Bid to Stop Massachusetts Gay Marriages Rejected

[CShine]

BOSTON (AP) - A federal appeals court Tuesday rejected an attempt by conservative groups and state lawmakers to stop gay marriage in Massachusetts. The Florida-based Liberty Counsel, which launched the lawsuit, said it would appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The plaintiffs had argued that Massachusetts' high court usurped the power of the Legislature - and thereby violated the U.S. Constitution - when it ruled last year that gay couples are entitled to wed. The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals disagreed Tuesday, and said the appropriate way to contest the state court ruling is by amending the Massachusetts Constitution - a long process already under way.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Robert Largess, the vice president of the Catholic Action League, and 11 state lawmakers. The federal appeals court had rejected an earlier request by the groups to stop the first marriage licenses from being issued to gay couples in May.

Tuesday's ruling was the latest in a series of defeats for conservative groups in both state and federal courts. The appeals court said the November 2003 gay-marriage ruling by Massachusetts' Supreme Judicial Court did not violate a clause in the U.S. Constitution that calls for a republican form of government in each state.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,1282,-4258800,00.html

[Bluebear]

1. Poor Mitt. The one-issue 'governor".

[chelsea0011]

6. Mitt once called homosexuality "deviant behavior"

but everytime, which is daily now, the media never brings this fact up. He's a bigot.

[WildClarySage]

2. Too Funny! I could have swore

that the guy filing the lawsuit was named Robert Largeass.

Maybe I need glasses.

[DrWho]

3. oh noo

it will ruin the sanctity of marriage!!!

But Wife Swap the new 'reality' TV show would have nothing to do with that!

[Catfight]

8. LOL...nope, that's what I see too.

[kiahzero]

4. It's amazing how little conservatives understand

Do they understand the concept of constitutional law at all, or do they just throw hissy-fits when they don't get their way?

It's pretty simple... the Legislature, by banning gay marriage, violated the Massachusetts Constitution. They also violated the U.S. Constitution, but the USSC hasn't decided to embrace reason with regards to this issue yet, so that's another matter. When they violated the Massachusetts Constitution, the MSC did what it was constitutionally obliged to do - strike down the offending law, since the Constitution of a State trumps State law.

Conservatives whining about "judicial activism" generally are just upset because they can't write discriminatory laws without first revising their respective Constitutions to allow for such discrimination.

[dusty64]

10. They don't need no

stinkin Constitution, they use it as toilet paper while calling our side "unpatriotic".

[sniffa]

5. woohoo

i'm so gLad with every victory, but more happy when it's over these (cheney expLetive) carpetbaggers. they keep coming up here to mass and trying to cram their agendas down our throats Like jeb bush with a feeding tube.

(cheney expLetive) them!

[Realityhack]

7. Mitt is a retard

Did anyone else here him claim that senators do not have a responsibility to balance a budget?

RH

[struggle4progress]

9. kick

:kick: