USA! USA! (DOMA)

lcfairbairn74

It's a great day!! :drinker: :drinker:

brookehe

It was an EPIC 24 hours, from the Texas Senate to the Supreme Court!

Totally agree! :happy: :drinker: :happy:

lithezebra

I'm lost... someone help me out here?

The supreme court just eliminated DOMA. DOMA is the defense of marriage act which was an act that defined marriage as being between one man and one women. Since there was no secular justification for the claim it was determined that the act was respecting the rules of an established religion which makes it a violation of the first amendment and therefore unconstitutional. Please bare in mind this is a laymen interpretation of the information that I have read and heard in the general media. I am sure the case was a bit more nuanced then that but in a nutshell that is what I have read so far.

I believe it was actually found unconstitutional under the 5th amendment as a deprivation of equal liberty.

The 5th amendment states that you don't have to testify against yourself in court.

It just occurred to me that you must have meant the 14th amendment. That also sounds like a logical case for its unconstitutionality. It is messed up that an act which violates two constitutional amendments was able to survive as long as it did.

It is also a little embarrassing that it took me as long as it did to realize what you meant to say but I am a bit distracted with other stuff.

Speaking of the 5th amendment, everyone should also be paying attention to Salinas v. Texas, the recent SCOTUS decision that affirms that your silence CAN be used against you.

srslybritt

Hmmmm....I just took it to be celebration of equal rights, rather than politics.

Silly me, what WAS I thinking? :huh:

^This.

LorinaLynn

Hmmmm....I just took it to be celebration of equal rights, rather than politics.

Silly me, what WAS I thinking? :huh:

That's what I was thinking, too. If this is just a political discussion to you, consider yourself lucky that it hasn't been your or your loved ones rights that have been denied for a long time.

TeachTheGirl

There are thousands of political groups. Feel free to join it. My point is, if this were a thread lamenting DOMA being stuck down it would last about 2 minutes before it was removed.

Then feel free to test that theory instead of raining on our rainbow parade.

The_Enginerd

I try to stay out of politics, but this is a landmark day.

I should go check Facebook to see how many dumb comments people will leave and who I should consider deleting.

soldier4242

My guess is that you are a fan of country music.

Hey! I'm a fan of country music - don't lump us in with the bigots

This for sure.
I'm a huge fan of alt-country and americana. Lots of us are liberals and care about the poor, and the rights of others.

I have already explained what I mean in this thread but I will post the same response to you as well to make sure nobody walks away thinking I am generalizing about people that are fans of country music.
=======================================================================================================
I like country music too. I was not saying that because he is against gay marriage. I was saying that because he is paraphrasing the lyrics to a country long.

You've got to stand for something or you'll fall for anything- It is by Aaron Tippin

When I was a kid it came on the radio every morning so I don't think I will ever forget it.
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I recognize that there is a stigma that people that like country music are also conservative bible thumpers but trust me that is not at all what was going through my mind when I wrote what I wrote. He just said something that make me think of that Aaron Tippin song I used to hear every morning when I was a kid.

GBO323

Reposted below with original quotes. Sorry about that!

mojohowitz

Does this mean Ted Nugent can marry the love of his life, his own penis?

soldier4242

I'm lost... someone help me out here?

The supreme court just eliminated DOMA. DOMA is the defense of marriage act which was an act that defined marriage as being between one man and one women. Since there was no secular justification for the claim it was determined that the act was respecting the rules of an established religion which makes it a violation of the first amendment and therefore unconstitutional. Please bare in mind this is a laymen interpretation of the information that I have read and heard in the general media. I am sure the case was a bit more nuanced then that but in a nutshell that is what I have read so far.

I believe it was actually found unconstitutional under the 5th amendment as a deprivation of equal liberty.

The 5th amendment states that you don't have to testify against yourself in court.

It just occurred to me that you must have meant the 14th amendment. That also sounds like a logical case for its unconstitutionality. It is messed up that an act which violates two constitutional amendments was able to survive as long as it did.

It is also a little embarrassing that it took me as long as it did to realize what you meant to say but I am a bit distracted with other stuff.

Speaking of the 5th amendment, everyone should also be paying attention to Salinas v. Texas, the recent SCOTUS decision that affirms that your silence CAN be used against you.

