Now them Gays Got Oregon (link) Oh my Whose Next?

[_The Mighty Builder]

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/jud ... on-n109276

Oregon became the 18th state to allow gay marriage after a federal judge on Monday struck down a voter-approved ban.

U.S. District Judge Michael McShane held that the ban violates the Constitution by discriminating against gay couples. He ordered the state not to enforce it.

State officials had said they would be prepared to carry out same-sex marriages almost immediately. Couples lined up outside the clerk’s office in Portland ahead of the decision.

[_son of Ishmael]

Wow, I thought Oregon already had SSM. For such a progressive state they are a little late coming to the party.

[_Jaybear]

From the ruling:

My decision will not be the final word on this subject, but on this issue of marriage I am struck more by our similarities than our differences. I believe that if we can look for a moment past gender and sexuality, we can see in these plaintiffs nothing more or less than our own families. Families who we would expect our Constitution to protect, if not exalt, in equal measure. With discernment we see not shadows lurking in closets or the stereotypes of what was once believed; rather, we see families committed to the common purpose of love, devotion, and service to the greater community.

Where will all this lead? I know that many suggest we are going down a slippery slope that will have no moral boundaries. To those who truly harbor such fears, I can only say this: Let us look less to the sky to see what might fall; rather, let us look to each other...and rise.

I genuinely don't understand the conservative mindset on this issue.

[_Jaybear]

On a related note, a Judge who comes from Mormon royalty, just stuck it to the state.
Will he be called a liberal activist judge?

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/57963 ... t.html.csp

[_Equality]

Who's Next? (Great album, by the way). Could be just about any state that currently has laws against same-sex marriage, except Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota, which are the only three such states that do not currently have any litigation pending on the matter. Among the Circuits, I think it likely that the 10th will rule first on the Oklahoma and Utah appeals. The 4th has also already heard oral argument and could possibly beat the 10th with a decision. I don't believe the 6th or 9th have heard oral argument yet int he cases that have been appealed in those circuits.

[_cwald]

Excellent.

[_cwald]

Wow, I thought Oregon already had SSM. For such a progressive state they are a little late coming to the party.

Yeah. Oregonians are so belligerently independent that sometimes they'll say F-you to other states who expect them to do or act a certain way, just to be, well, belligerent.