Breaking: Judge strikes down Michigan's ban on gay marriage

[Brickbat]

All over Twitter. Yes!

Edit: http://www.freep.com/article/20140321/NEWS06/303210121/Judge-strikes-down-Michigan-ban-gay-marriage-unconstitutional

In a historic ruling that provided a huge morale boost to the gay-rights movement, U.S. District Judge Bernard Friedman today struck down Michigan’s ban on same-sex marriage, making it the 18th state in the nation to allow gays and lesbians to join in matrimony, just like their heterosexual counterparts.

18 down...

[LiberalAndProud]

1. Yes!

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/judge-strikes-michigans-ban-gay-marriage-23012280

[LumosMaxima]

2. Yay! nt

[sufrommich]

3. Very exciting! Yay,Michigan! nt

[leeroysphitz]

4. Fuck you Karl Rove.

<a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=2dkcwif" target="_blank"><img src="" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>

[etherealtruth]

5. A wonderful thing!

[NuclearDem]

6. BOOM!

I know some gay friends of mine that are going to be thrilled! With Illinois and Michigan, that means no more trips all the way out to Iowa.

[Brickbat]

7. I have several friends in Michigan, who are so, so excited about this. I'm so pleased for them.

[closeupready]

8. It must be really de-'moral'-izing to be a Tali-born-again these days,

watching your signature issue being destroyed by court after court after court.

[Cha]

9. Excellent! Thank you, Brickbat!

[bigwillq]

10. Great news!

K and R

[Politicub]

11. Great way to end the week

[Rowdyboy]

12. Ironically Judge Friedman was appointed by President Reagan...

Talk about coming back to bite him in the ass....

[Gothmog]

13. This is a well written opinion

The key issue in this case was whether same sex couples would be good parents compared to straight couples. The judge rejected the experts offered by the state of Michigan http://www.scribd.com/doc/213770186/2-12-cv-10285-151-Michigan-Decision

The Court was unable to accord the testimony of Marks, Price, and Allen any significant weight. Marks’s testimony is largely unbelievable. He characterized the overwhelming consensus among sociologists and psychologists who endorse the “no differences” viewpoint as“group think,” by which he said he meant a politically correct viewpoint that the majority has accepted without subjecting it to proper scientific scrutiny. Marks undertook an excruciatingly detailed examination of the 59 published studies cited by the APA in support of its 2005 “Brief on Lesbian and Gay Parenting,” in which it concluded that “[n]ot a single study has found children of lesbian or gay parents to be disadvantaged in any significant respect relative to children of heterosexual parents.” Marks, as well as Price and Allen, faulted many of these studies for their small sample sizes, the non-random methods used to obtain subjects, and the fact that some lacked heterosexual comparison groups, among other criticisms. Marks, Price and Allen all failed to concede the importance of “convenience sampling” as a social science research tool. They, along with Regnerus, clearly represent a fringe viewpoint that is rejected by the vast majority of their colleagues across a variety of social science fields. The most that can be said of these witnesses’ testimony is that the “no differences” consensus has not been proven with scientific certainty, not that there is any credible evidence showing that children raised by same-sex couples fare worse than those raised by heterosexual couples.

This is a great ruling on the issue of whether children are hurt or injured due being raised by same sex couples. The Court did some great findings of fact here that will make this case an important case on this issue.

[louis-t]

14. Problem is, our idiot AG Schuette is appealing

and wants a stay until his appeal goes through. He says the "will of the people" is not being heard. I see, so if 60% of people in Michigan are FOR an unconstitutional ban, that means it's ok?

[uppityperson]

15. k&r with thanks.

[Gothmog]

16. The last couple of paragraphs of the opinion are amazing

The key issue in this case was whether same sex couples made good parents for children (or could adopt children as a couple). The court made an amazing ruling http://www.scribd.com/doc/213770186/2-12-cv-10285-151-Michigan-Decision

No court record of this proceeding could ever fully convey the personal sacrifice of these two plaintiffs who seek to ensure that the state may no longer impair the rights of their children and the thousands of other snow being raised by same-sex couples. It is the Court’s fervent hope that these children will grow up “to understand the integrity and closeness of their own family and its concord with other families in their community and in their daily lives.” Windsor, 133 S. Ct. at 2694. Today’s decision is a step in that direction, and affirms the enduring principle that regardless of whoever finds favor in the eyes of the most recent majority, the guarantee of equal protection must prevail.

Accordingly,

IT IS HEREBY DECLARED that Article I, § 25 of the Michigan Constitution and its implementing statutes are unconstitutional because they violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.

[LiberalAndProud]

17. guarantee of equal protection must prevail

Reading those words gave me goose bumps. So so long overdue.

[Gothmog]

18. Agreed

I am the fathers of gay daughter. This ruling made her happy

[Motown_Johnny]

19. Kicking.. and adding link to ABC story

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/judge-strikes-michigans-ban-gay-marriage-23012280


^snip^



Judge Strikes Down Michigan's Ban on Gay Marriage


Michigan's ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional, a federal judge said Friday, striking down a law that was widely embraced by voters a decade ago in the latest in a series of similar decisions across the country.

But unlike cases in other states, U.S. District Judge Bernard Friedman did not suspend his decision while the Michigan attorney general pursues an appeal. That means clerks could start issuing licenses Monday unless a higher court intervenes.

Friedman released his 31-page ruling exactly two weeks after a rare trial that mostly focused on the impact of same-sex parenting on children. The challenge was brought by two Detroit-area nurses originally seeking to overturn Michigan's ban on joint adoptions by gay couples.

[Catherina]

20. Rec! n/t