These rulings are just so much fun to read; I have enjoyed the care with which each judge has carefully and deliberately addressed every argument, no matter how stupid… and then read the comment threads, where ignorant yahoos bring up those same arguments as if it were the first time.
Here is the Pennsylvania decision from minutes ago.
Today, certain citizens of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania are not guaranteed the right to marry the person they love. Nor does Pennsylvania recognize the marriages of other couples who have wed elsewhere. Hoping to end this injustice, eleven courageous lesbian and gay couples, one widow, and two teenage children of one of the aforesaid couples have come together as plaintiffs and asked this Court to declare that all Pennsylvanians have the right to marry the person of their choice and consequently, that the Commonwealth’s laws to the contrary are unconstitutional. We now join the twelve federal district courts across the country which, when confronted with these inequities in their own states, have concluded that all couples deserve equal dignity in the realm of civil marriage
Now, excuse me while I go read the rest of it. Enjoy!
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Wow. Having read section 1–the background of the plaintiffs–this is yet another powerful piece of writing.
FWIW, I have heard that this judge is a GWB appointee. Damned liberal activist bastard.
One of the interesting decisions of the judge was the finding that heightened scrutiny was appropriate based on past discrimination applied to gay and lesbian individuals. Hopefully, this aspect of Judge Jone’s ruling and his justification for it will be commented on by the legal beagles.
Isn’t this also Judge Jones of Kitzmiller v. Dover
This is the John E. Jones III of Dover v. Kitzmiller fame, proving he’s still a badass after all these years.
I did not catch that before–this explains why the writing is so good.
the last 2 paragraphs especially should become a rallying cry.
The Oregon statute was overturned yesterday as well.
Black-robed tyrants!
Of course, when the Supremes reverse all these decisions, they’ll be upholding the will of Cod. Or something.
Heightened scrutiny already applies in the Ninth Circuit, thanks to Abbott v. SmithKlineBeacham. That one was easy to miss because it was an antitrust case, in which the question arose of whether a potential juror had been inappropriately excluded.
Ahh, Satan wins another skirmish but Hark! What do I hear? Faintly at first but swelling to a grand and glorious triumphant sound…
Onward Christian soldiers
Marching as to WAR
With the cross of JESUS
Going on before…
Sigh, each win for sanity only strengthens their resolve to take us back 2000 years.
Jones is one of very few Republicans deserving of respect. Presenting stale, empty arguments for the first time is the beard and butter of the creationist movement.
That is one of the things that nearly always strikes me with the people moaning about these decisions. They have either not read, or not understood the ruling. Ignoring those who are honest enough to admit that there opposition is religious in nature, they always bring up reasons in support of their position that were thoroughly demolished in the ruling and never address that.
Reminds me a little of many of the reviews of “The God Delusion”, which frequently would say “What dawkins fails to consider is XYZ”, when chapter 1 had a large section on X&Y, and chapter three was titled “Z” and discussed in in detail
Judge Jones fan here (power fist!)
And Governor Corbett will not appeal. Done deal.
I could even have a brother-in-law brother-in-law.