Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Supreme Court nominees and Prop 8: A Time to Weep and A Time to Celebrate

There is a time to weep and a time to laugh...

A time to celebrate and a time to mourn.

And today was both of those.

I couldn't be happier with President Obama's pick of Sonia Sotomayor as the nominee for the next Supreme Court Justice. I don't know much more than the papers have said, but I'm delighted about what I've read about her, her previous decisions, her amazing background, and thrilled to think that the Supreme Court will have its first Latina member.

That was before 9 a.m.

And then at 1 p.m. EST, the California Supreme Court upheld Prop 8, effectively denying same sex couples in California the right to marry. It was satisfying to learn that the Court upheld the marriages that had been performed last summer and fall, and I'm happy for my friends who got married at that time. But, I am weeping for those who may not be legally married simply because they are in love with someone of the same sex. Yes, simply...because goodness, I believe that what makes a good marriage has nothing to do with the sex or gender of the partners.

And yet, I'm hopeful. Iowa and Vermont made same sex marriage legal in the past few months. New Hampshire and New York may follow. Other states will surely follow.

Outside interference and propaganda helped pass Prop 8. In time, I believe that justice will prevail...in California and in every state.

And Sonia Sotomayor may be the key. Ultimately, the U.S. Supreme Court must decide that it's unconstitutional to create second class citizens -- based on sexual orientation or gender identity or anything else. Separate but not equal is not just unconstitutional -- it's wrong.

President Obama's Supreme Court may indeed be the key to change. It is time for justice to prevail.

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