Eugene Robinson Gay marriage and the Supreme Court
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/eugene-robinson-supreme-court-takes-up-gay-marriage/2013/03/25/baf4e3e8-9578-11e2-bc8a-934ce979aa74_story.html
Dont take anything for granted. The conservative activists on the Supreme Court may not be able to halt the inexorable shift toward acceptance of gay marriage, but we probably should expect them to try.
The two big cases being argued before the court this week could turn out to be landmarks that confirm the nations progress toward marriage equality or speed bumps that impede it. Either way, the destination is clear: Nearly 60 percent of Americans approve of gay marriage, according to a Post-ABC News poll, including 80 percent of adults under 30. That looks like less a question than a decision.
Youd think the justices would have these numbers in mind as they consider Proposition 8, the voter initiative that revoked gay-marriage rights in California, and the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which prohibits federal recognition of legally performed same-sex unions. But the conservative wing of the court has no great respect for public opinion. You may recall that residents of the District of Columbia overwhelmingly supported a handgun ban that the court blithely overturned.
Nor will the court necessarily be influenced by Californias refusal to defend Proposition 8 or the federal governments refusal to defend DOMA. The court showed judicial modesty in upholding President Obamas health-care reform, but that was the exception, not the rule.