"If you want a Constutional Amendment banning 'gay marriage'...

[WilliamPitt]

Woop.

There it is.

[sinkingfeeling]

1. In my most humble opinion, it always has allowed it, due to that pesty 'equality' stuff.

[Politicalboi]

2. We know it was never over the Constitution

It's the other Constitution AKA Bible.

[Bandit]

9. In absolutely no way was this country founded on religion

In fact it was founded as an escape from religioun. People were being persecuted by religion in europe so many came here to escape that persecution and ended up founding a country completely free from religion in Government.. Tell me one place God is mentioned in the Constituion...

[Swede Atlanta]

3. There is a little complication to this issue....

And I am a gay man.

Matters related to marriage have been left to the states because the Constitution does not give to the federal government any jurisdiction over such matters.

The last time the Court intervened on a matter of marriage was with the 1967 decision in Loving vs. Virginia that prohibited laws that prevented men and women of different races from marrying.

The Court has repeatedly held that marriage is a fundamental right. The only question is whether persons with same-sex orientation are entitled to the same protection under the law that are persons with opposite-sex orientation.

With Maryland potentially being the next state to legalize same-sex marriage, this nation already has more than 10% of the states on-board. The Court will have a very difficult time invalidating rights that were recognized by these states through various legislative or judicial procedures.

I suggest the issue of same-sex marriage, consistent with the same rules that apply to opposite-sex marriages, will not be a matter of legal dispute within the next 5-10 years.

[Nye Bevan]

4. In this country, the default is that *everything* is allowed

unless there is a law banning it.

[HopeHoops]

5. Whoa - good point!

[Hosnon]

6. Eh, not really.

There is a huge distinction between implicit and explicit.

Many things are implicitly guaranteed by the Constitution, and that list is subjective; the list of things explicitly guaranteed by the Constitution is much less so.

I think substituting "possibly" for "already" is much more accurate.

[Bruce Wayne]

10. You know who REALLY likes this thread?

Couple of friends of mine....



(Just don't ask me why my friend Commissioner Gordon was at the nuptials)