Court upholds Md. gay marriage ban

Source: Baltimore Sun

Md. high court rules state's traditional marriage statute does not violate constitutional rights

In a split decision today, the Maryland Court of Appeals upheld a state law declaring that marriage must be between a man and a woman.

The 4-3 ruling essentially sends the issue of same-sex marriage back to the state legislature and ruled that a ban on gay marriage does not discriminate on the basis of gender and does not deny any fundamental rights.

Attorneys for 19 gay and lesbian plaintiffs had argued before the Court of Appeals in December that Maryland's 33-year-old statute defining marriage as a union between one man and one woman infringes on their clients' constitutional rights.


Lisa Polyak, left, and Gita Deane, lead plaintiffs in a case challenging Maryland's marriage law, joined other lesbian and gay couples who expressed their disappointment at a news conference after today's ruling by the Maryland Court of Appeals. (Sun photo by Algerina Perna / September 18, 2007)

The case came to the court after court clerks around the state refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples in 2004, citing the state's family laws, which restrict marriage to a man and a woman. A Baltimore City Circuit Court judge, however, ruled that the law violated an equal rights provision of the state constitution. The state immediately appealed.

Read more: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/politics/bal-marriage0918,0,4851030.story?coll=bal-technology-headlines

even if my guy (your guy also) is not fully 100% of the way there - we will keep on him! the next time I meet him, I'll tell him when I saw him last and the funny thing he said, and remind him that health care was what I said a few words about to him last time - but next time I'm going to say I'm a Christian. I'm a gay man, too. And people like me should have full rights even if most people disagree with it - it's the right thing to do (and I'll say it to whatever candidate gets the nomination - and I hope some straight people will say it to them also!)

As I recall, it was a one-vote majority in Washington State, as well, and the next year, the Legislature passed a domestic partnership law. A gradual move to marriage equality is still underway in this country, despite the setbacks of state constitutional bans.

''The 4-3 ruling essentially sends the issue of same-sex marriage back to the state legislature and ruled that a ban on gay marriage does not discriminate on the basis of gender and does not deny any fundamental rights.''

of course it discrimnates -- and they know it.

the whole notion that there is anything honest or honourable in those justices that ruled to uphold marriage inequality are not naive, innocent, genuine or authentic.

they're sitting on the maryland supreme court for fuck's sake.

they don't even believe that there is anything inherently wrong with gayness.

they do believe in their elevated position that being straight gives them however -- and they do believe that the state has a some vested interest people's genitals and what people DO with their genitals.


:grr: