Same Sex Marriage at the Supreme Court this Week!

[LadyFriend]

Is anyone else geeking out over Supreme Court?!!!?!1?!!!!11!!!

I’m feeling a little bleak about today’s Prop 8 case (most people I am talking to seem to think the case will be dismissed for lack of standing). I’m looking forward to listening to the arguments for myself.

On the other hand, I’m feeling very positive and excited about the DOMA arguments tomorrow.

Here is a great live blog of today’s arguments for anyone interested:

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2013/03/2 ... -marriage/

Here is a helpful chart of basic possible outcomes for the cases:

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013 ... html?_r=1&

SCOTUSblog also has some excellent coverage.

I cannot wait to see what happens and I’m EXTREMELY excited for tomorrow’s arguments.

I know we have to wait until June, but is anyone else following along this week?

[lilwriter85]

I will be keeping tabs on this. On my instagram, I'm seeing a lot of pics of support and a couple of Facebook gay rights groups have people in DC and they are postings pics.

[BlackHawk]

Very much watching and paying attention. Not too excited about what I've read over the Prop 8, but DOMA should be better. Here's to hope.

[crazyforkate]

I'm not optimistic, but definitely glued to it. Let's hope for a miracle, guys!

[ADoyle90815]

One thing I do love is that several of my Facebook friends as well as I have that HRC logo as our profile pictures for the next couple of days. I do think that as the older generations die off, things will change and consenting adults will be able to marry the person they love, regardless of gender.

[BlackHawk]

One thing I do love is that several of my Facebook friends as well as I have that HRC logo as our profile pictures for the next couple of days. I do think that as the older generations die off, things will change and consenting adults will be able to marry the person they love, regardless of gender.

The problem is when someone sets a precedent like what we have now, it is hard to change that mindset. You can look at many things in history to see how hard you have to work to overcome a precedent from the supreme court. If they walk away changing nothing from Prop 8 or DOMA then as gays in my generation we are basically screwed. We will have to fight the rest of our lives in hopes that something changes for generations far to come... and that is a tough pill to swallow. Not to say we won't fight (hell, we will fight, duh), it's just that much harder. And overcoming precedent is ridiculously difficult.

[Mama Mia]

One thing I do love is that several of my Facebook friends as well as I have that HRC logo as our profile pictures for the next couple of days. I do think that as the older generations die off, things will change and consenting adults will be able to marry the person they love, regardless of gender.

It was nice to see that this morning on my fb feed - lots of the HRC logo as profile pics, and then several pro-equality picture shares by others. Including some of the more teaparty ish people I know ( but the tea party people I know are the libertarian type ).

So if the Supreme court doesn't find merit in the Prop 8 case - does that mean that the lower federal court ruling stands and same sex marriage will be legal in California ? Or did I get that confused ?

I am actually feeling more positive about Prop 8 than DOMA. Prop 8 seems to rest on denying civil rights that have already been conveyed - which seems like a no-brainer. DOMA I'm worried about the $$$ cost due to taxes and health benefits, and that they wouldn't get rid of it because of that. It seems like the States Rights implications of DOMA could be spun either way, but the best spin, imo, is that it violates State Rights to have a federal ban on recognition.

[Mama Mia]

Wow, reading the live blog - the pro-8 lawyer was floundering ! Here is the funniest part of his "argument"

Justice Stephen Breyer noted that there are lots of opposite-sex couples that can’t have children yet choose to get married. Justice Kagan jumped in to ask about opposite-sex couples that choose to get married after the age of 55. There aren’t a lot of children coming out of those relationships, she said, prompting laughter from the courtroom audience.

8:24 amby Brent KendallAdd a Comment

Mr. Cooper responded that even for older couples, it’s rare that both parties to such a marriage are infertile. Very few men outlive their fertility, he said. The courtroom audience groaned.

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

So all he can come up with is that even in couples where there is no hope of pro-creation because the wife is past menopause --- it is still okay because the man is still fertile ???? WOW.

Of course by that reasoning what would be the purpose for a ban on same sex marriage since presumably one or both of the parties might be fertile, they just can't use that fertility with their spouse. Too funny

[merrily]

The conservatives' arguments can basically be summed up to

1. It's against our CHRISTIAN RIGHTS!

2. It's intruding on our RIGHTS

3. Think of the children!

[LadyFriend]

My understanding is that they could either DIG the case (dismiss by basically saying that they never should have heard it in the first place) or decide the standing issue and vacate the 9th Circuit Court's opinion. That would leave the District Court opinion where standing wasn't an issue. It's all very technical and I'm trying to figure it out as I go along as well. Not sure if that will be helpful or not, haha!