I know exactly what you are talking about and that is completely wrong. If silence can be used against people in the future then we are all in for a world of hurt. That violates the promise that our courts will treat us all as innocent until we are proven guilty.

GBO323

Just for the record....the SCOTUS did NOT strike down or invalidate the entire DOMA...mainly the provision that affected Federal benefits to same sex couples and the constitutional rights of the states regarding their definition of marriage.

While opinions on the matter "may vary", let's keep the facts straight in what the SCOTUS actually did today. DOMA isn't gone, it's been modified.

While you are correct, the precedent set by this ruling paves the way for same sex marriage. All Federal barriers are now removed as unconstitutional and this precedent should percolate down to the state courts. It will be slow going but the momentum is building.

I understand what you are saying. Let's make sure we keep the facts and the "hope so/hope not" separate. They are different.

ldrosophila

Supreme Court strikes down Defense of Marriage Act
By Pete Williams and Erin McClam, NBC News
In a landmark ruling for gay rights, the Supreme Court on Wednesday struck down the Defense of Marriage Act, the 1996 law blocking federal recognition of same-sex marriages.
The decision was 5-4, written by Justice Anthony Kennedy. It said that the law amounted to the “deprivation of the equal liberty of persons that is protected by the Fifth Amendment.”
In a separate case, the court ruled that it could not take up a challenge to Proposition 8, the California law that banned gay marriage in that state. That decision means that gay marriage will once again be legal in California.
The ruling on the Defense of Marriage Act means that the federal government must recognize the gay marriages deemed legal by the states — 12 plus the District of Columbia, before the California case was decided. The law helps determine who is covered by more than 1,100 federal laws, programs and benefits, including Social Security survivor benefits, immigration rights and family leave.

About time maybe my friend can finally make his family whole and his two adopted boys will have married daddies

EvanKeel

I'm lost... someone help me out here?

The supreme court just eliminated DOMA. DOMA is the defense of marriage act which was an act that defined marriage as being between one man and one women. Since there was no secular justification for the claim it was determined that the act was respecting the rules of an established religion which makes it a violation of the first amendment and therefore unconstitutional. Please bare in mind this is a laymen interpretation of the information that I have read and heard in the general media. I am sure the case was a bit more nuanced then that but in a nutshell that is what I have read so far.

I believe it was actually found unconstitutional under the 5th amendment as a deprivation of equal liberty.

The 5th amendment states that you don't have to testify against yourself in court.

It just occurred to me that you must have meant the 14th amendment. That also sounds like a logical case for its unconstitutionality. It is messed up that an act which violates two constitutional amendments was able to survive as long as it did.

It is also a little embarrassing that it took me as long as it did to realize what you meant to say but I am a bit distracted with other stuff.

No I meant what i said

A ruling under the 14th amendment's equal protection would have been much, much better; Kennedy would have never gone for it, though. I really did mean the 5th amendment. Equal liberty is not the same as equal protection.

ahviendha

i was happy to read that this morning but serious fail with voting rights act. but this makes me forgive them a little bit. still want to egg scalia's house. what a turd.

juliemouse83

Hmmmm....I just took it to be celebration of equal rights, rather than politics.

Silly me, what WAS I thinking? :huh:

That's what I was thinking, too. If this is just a political discussion to you, consider yourself lucky that it hasn't been your or your loved ones rights that have been denied for a long time.

^^^This^^^

Two of my besties are affected by this, and my friends ARE my family, so this is most assuredly a step in the right direction, all politico garbage aside, so that said?

I think this is the PERFECT forum for a little celebration of equality! :drinker: :laugh: :flowerforyou: :drinker:

PrincessYorga

Wooohooo!!!! What a great day!!! :-)

Aello11

I actually never thought I would see it in my lifetime. But I am still a betting woman and my money is on my Quaker state (Pennsylvania) to be last. Which will be interesting because my ex-gf has said she is prosposing to me on the day PA joins the enlightened states.

russbittles

I got back from my morning walk, and was greeted at the door by my mom, yelling, "We won!" I was still on my endorphin rush, and wasn't sure what she was talking about. My son is gay, and I am so relieved that one day, he may be able to find and be with the love of his life, equally.

FunkyGranolaTree

It is hard to keep back the tears of joy for all of my dear friends! Bye Bye DOMA...You dont live here anymore!