Wednesday, August 04, 2004
Deuling Rulings
Two opposing decisions have been made concerning gay marriage. In Missouri, voters have overwhelmingly approved a state constitutional ban on gay marriage.
At the same time, a judge in Seattle has ruled in favor of same-sex marriage in the state of Washington.
The state of Washington upholds the constitution and the state of Missouri rewrites theirs. This is going to be the new abortion.
- Missouri voters solidly endorsed a state constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, a decision that was closely watched by national groups on both sides of the battle.
With nearly all precincts reporting, the amendment had garnered 71 percent of the vote, according to unofficial results for Tuesday's vote.
It was the first such vote since the historic ruling in Massachusetts last year that legalized same-sex weddings there.
Although the ban was widely expected to pass in conservative Missouri, experts said the campaign served as a key barometer for which strategies work as at least nine other states, and perhaps as many as 12, vote on similar amendments this year.
At the same time, a judge in Seattle has ruled in favor of same-sex marriage in the state of Washington.
- Gay couples can be married under Washington state law, because denying their right to do so is a violation of their constitutional rights, a judge ruled Wednesday.
"The denial to the plaintiffs of the right to marry constitutes a denial of substantive due process," King County Superior Court Judge William L. Downing said in his ruling.
The state of Washington upholds the constitution and the state of Missouri rewrites theirs. This is going to be the new abortion.
