It's Worth Reading Again!

It's Worth Reading Again! I asked the ACLU if I could reprint their article received June 26, 2013.  It is below, just in case you did not see it, and need to retain access to their site.  It is important to retain accurate information and read actual cases, and one important source in this fight for equality is the ACLU.   http://www.acluva.org  Stay involved ... the fight is not over We do not assume that everyone knows that the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) are leaders in this on-going movement. We urge you and yours to stay actively involved. Rev. T. Wade and I have been active supporters and  visited Congress with HRC supporters when seeking to repeal Don 't Ask Don't Tell (DADT), among other critical topics. Since that ridiculous law was ended, so much work has been accomplished to bring us to to the high Court's decisions of June 26. Stay Vigilant! Be ALL that you can be, but BE who you are! Much love ... Reverend Elisheva Major U.S. Supreme Court Victories for Marriage Equality! Today, the ACLU of Virginia, along with thousands of allies and LGBT community members around the United States, celebrates a monumental victory in the fight for the freedom to marry.  In a 5-4 ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court made a historical decision to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act as unconstitutional, recognizing that there is no valid reason for the federal government to treat legally married LGBT couples any differently because of their sexual orientation. The Court ruling came in Windsor v. U.S., an ACLU lawsuit filed on behalf of Edie Windsor, a widowed lesbian who, after the death of her spouse Thea Spyer, was required to pay over $360,000 in federal estate taxes -- taxes she would not have owed if she were married to a man. In the second LGBT rights case decided today, the Court ruled that proponents of Prop 8, a California referendum that overturned the freedom to marry in that state, did not have legal standing to challenge a federal court decision that Prop 8 was invalid and unconstitutional. The Supreme Court decision has the effect of restoring the freedom to marry for Californians.  The result is that one-third of Americans now live in jurisdictions in which the freedom to marry is equally available to LGBT and straight couples. What does this all mean for Virginia?  First, the federal government will now treat all Virginians legally married in other states the same regardless of sexual orientation.  That means the 1,100 federal benefits tied to marriage will become available to legally married Virginians regardless of the fact that Virginia doesn't recognize their marriages.  As an example, the Secretary of Defense issued this statement today concerning actions the Defense Department will take that will affect members of the military and their spouses stationed here: "The Department of Defense welcomes the Supreme Court's decision today on the Defense of Marriage Act. The department will immediately begin the process of implementing the Supreme Court's decision in consultation with the Department of Justice and other executive branch agencies. The Department of Defense intends to make the same benefits available to all military spouses -- regardless of sexual orientation -- as soon as possible. That is now the law and it is the right thing to do." Second, while we celebrate the freedom to marry now accorded our friends in California and the 12 other jurisdictions that recognize same-sex marriage, the discrimination written into Virginia's constitution in 2006 (which prohibits any governmental recognition of any relationships other than marriage between a man and a woman) remains unaffected by today's decisions.   That is why the ACLU of Virginia is recommitting itself to ensuring that the freedom to marry can be enjoyed equally by all Virginians.  While we moved closer to that goal today, in Virginia it remains a goal to be achieved rather than a reality to be celebrated. We look forward to working with you in this important effort.