Gay Marriage – Short Crib Sheet to What's Going On in the News
From Ash:
Every day, I consider blogging about what's going on relating to gay marriage, but each day, I always think that tomorrow would be better, because then I'll know the results of that day. Then new news comes along.
So I decided just to post a brief summary of the major events relating to gay marriage that are going on right now, with links to news articles, etc. that give things in more detail, in case you're having the same difficulty keeping up as I am.
Massachusetts:
In 2003, the Massachusetts Supreme Court had previously upheld gay marriage in its decision Goodridge v. Public Health.
Then, on Monday, in Schulman v. Attorney General, the state's highest court upheld the ability to amend the state constitution to prohibit gay marriage, even though the amendment would effectively overturn their earlier decision.
Today, the state legislature may be voting on such an amendment in a Constitutional Convention: if passed, the amendment would thereafter go on the Massachusetts ballot. (Boston Globe)
New York
Last Thursday, New York's highest appellate court found that its state's law, which prohibits gay marriage, is valid. (AP article New York Times)
By the way, you might notice that the court's called the Court of Appeals. In New York, that's the equivalent to what everyone else would call the state's Supreme Court, so the only way to overturn its ruling is for the legislature to pass a new law, or to find a way to challenge the ruling in the U.S. Supreme Court.
Georgia
Just hours after New York's court issued its ruling, the Georgia Supreme Court upheld its state's constitutional amendment banning on gay marriage. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution AP via Minn Star-Telegraph)
California
This Tuesday, a California Court of Appeals began debating its state's ban on gay marriage. But compared to the Georgia and New York decisions, this is just an interim appellate proceeding: regardless of this ruling, you can expect this to be appealed to the state's Supreme Court. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Spain
And just in case you hadn't heard, Pope Benedict just ended a trip to Spain.
Spain – a country traditionally thought of as being very Catholic – has become increasingly secular, recently passing a lot of laws that the papacy does not approve of. One of those was to legalize gay marriage. The pope hadn't even gotten off the airplane in Spain before reporters started asking about it. In the following days, he repeatedly addressed marriage as being a sacred institution between a man and woman, only. (BBC)
Every day, I consider blogging about what's going on relating to gay marriage, but each day, I always think that tomorrow would be better, because then I'll know the results of that day. Then new news comes along.
So I decided just to post a brief summary of the major events relating to gay marriage that are going on right now, with links to news articles, etc. that give things in more detail, in case you're having the same difficulty keeping up as I am.
Massachusetts:
In 2003, the Massachusetts Supreme Court had previously upheld gay marriage in its decision Goodridge v. Public Health.
Then, on Monday, in Schulman v. Attorney General, the state's highest court upheld the ability to amend the state constitution to prohibit gay marriage, even though the amendment would effectively overturn their earlier decision.
Today, the state legislature may be voting on such an amendment in a Constitutional Convention: if passed, the amendment would thereafter go on the Massachusetts ballot. (Boston Globe)
New York
Last Thursday, New York's highest appellate court found that its state's law, which prohibits gay marriage, is valid. (AP article New York Times)
By the way, you might notice that the court's called the Court of Appeals. In New York, that's the equivalent to what everyone else would call the state's Supreme Court, so the only way to overturn its ruling is for the legislature to pass a new law, or to find a way to challenge the ruling in the U.S. Supreme Court.
Georgia
Just hours after New York's court issued its ruling, the Georgia Supreme Court upheld its state's constitutional amendment banning on gay marriage. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution AP via Minn Star-Telegraph)
California
This Tuesday, a California Court of Appeals began debating its state's ban on gay marriage. But compared to the Georgia and New York decisions, this is just an interim appellate proceeding: regardless of this ruling, you can expect this to be appealed to the state's Supreme Court. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Spain
And just in case you hadn't heard, Pope Benedict just ended a trip to Spain.
Spain – a country traditionally thought of as being very Catholic – has become increasingly secular, recently passing a lot of laws that the papacy does not approve of. One of those was to legalize gay marriage. The pope hadn't even gotten off the airplane in Spain before reporters started asking about it. In the following days, he repeatedly addressed marriage as being a sacred institution between a man and woman, only. (BBC)
6 Comments:
Like many things I believe this needs grass roots action. Most non-gay people do not have an opinion on 'gay marriage' until a friend is caught in the quagmire of words..
Why don't we non-gay people who support gay unions start calling our own marriages civil partnerships, and lobby our reps to make that change in law?
Now to allow gay couples to adopt is a different matter altogether!
Have you looked at places like Sweden? I think it is legal now for two people of the same sex to get married there.
Yes, I have heard about the Pope's comments during his visit to Spain. I am not Catholic but perhaps someone can explain to me. From what I understand of the Catholic religion, it is very important that people marry and have many children. Is it possible that the official theory is "gay + marriage = no kids"? And "man + woman => marriage & kids"? I am trying to understand here.
Think about the past. There was a time when it was against the law in parts of the USA for a white person to marry someone who was not white. I hesitate to say "race" because we all are members of the human race.
Hayley
Hayley,
I believe the countries that have legalized same-sex marriage thus far are: Canada, Spain, The Netherlands and Belgium. Sweden allows for a form of registration of same-sex partners, giving them essentially the same legal rights as married couples, but they don't get married per se.
It's such a great question regarding Catholicism, that I'd rather blog about it, instead of just slam it in to a comment.
Also this week: A Nebraska Court of Appeals upheld its state's ban on gay marriage as well.
And the Tennessee Supreme Court said an initiative to ban gay marriage can go on its state ballot.
I will marriage in London
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