“Michigan last week became the 18th state to legalize gay marriage.
But Gov. Rick Snyder is still standing in the way.
Snyder and Attorney General Bill Schuette, both Republicans, fought vigorously to uphold Michigan’s 2004 gay marriage ban. On Friday, federal Judge Bernard Friedman eviscerated their case in his decision, writing that the state’s witnesses presented “a fringe viewpoint that is rejected by their colleagues across a variety of social science fields.”
But even though Friedman ruled that gays are guaranteed the right to marry under the Equal Protection Clause, those happy couples faced another road block from Rick Snyder.
Sadly, the more than 300 couples who wed on Saturday aren’t being afforded the same right.
The governor’s office announced that none of those marriages would be recognized by the state of Michigan, citing a stay issued by the 6th Circuit Appeals Court after their nuptials were performed on Saturday.
Let’s be clear: Snyder is on the wrong side of history. A majority of Michiganders and Americans support gay marriage. That’s because marriage is a basic right.
But our governor committed tax dollars fighting a losing legal battle, an odd position for a fiscal conservative to take.
And now he essentially supports the state denying legal contracts, an odd position for an attorney and accountant to take.
Snyder had the chance to do the right thing and recognize marriages that were performed Saturday. He also could stop defending a legally indefensible law.
That’s what he would do if he were interested in equality or was the moderate he’s portrayed as.
There’s a reason why ultra-conservative Greg McNeilly, a longtime adviser to Dick DeVos, was one of the first in line Saturday to marry his male partner. Marriage is an important issue for many, personally and politically.”
via Susan J. Demas: Rick Snyder’s lost moment of leadership on gay marriage | MLive.com.
I hope you don’t take offense to me displaying such a large portion of your article. I felt the seriousness of this issue warranted the need to show your take on Snyder. Thank you, Susan.