The group Freedom to Marry has created two maps of marriage equality, one from the end of 2013, when Utah's ban had been overturned and appealed, the other from last week. Things have changed a lot in a year and for the better.
Idaho appealed the overturn of its same-sex marriage ban, and lost. The state has been ordered to pay the legal fees for the same-sex couples who brought the suit. That will be over $400,000. It seems wayward Idaho has a fund to cover such awards in constitutional law cases. It has been tapped six times in the last decade. The fund has $1.7 million in it and the Gov. asked for another million, which the legislature approved. Is this implying that Idaho has issues with the federal constitution?
The situation in Florida is much more complicated than it needs to be. Last August did the judge declare that denying marriage to a particular couple was unconstitutional, or did he mean for that to apply to all same-sex couples? Lots of clerks want to know. The judge has now asked state officials, probably with a bit of sarcasm, so what are you going to tell all those clerks? It seems he's itching for a smackdown. Just what part of "unconstitutional" don't you understand?
And yet a huge majority of clerks say they will not issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples on January 6th. The Attorney General wanted a ruling that eliminated the confusion but is now doing little to lessen that confusion.
Fifteen years ago there was a ruling in federal court saying students have a right to form Gay Straight Alliance clubs at their schools. Alas, there are still school districts who haven't gotten the memo. The ACLU filed a suit against the schools in Bainbridge, Indiana.
Somebody scratched the word "faggots" into the door of apartment 611. The gay residents of that apartment came up with a fabulous response.
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