MARRYING KIND

Judge Compares Colorado Marriage Equality Clerk To Martin Luther King, Jr., Delivers Another Huge Victory

West Point graduate Larry Lennox-Choate, left, and Daniel Lennox-Choate, leave church following their wedding ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2013, at the U.S. Military Academy's Cadet Chapel in West Point, N.Y. Choate and Lennox are the first men to wed at the chapel since New York legalized gay marriage in 2012. The chapel has already hosted two same-sex weddings of women in late 2012. (AP Photo/Jill Knight) NO SALES, MAGS OUTIt’s yet another good day for marriage equality from one side of the country to the other, with delightful decisions in Colorado and Pennsylvania.

In Colorado, Judge Andrew Hartman ruled that Boulder County Clerk Hillary Hall can continue issuing marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples, even though the state’s marriage ban hasn’t been overturned yet. That alone would be cause for celebration, but his decision is so strongly worded it’s enough to make our anti-gay opponents’ heads explode.

Hartman compared Hall to Martin Luther King Jr, pointing out that she is simply disregarding an unjust law. He added that there’s no harm in letting gays and lesbians wed; and that the law is likely to be overturned anyway.

Following the decision, clerks in Denver and Pueblo County announced they would begin issuing licenses as well.

Take that, NOM.

Meanwhile, in Pennsylvania, marriage equality is safer than ever, and it’s thanks to an unlikely ally: Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito. Yes, that Samuel Alito, the Catholic conservative who ruled in 2000 that an anti-harassment policy violates free speech. The same justice who just handed down the shameful Hobby Lobby ruling.

Alito just turned down an attempt by a right-wing Pennsylvania clerk to halt marriage equality in that state.

The clerk really didn’t have much a chance here, but nice try anyway, loser. After PA Governor Tom Corbett decided not to defend the marriage ban, it was pretty much dead. But Clerk Theresa Santai-Gaffney tried to step in and defend it in his place anyway.

She’s been blocked at every step of the way, and now her challenge is just about over. She could appeal Alito’s ruling to the entire U. S. Supreme Court, but that’s even less likely to succeed than any of her previous failed attempts. When you get hitched in the keystone state, you may want to avoid Theresa’s desk.

Bye, Felicia.

 

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