RAD things happen in Oregon, & we're here to celebrate!! http://t.co/AoMkxDkbiS pic.twitter.com/ykLQoAthfL
— Pdx Pedicab (@pdx_pedicab) May 19, 2014
It’s a huge day for gay couples in Oregon, as a U.S. District Court judge ruled that our existing ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional.
All afternoon our Twitter stream has been filled with celebrations, congratulations, historic headlines, and photos of very happy couples.
Since the decision was widely expected, many couples lined up at the Multnomah County Courthouse on SE Hawthorne to get married as soon as possible. While there’s obviously no direct connection between this ruling and bicycling, we did notice that local pedicab operators have played a big role in all the weddings. Several of them waited on the curb outside the courthouse and rode newly married couples to nearby Melody Ballroom which has been buzzing all day with wedding ceremonies.
Here’s a great shot from the Oregon United for Marriage Facebook page that sums it all up…
Congratulations Oregon!
They were taking couples to the nearby Melody Ballroom to have wedding ceremonies. 🙂
Yes…it was very convenient today having everything right there.
the will of Oregon voters has been subverted by a single judge. This was rejected by the majority of Oregon voters once already.
I remember a recent president lamenting “judges legislating from their benches are ruining America”.
It should have gone to a state wide vote, if they had wanted legitimacy.
The constitution trumps the will of the voters.
An effective democracy advances the will of the masses while *protecting* the interests of its minorities under the law.
“A democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for dinner.”
Baaaa.
“Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others.”
Government is something we choose to do, not because we love the idea of corrupt politicians but because the alternative is roving bands of heavily armed thugs. See Somalia.
In that we’ve choosen something that appears to be a democracy its only purpose is to prevent violent revolt.
Equal protection clause in the constitution.
You can’t always rely on popular votes for civil rights issues. How do you think a popular vote on segregation would have gone a few decades ago in the south? How would do you think the state would vote if a measure was brought forth that would require all cyclists to register, pay a fee, and get licensed? It would probably pass, and then you would understand what tyranny of the masses feels like.
The majority should seldom be able to determine the rights of a minority. Direct democracy, blech, gag.
I don’t think that overturning the law was illegitimate, but I do wish we had a chance to re-vote on Measure 36 so we wouldn’t have to hear talk about subversion and judicial activism. I have no doubt gay marriage would pass by popular vote in 2014 Oregon. Not because of the Portland echo chamber, but because Measure 36 only got 56% of the vote in 2004, and support for gay marriage nationwide has grown tremendously in the last ten years.
The very fact that there even was a Measure 36 sickens me.
But if you want to lay this on judicial activism, you can’t blame McShane. You gotta go to the SCOTUS. Gay marriage is 14 for 14 since the Supreme Court decided Windsor, because the Windsor decision didn’t leave much room for the states to move in.
It was rejected by a majority of Oregon voters a decade ago. A lot has changed in the last decade. You and I know the outcome would be different if the vote were held in 2014, and not 2004.
Not that we should be voting on it anyway. The civil rights of a minority should not be determined by majority vote. We are a republic with constitutionally protected freedoms, not a free-for-all in which everyone votes to vote on everything.
So, when we get to 38 states, is the Federal DOMA automatically eliminated, or do we need to convene a Constitutional Convention?
DOMA was overturned by SCOTUS 2 years ago, pay attention.
Actually, not even a year ago. June 23rd, 2013.
only section 3, which required the federal government to respect state law distinctions. section 2, which permits states to disregard each other’s laws on the subject of same sex marriage, is still in full force.
and no, this has nothing to do with two thirds of states. this is a federal court saying measure 36 violates the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment to the federal constitution. section 2 of DOMA might eventually be made effectively moot if similar decisions were made with respect to laws in each and every state.
or one of these cases might make it to the supreme court, which might rule measure 36 or its equivalent in some other state does not in fact violate the equal protection clause.
or someone might find a way to bring section 2 of DOMA itself up through the courts system and get a hearing at the supreme court.
As a person who has been “in the trenches” for marriage rights even though my marriage has been legal for 36 years and counting, I salute my compatriots in Cascadia!
Thanks Opus; I might have been paying attention, but my memory is like old cheese sometimes.
You meant stinky and expensive, right?
Congratulations to the men and women who can now marry their loved ones.
Almost forgot: Yay!! Freedom!!
A great day for both love and tandem bike sales (they make a great wedding gift registry item!)
When I asked my experienced friend his advice on me getting a tandem for my fair-weather-cyclist girlfriend, his priceless words of wisdom were: “a tandem won’t ruin a relationship, it’ll simply take it to where it’s going that much faster!”
Sweet Cakes by Melissa (and other homophobic businesses) should take a lesson from the business acumen on display today: being inclusive–and ready at the right time!–equals more profits. Duh.