Wednesday, June 26, 2013
The Defense of Marriage Act, or DOMA, a vile and cowardly relic from the Clinton years, was today struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court.
By a 5-4 vote, Justice Anthony Kennedy writing in the majority opinion said DOMA was unconstitutional:
“The federal statute is invalid, for no legitimate purpose overcomes the purpose and effect to disparage and to injure those whom the State, by its marriage laws, sought to protect in personhood and dignity. By seeking to displace this protection and treating those persons as living in marriages less respected than others, the federal statute is in violation of the Fifth Amendment.”
Justice Kennedy delivered the court’s majority opinion and was joined by Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. As expected, the dissenters were Justices John Roberts, Antonin Scalia, Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas.
Today’s decision means that more than 100,000 gay and lesbian couples who are legally married will be able to take advantage of tax breaks, pension rights and some of the other 1,300 Federal benefits that are available to heterosexual married couples.
From the Left 
This is the single most important Civil Rights ruling in my lifetime. I am overwhelmed.
Finally, SCOTUS, gets something right! Bravo to ALL married couples.
Congratulations, Chris. This is monumental and I am beyond thrilled. Equality is now yours and no gay or lesbian couple can be legally treated like a second or third class American.
It’s a wonderful day, and truly historic. I am so glad they ruled broadly, using the equal protection clause – it can be the beginning of further progress until all states become marriage equality states! The momentum has surged!
This is a great day. And now all we need is the 9th District Court to lift the stay on Prop 8 and that’s over with, too.
I had tears in my eyes when the DOMA ruling was announced. I am somewhat confused about the Prop 8 decision but I hope to have a better understanding as the day goes on and I read more. As you guys probably know, my home state of Illinois “tabled” the vote on marriage equality. The vote is expected to be taken up again in September. I intend to have a beer today with lunch to celebrate!
This baby boomer is witness to history!
I am so pleased my grandchildren will live in a country where discrimination based solely on their sexual preference is not grounds is not just wrong but, has no federal standing.
Today is a good day!!!
Ding Dong, DOMA is Dead!
The Defense of Marriage Act and Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. The Clinton legacy is an ugly one and many Americans felt the sting of institutionalized discrimination all because a sitting president refused to wield his veto pen and tell the religious right and their supporters in the US Congress, “No.”
But the horror of the Clinton legacy is slowly being erased and I am pleased as punch to see it die.
With this court decision, the United States joins the larger community of nations who legalized gay marriage and decided to treat their citizens equally. Heck, we even beat Britain to the finish line.
A huge victory but we still have work to do. This is just the beginning. I won’t stop until equality is the law in all 50 states.
According to Forbes.com, if gay marriage is legalized nationally, the impact to the America wedding industry would be immediate and infuse $9.5 billion into the sagging U.S. industry. This figure dates from 2009. The number in 2013 is undoubtedly larger. Today’s ruling is a universal victory.
http://www.forbes.com/2009/06/15/same-sex-marriage-entrepreneurs-finance-windfall.html
This is better new than I could hope for. I expected an entirely different ruling so I am still shocked.
The ruling was a longtime coming. In fact, 17 years since Bill Clinton threw the gay community under the bus to save his presidency. But those dark days are behind us now and equality is the law of the land. My heart is filled with glad tidings.
DOMA was on its merits, completely and thoroughly unconstitutional.
What strikes me as outrageous is, Bill Clinton, then president and who signed DOMA into law, is a law professor. He knew damned good and well DOMA was harmful and unconstitutional, yet he signed the act and the Republicans and several Democrats, cheered.
There are 37 states to go. Oregon and Nevada are likely next followed by Illinois. Slowly, equality is becoming the norm in the USA but we still have much work to do.
Joe in Colorado – I agree. We have much more work still ahead.