GAY PRIDE AND HOMETOWN PRIDE CAN BE ONE AND THE SAME Jamie’s hometown of Cronulla, a suburb of Sydney, and beautiful part of the world…G’Day Mates!!! *************************************************** A federal district court judge in Boston yesterday struck down the 1996 federal law that defines marriage as a union exclusively between a man and a woman, in a two pronged suit “The Commonwealth of Massachusetts vs. The United States of America”. Judge Joseph L. Tauro ruled that the federal Defense of Marriage law violates the Constitutional right of married same-sex couples to equal protection under the law. “This court has determined that it is clearly within the authority of the Commonwealth to recognize same-sex marriages among its residents, and to afford those individuals in same-sex marriages any benefits, rights, and privileges to which they are entitled by virtue of their marital status,” Tauro wrote. “The federal government, by enacting and enforcing DOMA, plainly encroaches upon the firmly entrenched province of the state.” Gay rights activists cheered the ruling, saying it pushed forward the common sense affirmation that same-sex couples are entitled to the same federal spousal benefits and protections as other married couples – including previously denied Medicare, disability, and Social Security spousal benefits among many others. Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders and the Attorney General of Massachusetts, Martha Coakley, championed the suits on behalf of the Commonwealth. ***************************************************
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GETTING IT UP FOR DOWN UNDER
