Victory!
As you may recall, after same-sex marriage was legalized in D.C, the opponents of same-sex marriage didn’t waste any time in trying to get a measure on the next ballot to allow the good people of Washington, D.C. to vote on the definition of marriage as being between one man and one woman. Excuse me, I’m yawning.
D.C.’s Board of Elections and Ethics refused to approve the ballot measure, ruling that putting such a question on the ballot would violate its own anti-discrimination policies. Bishop Harry Jackson (a pastor in Maryland), retaliated with a law suit (Jackson v. The D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics) I’m so tired of this repetitious knee-jerk move by opponents of gay marriage that I might not stop yawning until it’s over.
Today, the Justices rejected an appeal on the case, although they did so without comment. Perhaps they’re tired of the whole thing, too. Either way, it’s a victory for gay and lesbian couples who wish to marry in D.C.
Gay marriage became a reality in D.C. in 2009. After the D.C. City Council passed the bill, it was signed into law by Governor Adrian Fenty. It didn’t take long for opponents of gay marriage to raise a ruckus. During all the craziness, the Court was asked to put a hold on gay marriages, but it refused to do so.
Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign, said:
“Today’s action by the Supreme Court makes abundantly clear that D.C.’s human rights protections are strong enough to withstand the hateful efforts of outside anti-LGBT groups to put people’s basic civil rights on the ballot.”
Read the full HRC post here.
It’s a great day for a victory!
————————————————
Disclaimer: The information, comments and links posted on the blog do not constitute legal advice. I will not respond to any specific legal questions in the comments section of this blog. Read my entire disclaimer.
copyright 2011 Irene C. Olszewski
Connecticut Lesbian and Gay Law 