North Dakota Gets Legal Challenge To Gay Marriage Ban

Tue press release below from the folks at Freedom to Marry just landed in my inbox.

The lawsuit isn’t surprising. North Dakota was the last state in the nation with a ban on gay marriage and no legal challenge. This, as I’ve written previously, was inevitable.

As is the legalization of gay marriage both here and in every other state. I wish it were happening because a majority of citizens and/or elected leaders were pushing the issue through the democratic process – I think legalized gay marriage through judicial fiat is going to be extremely divisive – but these are where the political winds are blowing.

New York – Today, seven committed same-sex couples are suing the state of North Dakota in federal court for the freedom to marry.  With the addition of North Dakota, every U.S. state without the freedom to marry has at least one active marriage lawsuit.

Evan Wolfson, president of Freedom to Marry, released the following statement:

“With today’s addition of North Dakota, courts in every state are considering a freedom to marry case – 70-plus cases in total. With 50% of Americans believing the freedom to marry is a constitutional right, and a strong majority supporting marriage for gay couples, it’s time the Supreme Court bring resolution nationwide. The time is now to get on the right side of history.”

Currently, 44% of Americans live in 19 states and the District of Columbia where gay couples share in the freedom to marry.