Happened across this at Towleroad, and it's choice -- another propaganda piece from Focus on the Family:
Let's do a little parsing:
First, there's no such thing as a "same-sex marriage license." That's like saying that the states had to issue "interracial marriage licenses" after Loving. There are just marriage licenses, just as there's only marriage -- the Supreme Court has been very careful not to put limits on the institution.
Next, the votes of the people in Florida: "Trampled on" is a nice image, if you're a bigot, but the fact is that the voters had no right to vote on that issue to begin with. “Fundamental rights may not be submitted to vote; they depend on the outcome of no elections.” (West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, 319 U.S. 624 (1943))
"Where does the court get it wrong on marriage amendments?" The courts can't get it wrong, unless their decisions are overturned by a higher court. So far, given the decisions in the Circuit Courts who have ruled on marriage cases, the Sixth Circuit is the one that got it wrong (and if you've read their decision, it's glaringly obvious how wrong they got it).
"Liberal appointees" vs. "conservative judges." That's the whopper. A significant number of the judges who have ruled in favor of marriage equality have been Republican appointees, starting with Vaughn Walker in Perry, and including, most notably, Richard Posner of the Seventh Circuit, whose opinion was in Baskin scathing. And frankly, no one in his right mind would consider Posner "liberal."
"Two basic sets of opinions" -- yeah -- The Sixth Circuit (which we've already discussed) and everyone else.
And I'm not the only one who thinks this "interview" was scripted.
And as an antidote, I give you the future:
Let's do a little parsing:
First, there's no such thing as a "same-sex marriage license." That's like saying that the states had to issue "interracial marriage licenses" after Loving. There are just marriage licenses, just as there's only marriage -- the Supreme Court has been very careful not to put limits on the institution.
Next, the votes of the people in Florida: "Trampled on" is a nice image, if you're a bigot, but the fact is that the voters had no right to vote on that issue to begin with. “Fundamental rights may not be submitted to vote; they depend on the outcome of no elections.” (West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, 319 U.S. 624 (1943))
"Where does the court get it wrong on marriage amendments?" The courts can't get it wrong, unless their decisions are overturned by a higher court. So far, given the decisions in the Circuit Courts who have ruled on marriage cases, the Sixth Circuit is the one that got it wrong (and if you've read their decision, it's glaringly obvious how wrong they got it).
"Liberal appointees" vs. "conservative judges." That's the whopper. A significant number of the judges who have ruled in favor of marriage equality have been Republican appointees, starting with Vaughn Walker in Perry, and including, most notably, Richard Posner of the Seventh Circuit, whose opinion was in Baskin scathing. And frankly, no one in his right mind would consider Posner "liberal."
"Two basic sets of opinions" -- yeah -- The Sixth Circuit (which we've already discussed) and everyone else.
And I'm not the only one who thinks this "interview" was scripted.
And as an antidote, I give you the future:
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