The Principles of Place

On Thursday the California Supreme Court overturned a ban on same-sex marriage, paving the way for California to become only the second state in the United States to extend full martial rights to gay and lesbian couples. Of course, far more states have altogether outlawed same-sex marriage than have permitted it. The argument against same-sex marriage centers on the notion that marriage as an institution explicitly pertains to the union of a man and a woman. But if this is true, who makes such a determination, and why have so many other countries (Canada, Belgium, the Netherlands, Israel, South Africa, etc.) legalized same-sex marriage? The larger issue with bans on same-sex marriage is that they are inconsistent with the United States' alleged commitment to freedom and equality. The United States might proclaim itself the "Land of the Free," but civil rights issues have dogged it for its entire existence, from suffrage rights for women and minorities, to Jim Crow and the long-term establishment discrimination endured by Blacks, and now to same-sex marriage. Social outlooks and customs undoubtedly play a significant role in shaping the character of a place, but can the U.S. really pride itself on the principles of freedom and equality and yet render decisions on particular civil rights issues that seemingly conflict with these principles?

The New York Times ran an interesting article today on how same-sex marriage and racial justice have found common ground. Click here to view the full story.