Opinion

Editorial

Supreme Court should strike down DOMA

According to the Globe Gazette, after two days of intense debate, the Supreme Court may decide to support same-sex marriage by striking down the federal law that denies legally married gay spouses a wide range of benefits offered to other couples. According to USA Today, those spousal benefits include joint tax returns, estate tax exclusions, Social Security and veterans benefits, civil service and military pensions. 

Students should be aware of the issue and support the expected Court’s decision in favor of gay marriage.

According to the Globe Gazette, it affects more than 1,100 statutes in which marital status is relevant. 

As the court concluded its arguments over gay marriage in America, a majority of the justices indicated they will invalidate part of the federal Defense of Marriage Act if they can get past procedural problems. 

Since the federal law was enacted in 1996, according to the Globe Gazette, nine states and the District of Columbia have made same-sex marriage legal. 

According to the Minneapolis StarTribune, Justice Anthony Kennedy, the pivotal justice on the issue, the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) may have intruded too deeply on the traditional role of state governments in defining marriage. 

The federal law recognizes marriages only between a man and a woman, and Kennedy said that ignores states “which have come to the conclusion that gay marriage is lawful.”

According to the Globe Gazette, if the court strikes down part of DOMA, it would represent a victory for gay rights and advocates.

Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of the editorial board.