California Supreme Court Legalizes Gay Marriage

Gay and lesbian Californians rejoice! You can now marry.

In a historic ruling today, a divided California Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage. As if we didn't already see this coming after San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom defied state law, and married thousands of same-sex couples in 2004.

The state quickly stopped the marriages, and made thousands of marriage licenses invalid.

Today's 4-3 ruling, written by Chief Justice Ronald George, struck down California laws that restrict marriage to heterosexual couples only, stating those laws as unconstitutional for depriving gays and lesbians the equal right to marry, and receive a valid marriage license. California now joins Massachusetts, as the only states with Supreme Courts to allow gay couples to marry.

As the ruling was announced, hundreds of people who had gathered on the steps outside the federal courthouse in San Francisco celebrated, some breaking out into tears and others yelling in joy.

Still, others were not so excited about the ruling. The Arizona-based Alliance Defense Fund, a group opposed to gay marriage, plans to ask the court to stay the decision until after November, so Californians can vote on an initiative to ban same-sex marriages, and alter the constitution.

San Francisco's Newsom has said he will campaign against the initiative.
   
Still, for now the court's ruling stands, and 30 days from now, same-sex couples throughout California will be able to go to their local city halls and obtain marriage licenses.

Known as a normally defiant and liberal state, with a large and ever-growing gay community, it was only a matter of time until the state's ban on gay marriage was removed. The only question being asked today across the state of California is probably, what took us so long?

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