Bill Clinton Comes Out in Favor of Gay Marriage

Former President Bill Clinton who signed the Defense of Marriage Act into law which bars federal recognition of same-sex couples has come out in favor of marriage equality. He has been considering and "evolving" on the issue for some time.

"After speaking at the Campus Progress National Conference in Washington, DC, on July 8, the former president was asked if he supported same-sex marriage. Clinton, in a departure from past statements, replied in the affirmative.

Asked if he personally supported same-sex marriage, Clinton replied, "Yeah." "I personally support people doing what they want to do," Clinton said. "I think it's wrong for someone to stop someone else from doing that [same-sex marriage]" (The Nation).

This statement is a major kick to the already unstable legislation. Growing numbers of democrats and even republicans are coming out in support of repealing DOMA.

9th Circuit Court says Defense of Marriage Act is Unconstitutional!

A ruling by Judge Stephen Reinhardt of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals says the Defense of Marriage Act is discriminatory and unconstitutional because it denies partner benefits to spouses of gay federal employees.

"The denial of federal benefits to same-sex spouses cannot be justified simply by a distaste for or disapproval of same-sex marriage or a desire to deprive same-sex spouses benefits available to other spouses in order to discourage exercising a legal right afforded them by the state," Reinhardt wrote in his Feb. 2 order....

Both orders are internal employee grievance decisions. Both found in favor of the gay employees, directing court administrators to give health insurance benefits to their spouses. The orders also represent direct challenges to DOMA, the 1996 act that forbids the federal government from treating same-sex relationships as marriages for any purpose.

A lawyer for the staff attorney said this is believed to be the first time federal employees will get benefits covering a same-sex spouse (Pam's House Blend).

Tell Obama to follow the lead of the 9th circuit court and to act on his promise to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act.

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"Love and Marriage" - Frank Sinatra Had It Right!

Love and marriage, love and marriage
Go together like a horse and carriage
This I tell you brother
You cant have one without the other

Love and marriage, love and marriage
Its an institute you cant disparage
Ask the local gentry
And they will say its elementary

Try, try, try to separate them
Its an illusion
Try, try, try, and you will only come
To this conclusion

Love and marriage, love and marriage
Go together like a horse and carriage
Dad was told by mother
You cant have one without the other

Today as we protest the hate-filled legislation, "The Defense of Marriage Act", I couldn't help but think about this song.

Our opponents tell us that we want to destroy the institution of marriage, but our love is strong, our lives are real, and it really is "elementary" when you think about it. Two people who love one another should be able to start a family and have all the same protections under the law as anyone else. Our fight seeks to strengthen the bonds between "love and marriage", and after all "it's an institute you cant disparage" no matter how much our opponents "try to separate them, it is an illusion" based on lies and bigotry.

END DOMA 2009!