my Comment
I marvel at the notion States
Rights should determine issues like Marriage Equality. There are some issues,
which must be equal in application in every state. Among those equal
protections is our Bill of Rights.
Can you imagine the chaos if each
individual state were allowed to determine what Freedom of Speech or Religion
means on a local basis? Recent history has shown each state would have very
different interpretations of our Bill of Rights. Many of the Republican
controlled states have demonstrated a propensity to step all over individual
rights for religious reasons.
In my mind anyway, one of the most
important jobs the Supreme Court has, is to insure the universal application of
Civil Liberties across America. Although Marriage Rights is not specifically
mentioned in the Constitution, this right to marry whom you want is a Penumbra
Right we all take for granted. Shadow rights of the Constitution are very
important to all of us.
Privacy and Choice are not
mentioned in the Constitution but we all expect a certain amount of privacy in
our lives and we all enjoy choosing where we work, live, whom we associate with
and what we read, listen to or watch. Shadow rights are very important and
marriage rights fall into the same category.
We cannot allow states to determine
and define our Civil Liberties or our shadow rights. Doing so would defeat the
purpose of States being united in our Civil Liberties and our Shadow Rights. We
cannot call ourselves the United States of America if one can get married in
one state, only to discover their marriage is not recognized in another state.
Civil Liberties is not up to an
individual state to determine if that state has been temporarily taken over by
extreme religious views. One of the main jobs of the Supreme Court is to insure
Equal Protection under the Law, Due Process and the equal application of Civil
Liberties coast to coast. The Supreme Court ruled correctly in this issue.
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