Moving Forward in Maryland

In spite the influx of Dominionist Theocrat money to stop the move forward, a Maryland judge ruled that the ban on equal access to marriage for gays and lesbians is unconstitutional.

This is great news!!! I've always liked Maryland, and as with most places, except for a few pockets of extreme right-wing attitudes, it's a pretty open and accepting state.

There's no reason Maryland shouldn't move into the 21st Century and regard us all as equal citizens.

A Baltimore judge ruled Friday that Maryland's law against same-sex marriage "cannot withstand constitutional challenge."

The suit was filed two years ago (story) by the ACLU of Maryland on behalf of nine same-sex couples and a man whose partner recently passed away who would like to be able to marry one day.

The suit alleged that county clerks are violating the state constitution's guarantees of equality by not granting marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

Judge M. Brooke Murdock agreed.

"After much study and serious reflection, this court holds that Maryland's statutory prohibition against same-sex marriage cannot withstand constitutional challenge," she wrote in her decision.

"When tradition is the guise under which prejudice or animosity hides, it is not a legitimate state interest," he judgment said.

"The Court is not unaware of the dramatic impact of its ruling, but it must not shy away from deciding significant legal issues when fairly presented to it for judicial determination. As others assessing the constitutionality of preventing same-sex marriage note, justifying the continued application of a classification through its past application is 'circular reasoning, not analysis,' and that it is not persuasive."