Last week, a federal judge struck down the gay marriage ban in Alabama, citing that it violated the 14th Amendment.
This would have made Alabama the 37th state to legalize gay marriage, but that same judge issued a two-week stay on her ruling almost immediately after.
Alabama’s Attorney General also filed an appeal to keep the stay until the Supreme Court rules on gay marriage in June.
This pattern happens like clockwork. A federal judge strikes down a marriage ban. The state issues a stay. The state then appeals the ruling. And, almost every time, gay marriage is inevitably legalized.
I just don’t understand the point of Alabama going through these motions. Apparently family values to them means keeping it in the family because they already allow first cousins to marry there. Is gay marriage really that much worse than incest?
At this point, Alabama doesn’t have a logical argument against gay marriage.
Alabama’s Supreme Court chief justice, Roy Moore, called the ruling “judicial tyranny” and said he’d stop “unlawful opinions issued without constitutional authority.”
I suppose the 14th Amendment, which grants equal protection to all citizens, just doesn’t apply to him or Alabama.
He also said that Alabama laws “have always recognized the Biblical admonition stated by our Lord.”
I guess he also never heard of the First Amendment, which prohibits government from making laws based on religion.
He asked the governor to uphold the marriage ban “for the welfare of this state and for our prosperity.”
What prosperity is he talking about?
I mean they have Gulf Shores going for them. And Birmingham is a nice city. But other than that, I wouldn’t use the word prosperous for Alabama.
Of all the things wrong with Alabama, gay marriage doesn’t even make it on the list. If anything, gay marriage will help this state.
Gay couples from around the South will go to Gulf Shores, get married there and have their honeymoon on the beach. It’ll bring more revenue to the state, which means they’ll have money to make nicer roads and decent schools.
Children of gay couples will feel like their families matter. Gay teenagers won’t feel ostracized in their home state.
Unless you’re a super religious bigot, there’s nothing wrong with gay marriage. In fact, even if you’re a super religious bigot, there’s nothing wrong with gay marriage. There’s just something wrong with you.
This fight toward equality is too long and drawn out. Marriage equality already won, and the rest of the country is moving on. I wish the South would too so we can go on with our lives. This is nonsense.
Cody Sibley is a 19-year-old mass communication freshman from Opelousas, Louisiana. You can reach him on Twitter at @CodySibley.