living elsewhere. You will, however, want to avoid the following countries, some of which have allowed gay marriage for over a decade: France, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Canada, South Africa, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Portugal, Iceland, Argentina, Uruguay, and parts of Mexico. Oh, and if recognized civil unions bother avoid Germany, Finland, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, Columbia, and Ireland. Bon Voyage!
Delete7:40am
DeleteNow you know what we sane folks feel when you christian right wingers keep trying to shove your agenda down our throats (or up our vaginas)
The world is evolving, humanity is evolving. You'd better start believing in evolution or you will be left behind....the train is leaving the station, will you remain in Haterville or take that train to a better place?
Actually, 8:14 there is domestic violence in the gay community But I get your point.
DeleteHow is equality any type of agenda except an AMERICAN agenda?
Delete@7:40
DeleteAwwwww, does equal protection upset your delicate bigoted sensibilities? Too effing bad. I will feast on your tears at the weddings of my same-sex couple friends.
Love=love. Deal with it.
Well boo fucking boo to you.
DeleteFantastic morning! Congratulations to lvoing couples eerywhere in this country. Finally, our nation is getting closer to treating all people failry.
ReplyDeleteWe still have battles to fight, but for every group of folks who are maginalized, this has to be the most hopeful news.
Hey, Bristol and Willow you both knew about Todd's Pimping of Shailey Tripp and others. Where is your outrage? Maybe that is why Willow refuses to move back into Sarah's house. Maybe at least one of the Teen-Mothers has a conscience. Bristol is a puppet and will do whatever she is told to do.
ReplyDeleteSo they just read a statement by the President regarding the SCOTUS decisions. The scroll at the bottom of the screen says that Speaker Boehner will have a response after he finishes reading it. Is he going to pay the country back all the money that was spent to defend DOMA? And Scalia gave a speech last week calling gay marriage a moral issue. No, moron. It is an equal rights issue. The headline from the Business Insider is "Antonin Scalia's Gay Marriage Dissent is Dripping with Contempt and Sarcasm". I would expect as much from a little man such as he.
ReplyDeleteActually, had Boehner NOT spent the 3 million and retained the attorney, the SC could not have heard the case. So Boehner lost twice!
DeleteCan't wait to hear the Republicans dance around this one! The House has tried to repeal Obamacare about 40 times (despite SCOTUS), so are they going to waste time trying to bring back DOMA? Oh wait, it was jobs, jobs, jobs, right?
DeleteOh yes, they are SO concerned about the poor and jobs, and they LOVE minorities too, oh so much. (Is there an election coming up?)
DeleteScalia is an uncouth, ill mannered thug. He is the epitome of a sow's ear.
DeleteHis very presence demeans the court to the level of the gutter.
YYYAAAAAYYYYYYYY!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI woke up this morning, feeling bad about our country after yesterday's SCOTUS rulings.
ReplyDeleteIt has turned into a much brighter day.
I am so happy and pleased for all my gay friends.
It's a good day to be an American.
Yesterday was pretty bleak after the decision on the VRA, but with the failure of the abortion bill in Texas (wasn't that something?), and now this, things have brightened up considerably. Mobilizing to neutralize the roadblocks that will be thrown up to impede minority voting is imperative now. Gerrymandering, as usual, will be one of their favorite methods of choice. The struggle continues.
ReplyDeleteI think after yesterday the SCOTUS had to rule as they did or risk such a backlash that it would endanger their tenure.
DeleteAdding to more justices to make it 11 or putting in some sort of age or term limit or such are only some of the possibilities if they would have pushed too far.
So they gutted VRA but struck down DOMA. It was a trade to save their jobs and the status quo.
miaiuppa, good luck with that. You are talking about a major change in the US Constitution!
DeleteInterestingly enough I am getting a lot of visits today, many of them coming from California.
ReplyDeleteI will assume that they are excited and looking for information all over the internet.
:) I'm currently in the Bay area working on a construction job, instead of home in Texas.
DeleteLittle Rabbit
And it's a fabulous place to be today!
I check in daily. Still waiting for baby gate to break wide open. Celebrating today in SF!!!!
Delete:) Are you talking about me? yes, I'm from CA "a happy happy..happy" blue state!
DeleteWell, for this expatriated Alaskan gay couple living in London, this is a good day. One of the simple little things this means to us is that US Customs agents will now have to accept us filling out only ONE reentry card as a FAMILY!
ReplyDeleteWe have been refused entry to the USA in the past when trying to put both our names on one of those silly little cards (until we filled out two as individuals). It's how petty DOMA could be in its enforcement as well as the big stuff, like no survivor benefits with social security and estate matters that greatly impact taxes upon death.
And hey! we can now file our income tax together (whoopee).
All together, it's a good day.
After yesterday's awful SCOTUS decision, I was very pessimistic about today's verdicts. I am delighted to have been wrong!
DeleteToday we celebrate, tomorrow we shall have to back to the work at hand...
Equality in all states for all citizens! Equality that is gender and color blind!
Unfortunately this is a concept that still does not resonate with too many of the populace.
