Affirming marriage equality as the law of the land

Big news from the Supreme Court. Setting itself up for one of the most significant decisions in its history, the court has agreed to hear two cases on the legality of same-sex marriage.

And there’s no doubt how they must rule.

There are still many Americans who base their opposition to same-sex marriage on the Bible. They are dead wrong. Nowhere in the Bible does it say that marriage must be between one man and one woman. Polygamy, in fact, seems to the Bible’s most popular form of marriage. Yet people have a right to be ignorant when it comes to their religious beliefs.

But nobody can base their opposition to same-sex marriage on the Constitution. And that’s the sole basis for the Supreme Court’s decision.

Like the Bible, the Constitution does not mention same-sex marriage. But the Constitution does confer equal rights on all Americans, regardless of race, gender, sex or sexual orientation. And one of those rights — right up there with the right of privacy, religious freedom and freedom of speech — is the right to marry.

That’s why nine states plus the District of Columbia have already moved to recognize marriage equality. And why the Supreme Court must move to force all states to follow.

There is no way, under the Constitution, that the Supreme Court can condone discrimination in any form. There is no way, under the Constitution, that the Supreme Court can do anything other than embrace marriage equality as the law of the land.

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