Civil Rights And Civil Liberties: Obergefell V. Hodges

1075 Words5 Pages

Judi Herren
GOV-140 American Government and Politics
9/30/15
J. Christopher Woolard, Ph.D.
Civil Rights and Civil Liberties; Obergefell v. Hodges
“By a 5-4 majority, the Supreme Court determined that a state can’t prohibit same-sex marriages and must also recognize valid out-of-state same-sex marriages, as both are protected under the due process and equal protection clauses of the fourteenth amendment.” (Karibjanian, 2015, p 34) In this landmark Supreme Court case, Obergefell v. Hodges, granted same sex couples the fundamental right to marry in any state and all other states now have to recognize that as a legal marriage. As a result of this Supreme Court ruling it has raised many questions pertaining to the violation of civil liberties. …show more content…

The justice system does work, and in the case of Obergefell v. Hodges there were civil liberties being violated when addressing same-sex marriage. With the different branches of the court system, it created a ripple effect which lead this case to the Supreme Court; starting with favorable rulings from the Federal District courts, which lead to reversals and bans from the Sixth Circuit courts, and finally a ruling in favor of same-sex couples from the Supreme …show more content…

The petitioners in the Obergefell v. Hodges case took a stand against what they believed was discriminatory against them, and although it took a great amount of time, money, and patience, they ultimately won the victory. Of course there are those that would disagree, Rowan County Clerk as an example. Although the rights and liberties of same-sex couples has been justified, her morals and values are now being objected to. It brings to light the question, if the civil liberties for same-sex couples is justified, are those who oppose it now suffering a violation of their civil liberties under the first Amendment; “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” Everyone has the right to practice, or not practice, the religion of their choice, but conversely, no one has the right to violate another’s civil liberties or rights in service of their choice of

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