Eugene Robinson: Marriage Equality: Surrender to the Inevitable

[marmar]

By Eugene Robinson


By deciding not to decide, the Supreme Court may have decided: If history is a guide, same-sex marriage will soon be the law of the land.

The court’s refusal to take up cases brought by five states seeking to overturn appellate court rulings in favor of gay marriage—Indiana, Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin—was a surprise. It does not mean that Chief Justice John Roberts and the conservative majority have gone all “Kumbaya.” But it can be seen as a surrender to the inevitable.

The justices’ decision not to intervene means that same-sex marriage is now legal in 24 states plus the District of Columbia. Six other states—North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia, Kansas, Colorado and Wyoming—must also heed the appeals courts whose rulings the justices allowed to stand.

This means that in three-fifths of the states plus the nation’s capital, gay marriage would be considered a constitutional right. I’d call that a tipping point. ........................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/marriage_equality_surrender_to_the_inevitable_20141006