The Supreme Court clocked back in today, starting a session packed with major cases relating to the LGBT community. While the decision to hear Prop 8 case Hollingsworth v. Perry and the DOMA-challenging Windsor v. United States have been widely reported, the SCOTUS has announced it will hear arguments on both cases on March 26 and March 27.
The Supremes will also address the Alien Tort Act, currently being used against homophobic preacher Scott Lively for promoting Uganda’s “Kill the Gays” bill.
- Dating back to 1789, the Alien Tort Act gives American courts the right to hear human-rights cases brought by foreign citizens for conduct committed outside the US. The Lively trial, which began today in Massachusetts, is the first instance the act has been used regarding sexual orientation.
Though the particulars are different—the current case involves a subsidiary of Shell abetting human-rights violations in Nigeria—it doesn’t look like the justices particularly favor the Alien Tort Act: Both Samuel Alito and Anthony Kennedy questioned the U.S.’s jurisdiction in such matters during oral arguments.
Raquel Santiago
About time, but i am worried the judges will be divided.
That said, our Fifth amendment clearly states “nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law;” that said every person has the right to live their life the way they see fit, and our Declaration of Independence says “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”, this doesn’t mean that just “straight” people have the right to happiness, this applies to everyone, from every walk of life.
MarionPaige
One guy, Chad Griffin, decided he was going to be famous for the lawsuit that makes gay marriage legal in all 50 states and now, The Entire Gay Community in North American can only sit by and hope that The Supreme Court that has been gutting Civil Rights Laws since the 1980’s don’t now turn their racist homophobic knives on Gay People.
I was there, back in the day, when the Nelly Retards were convinced that Hawaii would be the first state to legalize Gay Marriage and that then, under the infamous FULL FAITH AND CREDIT CLAUSE, all 50 states would be FORCED to honor Hawaii’s gay marriages.
CivicMinded
I don’t think they can weaken the U.S.’s hand. ICE arrests Americans in America who have traveled to foreign countries to have sex with minors. The crime happens outside U.S. jurisdiction. Weakening the Alien Torte Act could affect others such as the Mann Act which is needed to continue these arrests.