Today the Supreme Court announced their decision in the Texas Sodomy case, and it was good news for all men and women in the US. In a 6-3 decision, the court overturned the case of two gay men caught having sex while the police were investigating a false report of a burglary. The case got all the way to the highest court, and was considered back in March.
IN another decision (5-4), the court also overturned a previous decision of the court in the matter of Bowers v. Hardwick, which had previously sanctioned the laws of the remaining thirteen states that had sodomy laws.
The decisions were celebrated by many people across the nation. On the other side, the conservatives, lead by the radical religious bigots, are complaining that this is the downfall of American society. Same old tune, time to change the channel.
For anyone who wants to understand how unfair the situation was, you have to read the opinions (yes, all of them). Justice Kennedy wrote an extraordinary opinion (for the majority) explaining that the court had considered many similar cases (not dealing with homosexuals, but state law restricting the rights of people based on a class, or grouping), and had found these laws to violate the constitution. He cited many examples of case law to back this up, and presented an extremely focused document.
Justice Scalia on the other hand, wrote what one would expect from a conservative justice. He argued about the morality issue (arguing that states have the right to legislate morality involving one group of people), and suggested that the majority of his fellow members of the court had succumbed to the gay agenda!
It's great reading, and worth the time. A good day!