California chief justice says same-sex marriage ruling was one of his toughest

[ruggerson]

Ronald M. George, a moderate Republican who voted with the majority, likens the case to civil rights battles.

SAN FRANCISCO -- In the days leading up to the California Supreme Court's historic same-sex marriage ruling Thursday, the decision "weighed most heavily" on Chief Justice Ronald M. George -- more so, he said, than any previous case in his nearly 17 years on the court.

The court was poised 4 to 3 not only to legalize same-sex marriage but also to extend to sexual orientation the same broad protections against bias previously saved for race, gender and religion. The decision went further than any other state high court's and would stun legal scholars, who have long characterized George and his court as cautious and middle of the road.

But as he read the legal arguments, the 68-year-old moderate Republican was drawn by memory to a long ago trip he made with his European immigrant parents through the American South. There, the signs warning "No Negro" or "No colored" left "quite an indelible impression on me," he recalled in a wide-ranging interview Friday.

"I think," he concluded, "there are times when doing the right thing means not playing it safe."

Yet he described his thinking on the constitutional status of state marriage laws as more of an evolution than an epiphany, the result of his reading and long discussions with staff lawyers.

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[ruggerson]

1. What's interesting about this is, if you read the article

this moderate Republican Chief Justice is more evolved on this issue than a whole segment of DU'ers.

[dsc]

2. Great article

I just watched the now dated episode of Brothers and Sisters where Kevin gets married. I wonder if they will have them redo the vows for a real marriage.

[ruggerson]

3. I'm sure the rightwing in California will try to recall him next time around

he deserves support from every American who cares about the Constitution.

[pinto]

4. Some good quotes and notes from the same article:

Rather than ignoring voters, "what you are doing is applying the Constitution, the ultimate expression of the people's will," George said.

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George said the oral argument marked the "highest point" for the court, and he was "so glad" the session was televised. "I was incredibly proud of how we acquitted ourselves in such a difficult and well publicized case," he said.

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"When is it that a court should act?" George mused. "When is it that a court is shirking its responsibility by not acting, and when is a court overreaching? That's a real conundrum. I have respect for people coming out on different sides of this issue."

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He went home Thursday night drained and discovered a card left by friends at his San Francisco apartment. It was a Japanese watercolor of a branch with red berries. His friends had written "Congratulations!" inside.

"Why not go out on a limb?" the greeting on the card read.

[ruggerson]

5. It's rare when a public servant does something both courageous and historic

[pinto]

9. Yeah, and the Judge deserves some kudos for his clearsighted Constitutional stand.

:thumbsup:

[ruggerson]

10. What's interesting as well

is that he almost lost his position because he ruled against parental notification laws and the religious rightwingers tried to have him yanked from the bench.

[ruggerson]

6. ...

[UTUSN]

7. It was difficult -------why?!1 (No, I didn't read the article) n/t

[riderinthestorm]

8. No other possible decision. This is obviously a civil rights issue

and Ronald George, when he finally had to sit down with the law and our Constitution without the interference of the rest of the "noise" (culture, religion etc.), knew exactly what the only answer had to be....

[RedCappedBandit]

11. I fail to see just wtf is so difficult. nt

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

12. Trying to deflect the torches & pitchforks perhaps? -nt

[RedCappedBandit]

13. Consequences of the decision may be difficult to deal with

but the decision itself is a no brainer.