The US Supreme Court made same-sex
marriage legal throughout the nation Friday
in a much-awaited landmark decision that
triggered wild jubilation and tears of joy.
In a 5-4 ruling, the highest court in the
United States said the Constitution requires
all 50 states to carry out and recognize
marriage between people of the same sex.
President Barack Obama, in heartfelt
remarks, praised the ruling as "a victory for
America." The court decision marked a
fresh coup for the White House, coming a
day after the Supreme Court upheld an
important and disputed section of the
president's signature health care reform.
"Today we can say in no uncertain terms
that we've made our union a little more
perfect," Obama said at the White House,
which changed its Twitter avatar to the
rainbow colors of the growing gay rights
movement.
"This decision affirms what millions of
Americans already believe in their hearts —
when all Americans are treated as equal,
we are all more free."
It also made the United States the 21st
country or territory in the world that
recognizes same-sex marriage as legal.
Flag-waving LGBT rights advocates on the
packed Supreme Court forecourt — some
in tears — cheered, danced, shouted "USA!
USA!" and sang "The Star-Spangled Banner"
in celebration.
Prominent in the crowd was Jim Obergefell,
the lead plaintiff in the case, clutching a
photo of his deceased husband John
Arthur.
He took a brief phone call from Obama,
who told him: "Not only have you been a
great example for people but you're also
going to bring about a lasting change in
this country.
"And it's pretty rare where that happens so
I couldn't be prouder of you and your
husband. God bless you."
Obergefell, who was live on television at
the time, replied humbly: "Thank you, sir.
That means an incredible amount to me."
Also in the vast crowd outside court as the
life-changing news filtered through were
Robert Westover, 51, and Tom Fulton, 57,
who hugged and kissed.
"It feels like my birthday, the prom, our
wedding day. It's hard to express the
intensity of this moment, that our love now
is equal," Westover told AFP.
The case was brought by 14 same-sex
couples, and the widowers of two gay
couples, including Obergefell, who had
challenged de facto bans on same-sex
marriage in Michigan, Kentucky, Ohio and
Tennessee.
All four states had insisted in their
respective constitutions that marriage
could only be a union between a man and
a woman.
"The Fourteenth Amendment (providing
equal protection under the law) requires a
state to license a marriage between two
people of the same sex and to recognize a
marriage between two people of the same
sex when their marriage was lawfully
licensed and performed out-of-State," the
court ruling said.
Marriage has been a core institution in
society since ancient times, "but it has not
stood in isolation from developments in
law and society," reasoned Justice Anthony
Kennedy, who delivered the ruling.
To exclude them from marriage, Kennedy
said, would deny same-sex couples "the
constellation of benefits that the states
have linked to marriage."
Voicing dissent was Chief Justice John
Roberts, who expressed concern that the
court was making a decision better left to
elected state legislatures.
"If you are among the many Americans —
of whatever sexual orientation — who favor
expanding same-sex marriage, by all
means celebrate today's decision," he said.
"Celebrate the achievement of a desired
goal. Celebrate the opportunity for a new
expression of commitment to a partner.
Celebrate the availability of new benefits.
"But do not celebrate the Constitution. It
had nothing to do with it."
The decision came two years to the day
after the Supreme Court, in another major
ruling, struck down a controversial federal
law that denied US government benefits to
wedded gays and lesbians.
"This transformative triumph is a
momentous victory for freedom, equality,
inclusion, and above all, love," said
Freedom to Marry, one of several groups
battling for LGBT marriage rights.
"We'll remember this day for the rest of our
lives," added the It Gets Better Project,
another gay rights organization, in a mass
email to supporters.
But the conservative Family Research
Council expressed outrage, saying "no court
can overturn natural law."
"Nature and nature's God, hailed by the
signers of our Declaration of Independence
as the very source of law, cannot be
usurped by the edict of a court, even the
United States Supreme Court," it said.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, whose
state has also prohibited same-sex
marriage, said the fight going forward was
now one of "religious liberty."
"No court, no law, no rule, and no words
will change the simple truth that marriage
is the union of one man and one woman,"
he said in a statement.
"Nothing will change the importance of a
mother and a father to the raising of a child
— and nothing will change our collective
resolve that all Americans should be able to
exercise their faith in their daily lives
without infringement and harassment."
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