Andrew Sullivan's Blog, page 2676

Prop 8 Reax

A White House spokesman:

The President has spoken out in opposition to Proposition 8 because it is divisive and discriminatory. He will continue to promote equality for LGBT Americans.

John Aravosis:

Did the White House just say that they agreed with the federal court's reasoning that "no rational basis in singling out gay men and lesbians for denial of a marriage license." Really? I doubt it. I think the White House just tried to have its cake and eat it too - sound supportive, but not dare...

Face Of The Day

Vijay Kumar, 32, dehusks a coconut with his teeth in Bangalore on August 3, 2010. In an attempt to enter the Guinness Book of World Records, Kumar dehusked three coconuts within a minute. By Dibyangshu Sarkar /AFP/Getty Images)

Guinness World Record - Bangalore - Guinness Book of World Records - Arts and Entertainment - History

The Conservatism Of Marriage Equality

Walker's critical point (and beautifully put):

The right to marry has been historically and remains the right to choose a spouse and, with mutual consent, join together and form a household. Race and gender restrictions shaped marriage during eras of race and gender inequality, but such restrictions were never part of the historical core of the institution of marriage. Today, gender is not relevant to the state in determining spouses' obligations to each other and to their dependents...

The Simple Logic Of Arendt

It's a quote I never tire of citing, because it is true:

The right to marry whoever one wishes is an elementary human right
compared to which 'the right to attend an integrated school, the right
to sit where one pleases on a bus, the right to go into any hotel or
recreation area or place of amusement, regardless of one's skin or
or race' are minor indeed.

Even political rights, like the right to vote, and nearly all other rights enumerated in the Constitution, are secondary to the...

The Logical Power Of The Ruling

I'm not through with it yet but it's hard to disagree with this reader:

A reader wrote, "His clerks made that trial record their bitch, and Judge Walker took that dog for a walk."

To me, reading the opinion, this is a gross understatement.  Judge Walker's opinion reads more like, "Plaintiffs proved all their points and demolished the proponents' witness by showing that he was a mere pundit not an expert.  Proponents failed to do anything substantive."  The subtext reads, "And I [the judge...

The Scalia-Walker Convergence

Scalia, dissenting in Lawrence vs Texas:

This reasoning leaves on pretty shaky grounds state laws limiting
marriage to opposite-sex couples. Justice O'Connor seeks to preserve
them by the conclusory statement that "preserving the traditional
institution of marriage" is a legitimate state interest. Ante, at 7
"preserving the traditional institution of marriage" is just a kinder
way of describing the State's moral disapproval of same-sex couples...

If moral disapprobation of...

How The GOP Gave Us Judicial Equality

A reader notes:

The Prop 8
case now makes three consecutive judicial opinions holding that laws prohibiting same-sex marriages have no rational basis. Interestingly, all three were authored by judges who were nominated or appointed by Republicans. Today's Northern District of California opinion was authored by Judge Vaughn Walker, who was nominated by Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. Last month's District of Massachusetts opinion was authored by Judge Joseph Tauro, who was nominated by...

The Cordoba Mosque - And Conservatism, Ctd

Chait smacks Dan Senor around:

Senor is arguing, I support freedom of religion, and I believe that your group doesn't support terrorism, but other Americansdon't feel this way. Of course this is an argument for caving in to anypopular prejudice or social phobia whatsoever. Hey, I'm happy to let ablack family move into the neighborhood, but other people here thinkyou're probably crackheads who spray random gunfire at night, so inorder to prevent racial strife you should probably live...

Schwarzenegger Echoes Cameron (And Olson)

It is something of a milestone that a Republican governor and a Conservative prime minister and a Republican lawyer have all reached the same conclusion. Arnold:

"For the hundreds of thousands of Californians in gay and lesbian households who are managing their day-to-day lives, this decision affirms the full legal protections and safeguards I believe everyone deserves. At the same time, it provides an opportunity for all Californians to consider our history of leading the way to the...

The Facts

Ambinder lists them:

Here are the relevant facts Walker finds:

1. Marriage is and has been a civil matter, subject to religious intervention only when requested by the intervenors.
 
2. California, like every other state, doesn't require that couples wanting to marry be able to procreate.

3. Marriage as an institution has changed overtime; women were given equal status; interracial marriage was formally legalized; no-fault divorce made it easier to dissolve marriages.

4. California has eliminated...