Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Judge strikes down gay marriage ban in Texas

A Texas judge has struck down that state's ban on gay marriage.

U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia did not say gay marriages could be performed immediately. Instead, he stayed the decision, citing a likely appeal.

"Without a rational relation to a legitimate governmental purpose, state-imposed inequality can find no refuge in our United States Constitution," Garcia wrote in his decision. "These Texas laws deny Plaintiffs access to the institution of marriage and its numerous rights, privileges, and responsibilities for the sole reason that Plaintiffs wish to be married to a person of the same sex."

The state's gay marriage ban was challenged by two gay couples -- one seeking to marry in Texas and one seeking to have their marriage, which was performed in Massachusetts, to be recognized.
Read the rest here.

As said in an earlier post, this battle is lost. It's time to refocus on the strongest possible conscience protection legislation.

3 comments:

David Di Giacomo said...

And when the "strongest possible conscience protection" gets struck down too (because it will, and pretty fast too)? What then?

John (Ad Orientem) said...

Unlike outright bans on gay marriage, I think conscience protection laws would likely be upheld before the SCOTUS as it is currently composed.

lannes said...

There are others less cowardly than you who will publish my comment about same-sex marriage.