[FakePigtails]

When is a decision expected?

It was great to see so much support for marriage equality on facebook today. As much as a few were assholes, it's refreshing to see them so outnumbered.

[Caramel]

Am I mistaken, or did Olson come within a weence of asserting heterosexual marriage not as a right, but as a duty?

[LadyFriend]

When is a decision expected?

It was great to see so much support for marriage equality on facebook today. As much as a few were assholes, it's refreshing to see them so outnumbered.

The Court will issue it's opinion in June/July. (But, we get to do this all again tomorrow!!)

I also loved all the support I saw on social media. So many red equality avatars! :dance:

[BlackHawk]

My understanding is that they could either DIG the case (dismiss by basically saying that they never should have heard it in the first place) or decide the standing issue and vacate the 9th Circuit Court's opinion. That would leave the District Court opinion where standing wasn't an issue. It's all very technical and I'm trying to figure it out as I go along as well. Not sure if that will be helpful or not, haha!

[Mama Mia]

My understanding is they would not go below the 9th CC ruling. So basically the options they've set on the table are Rule on it (either uphold Prop 8 or strike it down) or Dig the case and decide they shouldn't have taken it to rule. It's very, very very very very very unlikely they will go below 9thCC just based off precedent. My prediction just based off what I heard today and people I've spoken with is they will drop the Prop 8 case which leaves the 9thCC order in place and they will probably overturn DOMA making the federal gov't unable to define marriage how they have. As a gay man, while I'm not thrilled, I will be excited to see DOMA go first. We'll deal with the rest as it comes.

[clarinetpower]

I am seeing much of my page covered in red avatars as well, and it's wonderful to see.

Then I clicked over to the über Catholic fundie (whose page I leave off my feed) and see this:

Nice. Very Christian, the mocking. :roll:

And of course, it was defended by her friends and husband, who declared that "Recent liberal studies where advising that pedophiles are just "born that way" and that we need to find a "healthy" way to accommodate that, if you can believe it."

Yeah.

PS: sorry it's so big. :(

[AtroposHeart]

And of course, it was defended by her friends and husband, who declared that "Recent liberal studies where advising that pedophiles are just "born that way" and that we need to find a "healthy" way to accommodate that, if you can believe it."

Yeah.

PS: sorry it's so big. :(

[Nothing2CHere]

Oh, that's awful! (The avatar that Clarinetpower's uber fundie Catholic had). Rest assured that many known Catholics in my facebook feed had the red equal signs in support for marriage equality. (Including myself, of course)

[LadyFriend]

Oh, that's awful! (The avatar that Clarinetpower's uber fundie Catholic had). Rest assured that many known Catholics in my facebook feed had the red equal signs in support for marriage equality. (Including myself, of course)

[ILoveJellybeans]

Im so happy to see how many of my friends have changed their profile pictures in support of gay marriage, at least 10% of my friends list has so far. Others have posted pro gay marriage pictures and Facebook statuses.

There is only one person on my friends list who is against gay marriage, and even she has kept fairly quiet about it. All of the other Christians on my friends list are supportive-believing God loves everyone :)

[Seal]

Can't believe Smugs and the gang aren't yapping about it on instagram.

[LadyFriend]

So if they drop the Prop 8 that means California same sex marriage will be okay ? Since the lower court ruled against Prop 8 and the Governor and Attorney General have declined to pursue it ? So confusing.

[Guest]

I was really encouraged to see many of my college-aged friends use the equality symbol as their profile pictures today. That being said, many were posting statuses about how the Supreme Court was going to "vote" on DOMA tomorrow... I hope that this interest in equal rights keeps its fervor until the summer, after this profile picture fad ends, and after the ruling, until equality is actually a reality.

[Mama Mia]

I was really encouraged to see many of my college-aged friends use the equality symbol as their profile pictures today. That being said, many were posting statuses about how the Supreme Court was going to "vote" on DOMA tomorrow... I hope that this interest in equal rights keeps its fervor until the summer, after this profile picture fad ends, and after the ruling, until equality is actually a reality.

Yeah, I really liked the broad cross-section of support I saw today. in addition to the people who I assumed would be actively supporting the issue and who are usually very political, I also had fb friends who are generally completely non-political, people who usually stick to cats or art, some young people who usually just post about partying, several senior citizens and one friend who usually is posting anti-Obama, pro-teaparty stuff... .all either switched their profile picture or at least shared pro equality pictures/statuses. Several different versions of the symbol too.

The few people I think may be anti-equality were completely silent today ( although I think they may have given up fb for lent )

[merrily]

Can't believe Smugs and the gang aren't yapping about it on instagram.

That's because everything they yap works against them. The atkin campaign,anyone?