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Equality news round-up: Conservative columnist George Will suggests there are 5 votes at the Supreme Court for marriage equality, and more
July 2, 2012
By Scottie Thomaston
- Conservative columnist George Will says there are likely five votes for marriage equality, with Justice Kennedy providing the fifth.
- Microsoft co-founders donated money to fight for marriage equality in Washington.
- Anderson Cooper came out as gay.
- Two county clerks in Illinois move to defend the state’s law banning marriage equality against the lawsuit by the ACLU and Lambda Legal.
- Two LGBT rights groups focused on the military, OutServe and SLDN, are merging.
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18 Comments Leave a Comment
1.
David Henderson | July 2, 2012 at 3:05 pm
I suspected that clerks of other counties would seek to intervene in the case, because a decision in this case would affect them as well.
2.
Matt | July 2, 2012 at 4:29 pm
Three cheers for Anderson Cooper, Bill Gates, and Steve Ballmer.
3.
Rich | July 2, 2012 at 5:43 pm
It is such an interesting disconnect when one can access the NOM site only to be treated to an update on which businesses should be boycotted (the potential list grows exponentially), the opinions of those who venture only a guess as to the impact of marriage equality and Prop 8 which explores an elevated discussion of the legal and social current events surrounding marriage equality. I wonder..do the NOM supporters and bloggers ever venture outside their narrow mind-sets? It's as if they have absolutely no clue as to the larger discussions and trends that suggest the tide is turning.
4.
Jamie | July 2, 2012 at 6:07 pm
Seriously? I thought Anderson Cooper came out years ago.
5.
Jamie | July 2, 2012 at 6:16 pm
I think it's likely that the Clerks don't have standing to intervene. A clerk's job is to issue the paperwork of the state, at the direction of the state. I can't see how these clerks could possibly be harmed by having to issue a marriage license to a same sex couple.
6.
David Henderson | July 2, 2012 at 6:23 pm
The Cook County Clerk is one of the defendants in the suit, so if that clerk has "standing to be sued" (not a real legal term, I know), I would think that other clerks would have standing to defend the case for them.. If the case were filed solely against state actors, not against county actors, then presumably other clerks could not stand in for them. But in that case, the plaintiffs could not get the relief they are seeking, because the court could not require a non-party (the county clerk) to issue a license.
7.
Scott Wooledge | July 2, 2012 at 6:54 pm
I've been getting a lot of comments through on NOM's blog lately, which is weird, they never used to let mine through, even though I was frequently much nicer than ones they approved.
Lately I've been concern trolling them on Microsoft and Facebook. "Oh no, Microsoft has donated $200K to redefine marriage! I guess we'll have to boycott them."
The cognitive dissonance is amazing. They go ballistic over a gay Oreo but have yet notice that Facebook's same-sex marriage icons are also "a declaration of war on marriage!"
I keep reminding them using Facebook is making (gay!) Chris Hughes richer so he can spend more money on "redefining marriage" in Maine.
8.
Mike in Baltimore | July 2, 2012 at 8:48 pm
My neighbor has a tree on their property whose roots are invading and blocking my sewer line. I've had to call Roto-Rooter two times in the past decade. I sue my neighbor in court.
Does that mean that every other home owner on the block 'has standing' to defend the case for my neighbor, whether my neighbor defends himself in court or not?
After all, they are property owners (just like my neighbor) and have one or more trees on their property (just like my neighbor). And in my block of rowhouses, property lines are 20 feet apart, or less (down to 16 feet). Tree roots are known to grow out and down from the tree many feet (up to 20 or more feet), and especially towards a source of water (such as a sewer line).
9.
Scott Wooledge | July 2, 2012 at 8:55 pm
I totally disagre. I don't see this "as affecting them all."
Their job is to issue marriage licenses. The gender of the recipients is only a concern to homophobes and Christian bullies who can't mind their own business and perform their SECULAR duties to the state.
The decision of who the state should permit to marry is not one for County Clerks to be making. That isn't in the job description at all. That's for the state's high court, and/or the legislature.
10.
Scott Wooledge | July 2, 2012 at 8:56 pm
So nine cheers in total?
11.
_BK_ | July 3, 2012 at 4:55 am
We can do that.
12.
AnonyGrl | July 3, 2012 at 5:49 am
Hip hip hip hip hip hip hip hip hip HOORAY!!
13.
AnonyGrl | July 3, 2012 at 5:51 am
No. He has declined to comment publically for years, which is is right. He has been out to family and friends for years. However, he has realized the benefit to coming out to everyone, so he did. His letter on the subject is worth the read.
14.
Steve | July 3, 2012 at 7:43 am
They should boycott both Microsoft and Apple. That leaves them with Linux. That's more decentralized with many different distributors, but many of them are probably pro-gay too.
15.
Don | July 3, 2012 at 8:39 am
Remember that Anderson often would go to Arab countries to report. In many Arab countries being gay is tantamount to death. So, although "everyone" knew he was gay (and he appeared openly with his boyfriend), it is less likely that anyone in the Arab countries were that interested.
16.
Scott Wooledge | July 3, 2012 at 9:26 am
As I saw on Twitter "the world's draftiest closet." Everyone knew. But he's never discussed it publicly (despite dedicating his last book to his previous boyfriend…)
17.
fiona64 | July 3, 2012 at 2:48 pm
I could have sworn that Anderson Cooper came out ages ago … because I was surely aware of him being gay.
18.
Steve | July 3, 2012 at 3:52 pm
Everyone knew he was gay. He just didn't confirm it publicly.
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