Should the Supreme Court Overturn Proposition 8? >
Prop 8's Discrimination Runs Counter to Who America Is as a Nation
There's no compelling reason to deny same-sex couples the right to marry
March 4, 2013
About Stacey Long:
Stacey Long is the director of public policy and government affairs at the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.
Proposition 8 denies loving, committed same sex couples the protections and responsibilities of marriage without a legitimate, much less compelling, state interest. Proposition 8 singles out thousands of couples for unequal treatment, which is unconstitutional. People from all backgrounds and across all demographics understand that loving same sex couples and their families should not be treated this way.
[See a collection of political cartoons on gay marriage.]
As a member of a broad coalition of marriage equality supporters, we signed onto an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to recognize the fundamental right of all Americans to marry. There was an outpouring of amicus briefs from a wide spectrum of interests: from President Obama, to self-described moderate and conservative Republicans, to a slew of major companies representing the business sector. Public opinion has continued to grow in our direction as the number of everyday people from all walks of life stand in support of the freedom to marry.
It is simply wrong to single out same sex couples with any form of discrimination. Such actions run counter to who we are as a nation. We are proud to stand in support of the plaintiffs in this case, and look forward to the oral argument on March 26.
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- Other Arguments
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#111827
Yes — Same sex marriage doesn't encroach upon the constitutional rights of others
GREGORY T. ANGELO, Executive Director of Log Cabin Republicans
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#211545
Yes — The Supreme Court must strike down marriage discrimination
EVAN WOLFSON, Founder and President of Freedom to Marry
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#39941
Yes — Prop 8 supporters can't explain how marriage equality harms heterosexual marriages
ADAM UMHOEFER, Executive Director at the American Foundation for Equal Rights.
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#47929
Yes — In legal terms, Prop 8 denies equal protection to millions of families
CASEY PICK, Policy Fellow with the National LGBT Bar Association
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#65825
Yes — Prop 8 subverts the heart of the Fourteenth Amendment
ILYA SHAPIRO, Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute
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#776111
No — Allowing interracial marriage has no bearing on the argument for same sex marriage
JOHN C. EASTMAN, Chairman of the Board of the National Organization for Marriage
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#84985
No — Prop 8 isn't discriminatory—it merely reflects reality
CHRIS GACEK, Senior Fellow at the Family Research Council
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