On May 15, the California Supreme Court ruled that the laws in California banning same-sex marriages were unconstitutional. If the laws were not going to discriminate against  all people in relationships  seeking marriage, then it cannot  prevent  anyone from doing so.

The announcement was met with joy from activists who have been fighting for recognition on a state level that we are all humans, and marriage should not be a privilege for only certain people.

The other side of the fence, which views marriage as a sacred union between a man and woman, vowed to keep the fight going and threatened to take its case to the Supreme Court.

This could be the first opportunity for same-sex couples across the nation to get the justice they deserve. The Defense of Marriage Acts are completely unconstitutional and need to be brought down.

Unfortunately, in July 2006, the Washington Supreme Court upheld a ban against same-sex marriage.

The case had been drawn up to fight the 1998 Defense of Marriage Act but failed 5–4 when the court ruled the 19 couples in question could not prove they were victims of state-sanctioned discrimination, according to an article from the Washington Post.

Only two short years ago, Washington reaffirmed that same-sex couples did not have the same rights as heterosexual couples.

Amber Aldrich, the incoming Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgendered Alliance (LGBTA) coordintor for the 2008-09 Western school year said she sees the ruling as a triumph for LGBT citizens.

Although Washington reaffirmed their Defense of Marriage Act in 2006, Aldrich said Washington is one of 33 states that has not amended its constitution to define marriage as one man and one woman strictly. Because of this there can be an appeal made against the ban at a later date.

Many people think civil unions should be the alternative to marriage for same-sex couples.

However, by not granting same-sex couples this right we are giving power to the word marriage, making it a privilege, and telling these same-sex couples they are less or different.

A few days after the California ruling, John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, appeared on the Ellen DeGeneres  show.

When the topic of same-sex marriage came into the conversation, he acknowledged he and Ellen disagreed on the issue.

In response Ellen said, “We are all the same people, all of us. You’re no different than I am. Our love is the same.” Ellen said civil unions make it feel like same-sex couples are not “owed the same things and the same wording.”

Marriage is an institution recognized by the state and should not be protected because of religious backing. Separation of church and state should be brought into question.

If the government chooses to accept marriage as a legal binding agreement, no couples should be exempt from that agreement.
 

The editorial board is comprised of Editor in Chief Jeff  Richards, Managing Editor Shana Keen, Opinion Editor Lisa Hust and Sports Editor Kennedy White.

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