The "Activist Judge" Ruling on "Traditional Marriage" Will Ruin Society As We Know It

At least, as far as society as the religious right/moral majority crowd knows it. They put out press releases, wrote blog posts, and took to the airwaves and the pulpit to explain how Judge Vaughn R. Walker's ruling on the constitutionality of California's Proposition 8 banning same-sex marriage is ruining this country's fabric.

What is interesting is that the ruling indicates that the defenders of Proposition 8 had very few legal arguments that they presented. One was that civil marriage is to promote procreation. Strangely enough, I don't think they suggested nullifying all the marriage licenses of couples who may be sterile, the elderly, or just don't want to have children.

And among the blog posts and Internet Commentators, I can't help but notice that all of those who are against same-sex marriage keep bringing up religious beliefs to back up their side of the debate. There's nothing wrong with religious beliefs. I believe my Catholic faith has led me to many of my political beliefs, but when that's all you can resort to, I don't think it's something that's been thought out very well. And I also don't believe legislation is the proper place to push a religious world view.

It's been a few years since same-sex marriage has been used as the wedge/fear issue. But observing how the GOP Senate primary race went, with all candidates (except one) supporting a Federal Marriage Amendment, this ruling will put the marriage issue squarely on the political map for now. And my instinct is it'll still be on the electorate's mind come November 2010.

Now will the state GOP make the state marriage amendment an issue as well? It hasn't performed too well recently, and they are trying to WIN seats in the House. Will it be too divisive, or will it bring religious voters out in droves?

Finally, there's an interesting piece over at The Bilerico Project over where Obama stands on same-sex marriage and Proposition 8. My conclusion after reading the article was that I'm now even more confused.