D.C. Superior Court Rules Against Marriage Referendum

A Washington D.C. Superior Court judge rejects the lawsuit filed by anti-gay crusader Bishop Harry Jackson and the Stand4Marriage DC Coalition that sought to force voter referendum on the District's recently approved marriage equality law.

The Washington Post:

The decision, a major victory for gay rights activists, makes it more likely that the District will begin allowing same-sex couples to marry in March. In the 23-page ruling, Judge Judith N. Macaluso affirmed a D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics decision that city law disallows the ballot proposal because it would promote discrimination against gay men and lesbians. Macaluso also concluded that previous court decisions outlawing same-sex marriage in the District are no longer valid. The election board has twice ruled that a referendum on same-sex marriage would violate a city election law prohibiting such a vote on a matter covered by the Human Rights Act, which outlaws discrimination against gays and other minority groups.

You will recall that some 39 conservative anti-gay congressional Republicans, including two senators, filed an amicus brief to co-sign Jackson's gay-bashing. That number is now 49.

There is more DC marriage news via HRC Backstory: "Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT)—one of the leading voices against marriage equality on the hill—introduced a bill in the House (H.R.4430) that would prevent the District government from issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples until the issue is put to voters in some way. Yet another way some members of Congress want to meddle in District affairs claiming a 'right to vote' when they oppose voting Representation for D.C. in Congress."

Comments

[TheRevKev]

LORD, I seriously might need to go HOME! DC, DOING IT!

Now, people of DC...stand UP!

I am going to be really sad if I see a lot of white and interracial faces in Chocolate City when it comes to the full breadth representation of SGL/LGBTQ love in the Nation's Capital!

STAND UP!!!!

Let's get it on and plan some lovely and soulful celebrations of God's love and the love that you have in your life!

[CC]

TheRevKev: Its way too soon to celebrate-- haters & homophobes from other states are still trying to file against it in DC--gotta stay on the grind!

Who are these 49 who co-signed the filed amicus brief on Jackson's gay-bashing?

[DT]

Co-sign @CC, the fight is far from over. We always need to be on our p's and q's about this stuff. People in Iowa already want to overturn gay marriage there and the trial in CA.