Q-marriage is on the way in California, since its Supreme Court declared on Thursday that the state cannot deny marriage to lesbians and gays. CA became the second state in the nation, after Massachusetts in 2004, to act in accord with the U.S. Constitution as it relates to sexual minorities.
In a 4-3 decision, drafted by Chief Justice Ronald George, the court ruled: "In light of the fundamental nature of the substantive rights embodied in the right to marry - and their central importance to an individual's opportunity to live a happy, meaningful, and satisfying life as a full member of society - the California Constitution properly must be interpreted to guarantee this basic civil right to all individuals and couples, without regard to their sexual orientation."
The court also noted: "Furthermore, in contrast to earlier times, our state now recognizes that an individual's capacity to establish a loving and long-term committed relationship with another person and responsibly to care for and raise children does not depend upon the individual's sexual orientation, and, more generally, that an individual's sexual orientation - like a person's race or gender - does not constitute a legitimate basis upon which to deny or withhold legal rights. We therefore conclude that in view of the substance and significance of the fundamental constitutional right to form a family relationship, the California Constitution properly must be interpreted to guarantee this basic civil right to all Californians, whether gay or heterosexual, and to same-sex couples as well as to opposite-sex couples."
Making its way thru the net is this fantabulous artwork by Mirko Ilic, which first appeared in the Village Voice in 2004. Pokey Anderson sent it to me with the caption, "Look who is finally kissing in public!"
Earlier this month, Washington, D.C. Expanded Domestic Partnership Protections to include 39 new provisions that treat domestic partnerships almost the same as het marriages. The Washington Blade reports:
Similar to its approval of earlier domestic partner law updates over the past several years, the Council passed the latest measure, the Omnibus Domestic Partnership Equality Amendment Act of 2008, by unanimous voice vote, without discussion or debate.
Since Bush-Rove's design in whooping up latent homophobia to get out the vote in 2004, I've reread the U.S. Constitution a few times. I doubt anyone could convince me that the 14th Amendment allows gays and lesbians to be specifically excluded from constitutional rights in this country; that somehow, the term "nor deny to any person" means, except gays and lesbians.
While Karl Rove may have masterminded those 11 state initiatives to get out the homophobic vote in 2004, it's nice to see he's out of office and in some hot water right now as John Conyers goes after him. So much for the bigoted criminals who still occupy the White House.
Ellen DeGeneres announced her plans to marry Portia de Rossi during a taping of her talk show on Thursday.
A video clip of the announcement can be seen here.
This news is just in time for the summer Pride festivities, as millions will embrace and celebrate sexual diversity. As Matt Coles of the ACLU (Get Busy Get Equal) writes, "How sweet it is."
You can read the full decision here.
