Equal Rights Washington News and Updates

Courts in three politically liberal states - Washington, California
and New York - have now upheld legislative acts in those states that
ban same-sex marriage.

That is a reflection, at least in Washington and New York, of how
strong the public sentiment is nationally for preserving traditional
marriage. And it is an indication of the respect of courts and judges
in those states for the notion that policy should be made by the
people through the legislative process, not by judicial fiat.

...

It might be prudent for same-sex marriage opponents in this state to
seek a constitutional amendment to give protection to traditional
marriage beyond the Defense of Marriage Act. State courts cannot
nullify state constitutional amendments - only the U.S. Supreme Court,
ultimately, can do that.

...

As the laws and amendments indicate, the public opinion tide continues
to run overwhelmingly against allowing same-sex marriage. This
undoubtedly a factor in state courts' reluctance to wrongly attempt to
legislate from the bench.

The defeat last summer for same-sex marriage was by one vote, and the ruling was mushy enough to encourage advocates to keep pushing.

The Seattle Times is among those advocates, mostly for down-to-Earth reasons: the promotion of family stability and the protection of spouses and children. These are the same practical reasons for marriage between a man and a woman. In our view, as soon as society legalized homosexuality and allowed adoption by same-sex couples, marriage became inevitable. Last summer's ruling did not settle the dispute. Only marriage will settle it.