Court ruling is only beginning of battle

The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts ruled in favor of same sex marriage yesterday. The ruling is no doubt an overwhelming victory for gay rights advocates, but it marks the beginning of what may turn out to be a long, heated battle in the legislative and executive branches of the Massachusetts government. Gov. Mitt Romney has expressed his support for an amendment to the Massachusetts constitution that would define marriage as a union between a man and a woman. Speaker of the House Tom Finneran (R-Suffolk) have endorsed the proposal, although many in the legislature support same-sex unions.

Members of the Tufts community who support the ruling should write to Massachusetts legislators State Senator Charles Shannon and House Representative Vincent Ciampa, who represent Tufts' district, to advocate that the ruling be upheld. The court has opened the way for Massachusetts to become the first state in the union to protect gay marriage, and concerned students should do everything in their power to not allow this momentous progress be run over by factions who would like to see some segments of society denied equal rights. Civil union is not enough; same sex couples should not be barred from marriage and all of the benefits and responsibilities that come with such an institution. The country is watching to see what Massachusetts will do; hopefully students will take action to make sure this state leads the country into a new era of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all Americans.