Gay Marriage to Alfred: Your Thoughts

I would prefer a glass of wine and Manchego cheese.

I'll give you my leftover Luna bars and a swift annulment.

My cousin just used the opportunity of today's arguments to come out as bisexual. Proud of her, especially in this family. She's going to get some friction. Not from her parents, who will both be supportive, but from others in my family, for whom the phrase "bigoted rednecks" would be far too generous.

When the petitioners (and Justice Sotomayor) pointed out that gays and lesbians had been treated quite poorly in some of those societies, Justice Alito pointed out that Plato had written approvingly of homosexual relations, even thought the Greeks limited marriage to heterosexual couples.

One seemingly striking moment came when Justice Ginsburg spoke of how it was recent changes to the institution of marriage that made it appropriate for gay and lesbian couples -- in particular, it becoming an egalitarian institution rather than one dominated by the male partners who determined where and how the couple would live

by Eric Citron 10:39 AM

After Eric left the lounge, there was one interesting exchange between Justice Scalia and two of his more liberal colleagues. Scalia asked whether, if petitioners win, a minister who objects to same sex marriages could refuse to perform a civil same-sex wedding. Bonauto answered yes. Scalia pressed the point though, arguing that he could not understand how, a state could permit somebody to hold a license to marry people if that person would not exercise the power consistently with the Constitution. After a little more back-and-forth, Justice Kagan reminded the Court that many rabbis refuse to perform weddings between Jews and gentiles, even though there has long been a prohibition against religious discrimination. Justice Breyer then chimed in and quoted the First Amendment. Ultimately, Justice Scalia seemed satisfied that a minister could refuse to perform those weddings.

was about to post that

"Justice Thomas said nothing."

Like, surely Scalia is keenly aware that there are all kinds of people Catholic churches will refuse to marry, right?

to be fair, often justices ask questions to clarify the ground on which they want to erect their opinions (and to signal to their political bases too).

yeah I mean, I'm pretty certain that the technology questions reflect honest bafflement/misunderstanding but this clearly seems like grist for either:

a) building a platform for a dissenting opinions; or
b) building a defense for a surprise concurring opinion

especially so given the near fait accompli nature of the exercise

SCOTUS shocks nation by issuing unanimous opinion written by Clarence Thomas

I would lol so hard

Verrilli began his #SCOTUS argument with a protester's shouts that #SSM supporters can "burn in hell" still echoing in the marble hallway.

Would've been better if he'd sang Twisted Sister's "Burn In Hell."

Would've been even better if it was actually Dee Snider.

There is some reason to wonder whether the Chief might be angling for a compromise in which the states win the first question (i.e., they do not have to permit same-sex marriages to be performed in their states) but lose the second (i.e., they would have to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states). It's very hard to read the Chief, but he did ask questions in the second argument expressing some skepticism over the fact that states don't, in fact, deny recognition to any marriage that does not conform with state law, except same-sex marriages. And, as I mentioned, Justice Scalia asked questions suggesting he might think there was a reason based in the text of Article 4 that would justify ruling for the couples on recognition but not the right to marry. So one could imagine a potential compromise that would effectively allow same sex couples to get married in states that allow it, have their marriages recognized elsewhere, but not have the Court issue a decision that has broad implications for other kinds of sexual orientation discrimination.

Chief Justice Roberts: "Let's keep same sex marriage safe, legal and rare!"

i'm unclear, does that mean i get to marry lindsay lohan

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/29/us/supreme-court-same-sex-marriage.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=first-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news

super reassuring to hear the justices asking all the same idiotic questions you get in freshman philosophy courses

then again i have heard the same ones from idiotic philosophers

its looking like a big yes in Ireland, so uh come to Ireland to get gay married if u like I guess

(Actual welcome will be less equivocal)

yeah we've only started on the tourism literature an hour ago it needs work granted

@AlbertBrooks
Congratulations to Ireland. Or as I like to call it Fire Ireland.

lol

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/06/11/us-usa-gaymarriage-north-carolina-idUSKBN0OR1YX20150611

legislature overruled the governor to allow opt-outs for officials

Annnd that's it.

https://twitter.com/SCOTUSblog/status/614433371310194688

The opinion, written by Kennedy. http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/14pdf/14-556_3204.pdf

the IRONY of this coming a day after jennicet gutierrez getting shouted down

i guess that's that though, homophobia solved

Good timing. That's impressive showmanship.

xp people who attack their allies deserve to get shouted down

"allies"

i don't have time to argue but jennicet was prob the only person in that room who shouldn't have shut the fuck up

This is good news for a rough day

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stanley-fish/scalia-gets-it-pretty-muc_b_7880118.html

i could dig this up myself but how and when did stanley fish become a law professor?

i mean i know he's been writing about this stuff for a long time; i guess only really know him as a literary theorist.

and he teaches at my university

he's been housed w/ law ppl forever

news on the clerk who won't do her job:

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/08/31/436431204/kentucky-clerk-s-request-for-a-stay-is-denied-by-u-s-supreme-court?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_content=20150831

that clerk is in contempt of court and seems hellbent on martyrdom. I guess we'll soon know how ardently she desires to go to jail.

I think she'll resign now — she'll be a more effective martyr outside the pokey.

she'll also earn more from the organizations that will sponsor her speaking tour

Good thing. She's about to get fired this morning.

Despite a Supreme Court ruling that compelled a Rowan County clerk in Kentucky to give out marriage licenses to gay couples, Kim Davis refused to comply once again on Tuesday morning by denying marriage licenses to everyone.

Ryland Barton, a reporter for Kentucky Public Radio, reports that Davis said she made the decision "under God's authority."

Randy Smith, leading the group supporting Davis, said he knows following their instruction to "stand firm" might mean Davis goes to jail.

"But at the end of the day, we have to stand before God, which has higher authority than the Supreme Court," he said.

otm

reminds me of Nixon intoning, "Jesus Christ of Nazareth is the greatest philosopher."

even odds she offered every hetero couple that exited her office door a "blessed day"

http://38.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4ccdtTNzx1r14o02o1_400.gif

How is she not fired and/or in jail yet