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Davis, California

Thursday, March 28, 2024

Editorial: The right side of history

Last week the Supreme Court heard arguments for and against two landmark cases for gay marriage: Hollingsworth v. Perry and United States v. Windsor. These cases concern Prop. 8 in California and the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), respectively. The decisions for these cases are expected in June.

It’s worth noting that the California State government and the United States government have both declined to defend the laws. The national climate is changing. The political climate is changing. The Supreme Court must rule in support of gay marriage.

In the past month, two GOP senators have come out in support of gay marriage — a huge deal given how rare it is for GOP politicians to break from party policy. Six out of 10 people in America were against gay marriage 10 years ago. That figure has dropped to 44 percent this year.

The decision on gay marriage is not a moral or ethical question. It is about equal rights. It is about avoiding the perpetuation of a second class of citizens who cannot receive the benefits of the 1,100 laws and statutes that define “legal marriage.” It is about giving a spouse the right to see the love of their life in the hospital.

Forty-nine years ago it was illegal for an African American person to sit at the front of the bus. Forty-six years ago it was illegal for people of different races to marry. Those who were in support of these issues were on the wrong side of history. Let’s make sure we’re on the right side.

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