[chimera]

Disobey the black-robed tyrant, obey the US Constitution. The judge's ruling is clearly unconstitutional as it violates the 10th Amendment. There is no text I can find in the Constitution that addresses the issue of the legal definition of marriage. The 10th amendment says in that case those powers are reserved for the states and the people. The state and people of California made their decision on the issue and codified it by amending their state Constitution. At that point, the feds have no jurisdiction.

[Lurking Libertarian]

Disobey the black-robed tyrant, obey the US Constitution.

The only one with the actual power to "disobey" the ruling is Governor Schwarzenegger, and he has said that he supports the ruling and is refusing to appeal it (he is the named defendant in the suit). Ted Olson (the lawyer for the plaintiffs) is now saying that the appeal is moot because the defendant agrees with the decision.

This will get interesting at the appellate level. (If I had to make a prediction, I would guess that the 9th Circuit will deny a stay but that the Supreme Court will grant a stay by a vote of 5-4).