Free Republic

A judge in South Dakota ruled the state constitution's definition of marriage is unconstitutional because it does not allow same-sex couples to marry. In a decision rendered Monday, district court judge Karen E. Schreier ruled the South Dakota's Amendment C unconstitutional, but put a stay on her decision pending appeal. Schreier drew a parallel to the Supreme Court case Loving v. Virginia, which declared interracial marriage bans unlawful. "In Loving, the Supreme Court addressed a traditionally accepted definition of marriage that prohibited Mildred Jeter and Richard Loving from marrying," wrote Schreier. "Plaintiffs have a fundamental right to marry. South Dakota...

SACRAMENTO, March 11, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - California same-sex "marriage" supporters are collecting signatures to support a ballot initiative that would remove civil marriage from California law entirely, as well as the provision codifying marriage as between a man and a woman. The "Domestic Partnership Initiative" proposes to categorize all unions simply as "domestic partnerships," while retaining all the rights of marriage for heterosexual couples, and extending them to homosexual couples. According to the initiative's summary, "Legally speaking, 'Marriage' itself would become a social ceremony, recognized by only non-governmental institutions." State Attorney General Jerry Brown submitted the official title and summary...

That said, I am entirely convinced that same-sex marriage will again be legalized in California, the 52 percent vote notwithstanding. Just as the courts overrode the will of the majority in ordering desegregation of public schools and public accommodations, and just as the courts ignored the demands of the electorate by opening voting to people of color and the right to marry to mixed-race couples, so, too, will the courts, in defiance of the majority, however slim, reopen the doors of marriage to the gay community. The Sturm und Drang with which society greeted these courageous and controversial court rulings...

Campaign finance records reveal that Alice Huffman, President of the California State NAACP, the only major African American leader in California to endorse legalized gay marriage, has received nearly $200,000 from the NO on 8 campaign in “fees” through her company AC Public Affairs. African American leaders throughout California were shocked when Huffman, as a member of the NAACP Board, endorsed the No on 8 campaign despite the statewide, unified voices of African American political and religious leaders in support of traditional marriage. Huffman has never taken a vote of NAACP chapters and members, which is customary before endorsing any...

From the time he was in grammar school, George Takei - Sulu from "Star Trek" - knew he was gay. "You know, all the other guys would say, 'Janey's cute.' I'd say, 'Yeah, she's all right,' " Takei told a Madison, WI audience. "But Jimmy..." Takei, who last fall disclosed his sexual orientation publicly, is touring on behalf of the Human Rights Campaign to draw attention to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. The "Star Trek" star, who turns 69 Thursday, likens the gay rights movement to the civil rights struggles of African-Americans and women in American history. "It's a...

A group strongly supported by Florida's Republican Party wants a voter referendum this November on whether to ban gay marriages and same-sex civil unions in the state. Are you for or against the ban?

Plans of Sir Elton John and partner David Furnish to wed in a St Petersburg palace this month have sparked protests in the Russian parliament, the media reported Friday. At a ceremony thought to be set for December 21, the day civil partnerships between gay couples become legal in Britain, pop star John will formalise his 12-year relationship with the Canadian-born filmmaker. In a letter of protest forwarded to the Kremlin and the culture ministry, Nikolai Kuryanovich of the Duma's nationalist LDPR faction demanded steps "to prevent the defilement of the Konstantin Palace or any other important architectural memorials in...

Few things in the country last as long as Supreme Court losses. Our founding fathers knew that when they designed the type of checks and balances they put into our government structures. And today comes a very important one. In refusing to hear the case the court let stand a 1977 Florida law that says there is no constitutional right to adopt children and that Florida has a legitimate interest in encouraging adoptions by families with a mother and father. The Florida ACLU is "devastated". Joan Bikupic in the USA Today calls it a setback for groups advocating increases...

Closing but still trailing in recent polls, Republican Matt Salmon got aggressive with Democrat Attorney General Janet Napolitano from the opening bell of the final gubernatorial debate Wednesday night. Salmon spent his introductory comments, where other candidates talked about their qualifications, criticizing Napolitano on taxes, abortion and gay issues. "My opponent wants to raise taxes. I oppose that," Salmon said. "My opponent, Janet Napolitano, supports gay adoption. I don't. She supports Vermont-style same-sex marriages. I think that's extreme." Napolitano said later that Salmon was, again, distorting her positions. Napolitano said she opposes gay marriage, wants to close tax loopholes to...