Appeals Court (Also) Declares Prop 8 Unconstitutional

Wonderful news out of San Francisco today as the 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals ruled that Proposition 8 -- the voter-approved ban on gay marriage in California -- violated the Constitution. (Are you listening, Chris Christie?)

“Although the Constitution permits communities to enact most laws they believe to be desirable, it requires that there be at least a legitimate reason for the passage of a law that treats different people differently,” Judge Stephen Reinhardt wrote in the decision. “There was no such reason that Proposition 8 could have been enacted.”

“All that Proposition 8 accomplished was to take away from same sex-couples the right to be granted marriage licenses and thus legally to use the designation ‘marriage,” the judge wrote, adding: “Proposition 8 serves no purpose, and has no effect, other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gay men and lesbians in California."

While this is unquestionably a victory, an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court is all but assured, and I don't think anyone who isn't a bigot doesn't like the makeup of that bunch. Well, anyone except lead lawyers David Boies and Ted Olson, who seem confident they could make their case to Roberts & Associates. I've just exhaled and now I'm already (not) holding my breath ...