Virginian Pilot: Moving Virginia to the Right Side of History

While Christofascists and their political prostitutes in the Republican Party of Virginia continue to convulse and launch spittle flecked rants over last week's ruling that struck down Virginia's religious and anti-gay animus based Marshall-Newman Amendment, the Virginian Pilot editorial board recognizes the ruling for what it is: as step in moving Virginia to the right side of history.  In an editorial the paper praises the ruling as avoiding the repeated of Virginia on school desegregation, interracial marriage and gender based admission to state higher education institutions, all of which were steadfastly and wrongheadedly defended until abolished by the U.S. Supreme Court. Sadly, too many editorial writers refuse to see this truth.  Here are column excerpts:

Every argument advanced in support of Virginia's constitutional ban on same-sex marriage failed in federal court.

U.S. District Judge Arenda L. Wright Allen's decision, released late Thursday, reveals the law for what it is: codified discrimination.

"The goal and the result of this legislation is to deprive Virginia's gay and lesbian citizens of the opportunity and right to choose to celebrate, in marriage, a loving, rewarding, monogamous relationship with a partner to whom they are committed for life," Wright Allen wrote. "These results occur without furthering any legitimate state purpose."

Because of that, the ban is unconstitutional, she ruled.

Her ruling - which doesn't take effect pending an appeal - shifts Virginia to the right side of history. The commonwealth became the first state in the Southeast to see its same-sex marriage ban fall.

 

Our nation must eradicate such discriminatory laws from every state. An appeal in Virginia's case could provide the catalyst that the highest court needs.

Arguments that the state's ban on same sex-marriage has protected children failed on two levels.

"Of course the welfare of our children is a legitimate state interest," the judge wrote. "However, limiting marriage to opposite-sex couples fails to further this interest. Instead, needlessly stigmatizing and humiliating children who are being raised by the loving couples targeted by Virginia's Marriage Laws betrays that interest." Those children are "needlessly deprived of the protection, the stability, the recognition and the legitimacy that marriage conveys."

Too often in our history, Virginia has clung to prejudice and discrimination: It defended segregation. It fought to preserve its ban on interracial marriages. It tried to prevent women from attending state-supported Virginia Military Institute.

Wright Allen singled out former Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli for perpetuating discrimination when he said state colleges and universities could not offer "protections that had been in place regarding 'sexual orientation,' 'gender identity,' and 'gender expression.' "

Virginia can, finally, now be the force for change.  Marriage must be equal for same-sex couples under the law. With Thursday's ruling, this nation is one step closer to recognizing that truth.

 It is noteworthy that with every one of Virginia's past mistakes, it was the same "godly folk" now shrieking over Thursday's ruling that supported segregation, bans on interracial marriage and gender discrimination.  When is the larger public going to see them for the foul individuals that they are?