The Obama Administration yesterday evening filed a friend-of-court brief that boldly urged Supreme Court justices to strike down same-gender-marriage ban Proposition 8. Living up to the promises he made in his second inaugural address for gay and lesbian equality, the action makes Barack Obama the first president to publicly urge the high court to expand LGBT rights to marriage.
“Use of a voter initiative to promote democratic self-governance cannot save a law like Proposition 8 that would otherwise violate equal protection,” read the brief. “Prejudice may not, however, be the basis for differential treatment under the law.”
“[Same-gender couples] establish homes and lives together, support each other financially, share the joys and burdens of raising children, and provide care through illness and comfort at the moment of death,” the administration wrote.
