You never really know with these things, and certainly we don’t have a crystal ball, but the facts are on our side, and the law is on our side, and we’re hopeful that the courts would see [our] side.
—Michael Cole, spokesman for the Human Rights Campaign, on his suspected outcome of the federal Prop 8 trial. This is the same organization that last May joined other members of Gay Inc. (including GLAAD, ACLU, and NCLR) in a bitter letter arguing against the federal Perry lawsuit, writing in part, “Rather than filing premature lawsuits, we need to talk to our friends, family and neighbors, and help them understand why denial of the freedom to marry is wrong,” and, “[A]n unsuccessful challenge may delay marriage even longer, not only in California but in other states, and seriously damage the rights of LGBT people on many other important issues.” [via]
M
If we listend to groups like HRC, we would never have our rights. I’m glad that REAL activists didn’t listen and went ahead with the lawsuit.
M
*listened
Jeff K.
Well, the only reason our chances are so good is because we got a sympathetic judge. If we’d gotten a right-wing theocrat we’d be singing a different tune.
David
How is it hypocritical to desire success in a trial that affects you, even if you didn’t want the trial to occur?
Andrew
Okay…let’s get one thing straight. I agree with 95% of what Queerty says about HRC, even when I disagree with Queerty on other things.
But the reason HRC, amongst numerous other LGBT groups, didn’t want the lawsuit filed was because if this lawsuit IS contested to the Supreme Court, — which is at this point still very conservative, and we get bad Supreme Court precedent, that would set us back DECADES.
SCOTUS isn’t something you can keep contesting and contesting.
So while I’m all for bashing HRC…let’s at least be honest about the criticism and look at things from both points of view, eh?
@M: While I support the lawsuit…mainly because of the star power team we have…being reckless and describing it as courageous is idiotic.
hyhybt
Whether you think the suit was a good idea or not, if you cannot stop it you might as well hope for a good result.
Lanjier
Thank God the larger gay community is breaking from Gay Inc., who have become Washington Geisha girls.
“An untimely lawsuit could set us back for decades!” Olson and Boise showed that loss was very unlikely, and that there is no time like the present. Two sets of world-class balls didn’t hurt them either.
Argos
The HRC in essence is correct in that a SCOTUS ruling against us would be a serious setback. But if you read what Boies and Olson said about taking this case, they said someone was going to do it eventually anyway (which is completely true), and we were better off having a well-funded and well-organized team of lawyers making our case. The case itself was brilliantly carried out, and they even got the defense team’s witnesses to help make our case for us. I had my doubts about this case in the beginning, but I am 100% positive that Olson and Boies, and the rest of their legal team are committed to seeing marriage equality become a reality.
I can’t help but to be at least partially optimistic about the inevitable SCOTUS ruling. I already strongly feel that at least 3 (possibly 4) of the justices will vote against it no matter WHAT is said (because they can hardly consider themselves to be rational thinkers on this subject), but we don’t need a unanimous ruling in our favor. And regardless of what their ruling is on the case, gay marriage and gay rights will continue to progress forward. Their ruling cannot prevent states from enacting SSM legislation.
slobone
@Jeff K.: You mean like at least four justices on the Supreme Court, where this case will eventually wind up?