(Note: the topic of this post is likely to spark passionate responses, which I encourage. However, I reserve the right to not publish commentary I feel only speaks hate to others, regardless of what side of the issue the commenter is on. My blog; my rules.)
Today, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that “the Fourteenth Amendment requires a State to license a marriage between two people of the same sex and recognize a marriage between people of the same sex when their marriage was lawfully licensed and performed out-of-state.”
“A battle lost or won is easily described, understood, and appreciated, but the moral growth of a great nation requires reflection, as well as observation, to appreciate it.” -Frederick Douglas
So, now gay Americans who wish to marry cannot be denied a license by the state. This, in my opinion, is a good thing. The country has been reacting all day, running the gamut from wildly enthusiastic support to the rending of garments and gnashing of teeth. (I read of one person who said he’d set himself on fire if the SCOTUS ruled in favor of gay marriage. I’m not exactly sure what he thinks that would do, but there it is.)
Anyway, the reactions to today’s ruling have been both encouraging, inspiring, upsetting, entertaining, and a marvelous display of the free speech we in this country so often take for granted. Whatever your position on the subject, we should all be grateful that we live in a nation that does not infringe on our right to speak our mind. Whatever you may choose to say on the subject, respect that freedom: many died to provide it. Speak peace when you speak your piece.
Below are my two favorite memes from the day; what are yours?
“The love of liberty is the love of others; the love of power is the love of ourselves.” -William Hazlitt
“When people begin to define the things that they believe in, based upon the exclusion of all the things that they hate, all that does is eat away at the soul. Define the things that you believe in based upon the pursuit of the the things that you love and then that love should be able to override all those things that you hate.” -C. Joybell C.