125 employees werte laid off from my local buybull thumpers' organization, focus on your own damn family (as us heathens call them) because they wasted so much money defeating prop 8 in CA several years back. How do like the decision by the scotus hypocrites? Bwahaha.
ReplyDeleteI have a four month old granddaughter and I hope that in 40 years she and her contemporaries will look at gay marriage the same way we regard interracial marriage.
ReplyDeleteLike, "huh, who could be against that".
Steve Schmidt has an opportunity to redeem himself!!!
ReplyDeleteAnnounces $10 Million War Chest for 50-State Initiative After Court Strikes Down DOMA
http://www.aclu.org/lgbt-rights/aclu-hires-steve-schmidt-bring-republicans-same-sex-marriage-push
"The Republican party stands for freedom, for limited government intrusion in our personal lives and for freedom," said Schmidt. "The issue of marriage equality is the Republican Party’s best chance to stand on the right side of history, create a meaningful legacy of fairness, and maintain relevance with young voters. I am proud to help the ACLU make all couples equal in the eyes of the law in all 50 states."
That just rocks. Really. Rocks. The ACLU. Love it :-)
DeleteNancy Pelosi’s Awesome Reaction To Michele Bachmann DOMA Statement: ‘Who Cares?’
ReplyDeleteMust watch the video:
http://www.mediaite.com/online/watch-nancy-pelosis-awesome-reaction-to-michele-bachmann-doma-statement-who-cares/
Celebrations and rallies being planned ALL over the Bay area in CA. Looks like the hubby and I might be able to make it to the one at City hall in San Jose!
ReplyDeleteLocal news showing happy people, looks like all those against marriage equality are pouting at home. One of my subcontractors is over the moon, hoping he and his partner of 12 yrs will be able to marry in the near future in their home state.
Little Rabbit
And after yesterday's smackdown of equality, I am quite surprised at this. Elated for my gay friends, but surprised.
ReplyDeleteI'll bet a small flower of hope and joy just bloomed in the pit Todd's stomach. Time to live the dream little fella!
ReplyDeleteBecause of my particular field of work, I have many friends and colleagues who are LGBT. I am so thrilled that they FINALLY have the same rights that every other American citizen enjoys.
ReplyDelete"The Supreme Court says legally married same-sex couples should get the same federal benefits as heterosexual couples. "
This ^ is sooooo big!!!!! In addition to the basic respect same sex couple will now receive, there are so many legal rights that they have been denied until now, even if they lived in a state that recognizes their marriage.
Finally, FINALLY, that ugly bill has been tossed into the dustbin of history where it belongs.
Don't get too excited yet. I'm sure that the GOP legislatures, and their lackey Supreme Court Justices, are working on ways to restrict the voting rights of the Gay community. Injustice for one, is injustice for ALL.
ReplyDeleteAnon@12:27... I am with you in your skepticism...
DeleteIn the meantime that uncouth disrespectful thug, Scalia, is busy foaming at the mouth.
ReplyDeleteI so wish one of the Fascist Five would retire, have a heart attack or an aneurysm or something, leaving an opening for Obama to appoint another justice.
Too bad Roberts is only 58. He'll be Chief Justice for far too long.
Alito is 63.
Scalia is 77. And overweight. He'd get my vote and the court would certainly be better for his leaving. But he would never go voluntarily. He won't retire so they'll have to carry him out feet first.
Kennedy is 76 so he's not going either. But at least sometimes he votes with the liberals.
Then there's Thomas. He's 65. He won't recuse himself for obvious conflicts of interest so there is no reason to believe he'd retire. Another feet first justice.
So it would probably be between Scalia and Kennedy who would be ripe for some sort of medical retirement of a permanent nature. Even with Cadillac healthcare you can't stop the natural progression of life.
Right now my vote would be for Scalia to go first followed quickly by Thomas. Those are the two I would most like to see OFF the SCOTUS.
My fear is that Obama would only be replacing Breyer (74) or Ginsberg (80). Even if he gets his picks, there's still a deadlock since he'd only be replacing a liberal with another liberal.
Someone needs to start sending Scalia lots of cheesecake, cannoli and pizza.
There is a rainbow over the entire USA today.
ReplyDeleteOooh...isn't it pretty?!?! Makes me smile! :)
DeleteHey, y'all. Go to Google and google the word, "gay". It's pretty darn cool what you will see there today!
ReplyDeleteI'm in Houston, TX. (I am a progressive, so please don't throw anything at me!)
ReplyDeleteMy favorite local t.v. station called in its own legal consultant today, Dr. Gerald Treece, who is a constitutional law professor at the University of Houston. He explained that the new ruling today ONLY applies in states that recognize gay marriage. For backward places like Texas, which does NOT recognize gay marriage, the new ruling has no effect.
So, it's a start in the right direction, but it's not universal throughout the nation at this time.
There's still a LOT of work to be done, but this is a major step forward and we should take a moment to celebrate it.
DeleteTomorrow we can begin to work on the next step towards full - and nationwide - equality for everyone.
And the next step, and the next.
I was on pins and needles after yesterday's SCOTUS ruling, But today, Love won over hate. I hope the day comes when we can just call a marriage a marriage and a family a family.
ReplyDelete