JOHN SADLER
Editor-in-Chief | jts040@latech.edu
In a landmark ruling last Friday, the Supreme Court ruled state bans on same-sex marriages were unconstitutional.
The ruling ends a long holdout by the Supreme Court to address the issue directly, despite recent rulings that struck down the federal Defense of Marriage Act and numerous state bans on the practice.
The ruling was a small majority decision, with five judges voting for and four against.
In the majority opinion, Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote, “No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice and family. Those same-sex couples seeking to get married ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right.”
Justice Antonin Scalia, along with the four other dissenters, offered a scathing review of the decision in his official dissent, writing “… they are willing to say that any citizen who does not agree with that, who adheres to what was, until 15 years ago, the unanimous judgment of all generations and all societies, stands against the Constitution.”
Regardless of Scalia’s opinion, Bulldogs are celebrating.
“My friend woke me up with the news, and it took a minute to process,” said Shawn Igou, a sophomore psychology major.
Dominic Whatley, a junior special education major, was excited about the decision.
“I’m trans,” he said. “Now I can marry who I want and don’t have to change my gender marker.”
Zack Triplett, a junior sociology major and president or PRISM, said while this decision was a momentous step, the fight is far from over.
“I was kind of a thorn in my friends’ side when they told me,” he said. “I was telling them, ‘yeah, it’s great, but there is still so much that has to be done.’”
He said the first thing that needs to be stopped are discriminatory laws on the books in numerous states.
“Hopefully, these other things that we need will be coming soon,” he said.