Prop 8 Decision Just Another Stop for Marriage Equality Express

The California Supreme Court is set to render a decision in a suit that seeks to overturn the gay marriage ban that passed in November. The Court is expected to post its decision by 10 am PDT on Tuesday, May 26.

Also hanging in the balance is the fate of 18,000 marriages that took place prior to the enactment of the ban.

Proponents of gay marriage have organized events for tomorrow night, content to be determined by the court's actions.

The outcome of this case is undoubtedly important to California residents, especially those at risk of having their marriages torn asunder, but in the big picture, the ruling is just one piece in a puzzle that America has already figured out the answer to.

Just a few weeks ago, Maine became the 5th state to legalize gay marriage, and New York's assembly passed a law ending marriage discrimination that now needs state senate approval. With the support of Governor Paterson and NY City Mayor Mike Bloomberg, the measure stands an excellent chance.

Aside from the momentum of gay marriage laws, there also seems to be an improvement in messaging by Democrats on this issue, exemplified by Maine Governor John Baldacci's remarks upon signing Maine's law:

"In the past, I opposed gay marriage while supporting the idea of civil unions," Baldacci said. "I have come to believe that this is a question of fairness and of equal protection under the law, and that a civil union is not equal to civil marriage."

Americans have long signaled an acceptance of marriage rights for gay people, and their resistance to semantic equality is recently waning.

For the sake of those 18,000 marriages, I hope the court overturns Prop 8 tomorrow. If it doesn't, I hope they keep their rings and give it a little more time. The number of people willing to stand on the wrong side of history is shrinking.

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