All your bases are belong to us.
A federal appeals court ruled Tuesday that gay marriages can continue in Utah, denying a request from the state to halt same-sex weddings that have been occurring at a rapid rate since last week.
The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ rejection of Utah’s request for an emergency stay marks yet another legal setback for the state. The same federal judge who ruled that Utah’s same-sex marriage ban violates gay and lesbian couples’ rights previously denied the state’s request to halt the marriages.
Next stop, Arizona.
Utah’s last chance to temporarily stop the marriages would be the U.S. Supreme Court. That’s what the Utah Attorney General’s Office is prepared to do, said spokesman Ryan Bruckman. “We’re disappointed in the ruling, but we just have to take it to the next level,” Bruckman said.
Gov. Gary Herbert’s office declined comment on the decision.
Carl Tobias, a constitutional law professor at Virginia’s University of Richmond who has tracked legal battles for gay marriage, thinks Utah faces long odds to get their stay granted, considering two courts have already rejected it and marriages have been going on for days now.
“The longer this goes on, the less likely it becomes that any court is going to entertain a stay,” Tobias said.
So all you loving same-sex couples in Utah who like the idea of being hitched? Get busy!
The Utahns can always petition SCOTUS for a stay. They’ll have to work through Sotomayor.
Thanks, Obama!
Utah’s appeal for the stay included the point that same-sex couples already married would be harmed if the judge’s ruling was overturned. When you’re arguing that your opponents will be harmed, your argument for a stay is very weak.
“Utah’s last chance to temporarily stop the marriages would be the U.S. Supreme Court. That’s what the Utah Attorney General’s Office is prepared to do, said spokesman Ryan Bruckman. “We’re disappointed in the ruling, but we just have to take it to the next level,” Bruckman said.”
WHY? Why do you have to take it to any level? Who puts this much effort into denying other people civil rights? What could you fuckers possibly have to gain? This is like going to a stranger’s party and taking a dump in the punch bowl, because punch is for YOUR parties only, and your party’s punch doesn’t taste any good unless other people don’t get punch too. Jesus, what a bunch of freaky-freaks.
I live in Utah, it’s funny that absolutely no one is complaining about the polygamy decriminalization (Mormons believe that plural marriage – which is only a man and many wives, not vice versa – will be fully restored and openly practiced again when Jesus comes back) but they’re completely up in arms about gay marriage.
In that case, perhaps Jesus can be persuaded to stay (wherever he might be)? 😉 Prayer power to the test.
Largely overlooked is the ruling in Ohio. While a narrow ruling, it says that the state has to accept same-sex marriages from other states. And of course they are going to appeal.
I felt some shame when I heard about this ruling. Not because I’m disappointed! But because my first reaction was knowing how truly upset those god-bothering Mormons would be. Y’know, the ones who supported Prop 8 so much that they spent millions of dollars and even came into California to precinct-walk.
What a truly wonderful present to give the state of Utah just before Christmas. I’m sure many Mormon heads exploded. Of course, that’s just icing on the cake of another step towards equality. 😀