My Friend Is Legal!

California has joined Massachusetts in allowing same-sex marriage.
About time, I say.

I cycle back to this topic every now and again--it's a hot-button issue with me. I've covered it in detail here and here and will not rehash old gruel in any detail. Here in Canada, even the most virulently opposed people have no doubt noticed that same-sex marriage has been legal nationwide for three years and the sun still managed to poke its head over the horizon this morning.

The battle in the Excited States of America is only just beginning. And it'll be a far fiercer battle down there than it ever was here. I wouldn't be surprised to see bloodshed: there are people in that country who sincerely believe that anyone performing a same-sex marriage is, by definition, an agent of the Evil One.

Whatever. They're mobilizing to fight this war on several fronts, though: for one thing, they plan to put it on the ballot in November's general election.
Speaking as a Canadian--and by all means say I've got this sdrawkcab-ssa--I find the idea of voters superceding the courts more than a little chilling. The more conservative among us are forever railing against what they call "activist judges", saying the court has no business creating law, only interpreting it. Supposedly, it's for government to make the laws.
What a hoot.These are almost always the same people who hate government and wish it would go away and leave them alone, yet they trust it implicitly to decide something that's obviously very important to them. The logic here escapes me.
And then there's the matter of what laws the courts are "making". I've noticed any interpretation of the law you disagree with isn't an interpretation...it's a whole new law. Re gay marriage: it's not as if they've outlawed straight marriage, you know. You don't have to get a divorce and go marry your paperboy, or something. In fact, this has no effect on anybody's relationship whatsoever.

Damn soapbox.

All I know is, my best friend Jason now has the opportunity to be married in the place where he is. He travelled over four thousand kilometers three years ago to be in a place where he could be married--being married obviously meant, and means, a lot to him. Now he's legal...and happy.