Good news from Boston today, as reported by Denise Lavoie, Associated Press Legal Affairs Writer:
BOSTON – The federal law banning gay marriage is unconstitutional because it interferes with the right of a state to define the institution and therefore denies married gay couples some federal benefits, a federal judge ruled Thursday in Boston.
U.S. District Judge Joseph Tauro ruled in favor of gay couples' rights in two separate challenges to the Defense of Marriage Act, known as DOMA, a 1996 law that the Obama administration has argued for repealing. The rulings apply to Massachusetts but could have broader implications if they're upheld on appeal.
The state had argued the law denied benefits such as Medicaid to gay married couples in Massachusetts, where same-sex unions have been legal since 2004.
Tauro agreed and said the act forces Massachusetts to discriminate against its own citizens in order to be eligible for federal funding in federal-state partnerships.
A representative for DOMA couldn't be reached for comment on heterosexual divorce rates, far too busy defending marriage from homosexuals.
While gay marriage may only be legal in five states and the District of Columbia, there's been a victory today in Boston. You can read the full article here.
