I generally do not comment on highly charged debatable political topics, as I have a desire to present the news in an impartial way like a professional journalist would.
In this case the video presents the news and facts and I will make some comments.
First of all I understand the very strong feelings both sides have on this issue and I am not affiliated with any political party.
Below are comments from Republican and Democratic Presidential candidates.
Mike Huckabee, Republican presidential candidate and former
Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) said Friday in a statement that he would not “acquiesce to an imperial court” and its
decision to make gay marriage legal in all 50 states.
Florida Senator Marco Rubio, “While I disagree with this decision, we live in a republic and must abide by the law. As we look ahead, it must be a priority of the next president to nominate judges and justices committed to applying the Constitution as written and originally understood.”
Donald Trump, called it another example of “the Bush appointed Supreme Court Justice John Roberts” letting “us down.” “Jeb pushed him hard! Remember!” he tweeted.
Keller Fishback & Jackson
Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, Clinton’s closest rival in the polls, tweeted, “Today the Supreme Court fulfilled the words engraved upon its building: ‘Equal justice under law.’”
Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton, tweeted that she was “proud to celebrate a historic victory for marriage equality—& the courage & determination of LGBT Americans who made it possible. -H.” Her account also tweeted out the word “HISTORY” in rainbow colors, incorporating her campaign logo.
I think it is an issue of gender discrimination and agree with Justice Kennedy. This is an unusual situation as sometimes I disagree with Justice Kennedy's legal opinions.
Discrimination based on gender or sex is a common civil rights violation. Discrimination on the basis of gender takes many forms; including sexual harassment, pregnancy discrimination, and unequal pay for women who do the same jobs as men.
Justice Kennedy wrote that four principles “demonstrate that the reasons marriage is fundamental under the Constitution apply with equal force to same-sex couples.”
“The first premise of this Court’s relevant precedents is that the right to personal choice regarding marriage is inherent in the concept of individual autonomy… A second principle in this Court’s jurisprudence is that the right to marry is fundamental because it supports a two-person union unlike any other in its importance to the committed individuals,” he said.
“A third basis for protecting the right to marry is that it safeguards children and families and thus draws meaning from related rights of child-rearing, procreation, and education,” and current marriage laws “harm and humiliate the children of same-sex couple.” Plus, the justice added, the right to marry is not “less meaningful for those who do not or cannot have children.”
“Precedent protects the right of a married couple not to procreate, so the right to marry cannot be conditioned on the capacity or commitment to procreate.”
Finally, Kennedy opines, “this Court’s cases and the Nation’s traditions make clear that marriage is a keystone of the Nation’s social order… it is demeaning to lock same-sex couples out of a central institution of the Nation’s society, for they too may aspire to the transcendent purposes of marriage.”
The right of same-sex couples to marry is also enshrined in the 14th Amendment, he added, with current marriage laws causing “a grave and continuing harm, serving to disrespect and subordinate gays and lesbians.”
