Long Arc of History, Justice, Etc.

I had heard that Connecticut was going to wait out a decision on same-sex marriage until after the elections to see what happened with Prop. 8. But the state Supreme Court couldn't wait.

HARTFORD, Conn. - Connecticut's Supreme Court ruled Friday that same-sex couples have the right to marry, making the state the third behind Massachusetts and California to legalize such unions.

The divided court ruled 4-3 that gay and lesbian couples cannot be denied the freedom to marry under the state constitution, and Connecticut's civil unions law does not provide those couples with the same rights as heterosexual couples.

"I can't believe it. We're thrilled, we're absolutely overjoyed. We're finally going to be able, after 33 years, to get married," said Janet Peck of Colchester, who was a plaintiff with her partner, Carole Conklin.

"Interpreting our state constitutional provisions in accordance with firmly established equal protection principles leads inevitably to the conclusion that gay persons are entitled to marry the otherwise qualified same sex partner of their choice," Justice Richard N. Palmer wrote in the majority opinion that overturned a lower court finding.

"To decide otherwise would require us to apply one set of constitutional principles to gay persons and another to all others," Palmer wrote.

You really can't claim to promote a freedom agenda while wanting to curtail freedom to select members of society. The concept of freedom isn't about freedom for everything you LIKE - it's about diversity and tolerance and mutual respect. This latest civil rights crusade allows people of good faith to be as true as the ideals they like to wear on their sleeves.

Otherwise, they can descend to the levels of bigotry.

Donate to No on Prop. 8 in the name of freedom and equality.