WASHINGTON (AP) _ The ritual was replayed from Boston to San Francisco: Exuberant gay couples sharing marriage vows and slices of wedding cake. After decades of seeking the same basic rights as most Americans, gay activists celebrated a long-sought achievement as the highest court in Massachusetts ruled that same-sex marriage was legal. In San Francisco, Mayor Gavin Newsom performed gay marriages even though he had no similer0aourt affirmation. Gays thought barriers were finally crumbling. Then came the elections. Outraged by these images of gay couples, conservatives clamored for laws not only banning gay marriage but in some states for prohibiting...