We are still angry over yesterday’s ruling on the Voting Rights Act — but could not be happier with the Supreme Court’s decision on the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and California’s Proposition 8. This is a bittersweet victory after yesterday’s ruling on the VRA. We have a long way before we achieve equality for all — but this is a good start.
SCOTUS decided that the Proposition 8 case should not have been brought to them by the people defending the law and threw it back down to the Appeals Court that already ruled it unconstitutional. California Governor Jerry Brown and Attorney General Kamala Harris say that state counties should issue marriage licenses for same sex couples as soon as legally possible.
And President Obama was also on the record today, congratulating the Proposition 8 plaintiffs on live television.
DOMA is dead… but don’t think the days of Federal discrimination against same sex marriage is over. Because diehard conservatives in Congress are vowing to give it another shot.
Back to the Voting Rights Act: Mother Jones compiled some highlights of some excerpts from Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s blistering dissent – no reports on whether Samuel Alito was able to contain himself while she read it.
Badass Texas Liberals
But the news story that has kept us riveted since last night is the saga of Texas State Senator Wendy Davis, who captured the nation’s attention as she filibustered a draconian anti-abortion law so it could not be enacted. And do you want to talk about the shenanigans of the Republican majority after the session ended at midnight? As Letters from Texas columnist Harold Cook put it:
“It’s terrible precedent for a Senate gallery to take over the Senate floor. It’s worse precedent for the majority party to cheat in order to win.”
Davis is, as Cynematic put it, a “lioness who battled on behalf of public education funding in Texas.” This is her second marathon filibuster.
Of course, Senator Davis was helped by some 1,500 supporters who went to Austin to show they had her back. One way we can all help is by donating to groups like the Lilith Fund, Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas and Annie’s List (named for Ann Richards), dedicated to electing more progressive women to office in Texas.
Ironically, yesterday’s SCOTUS ruling on the VRA may make it impossible for Senator Wendy Davis to be re-elected in her district.
At any rate, we are celebrating Wendy Davis — who even got the Taiwanese animation treatment:
