Supreme Court hears same-sex marriage arguments
By Nicole Brazier
Historic arguments were presented to the Supreme Court this afternoon that could change the laws surrounding same-sex marriage for the entire country, making it illegal for individual states to prevent those unions.
Same-sex marriage is currently legal in 37 states and the district of Columbia. Now, the nation’s highest court will determine whether to extend that to all 50 states by declaring bans on same-sex marriage unconstitutional.
Crowds gathered outside the Supreme Court today.
“When we first started advocating for ourselves and for the rights that everybody else has we knew it would be a long journey, and I guess the day that this is happening… it’s like, pinch me! Is it really happening?” said State Rep., Frank Ferri.
Rhode Island State Representative, Frank Ferri, was a major proponent of marriage equality here, integral to legislation that passed in 2013 allowing same-sex couples to marry. For him and husband Tony Caparco, extending the right to all 50 states is a necessity.
“We’re married here in Rhode Island but if we travel to another state we’re strangers to each other for medical issues, or to protect each other, to be with each other, to have any survival rights or anything,” explained Caparco.
The historic decision will come down to how these nine men and women read the 14th Amendment’s guarantee of due process and equal protection under the law.
Opponents argue that this is a states’ rights issue because the constitution doesn’t define marriage, adding that their belief that the bans are not discriminatory.
“It’s not about limiting anyone’s personal liberty and controlling anyone’s love life but upholding a particular ideal to give kids the best shot at being reared by their own mom and dad” said Sherif Girgis, who is against same-sex marriage.
The cases before the court come from four states that has their marriage bans upheld by the federal appeals court in November
A decision is by the Supreme Court expected before the court recesses for the summer.
© WLNE-TV 2015
