Gay marriage at the Supreme Court

Most observers now seem to believe the most likely outcome on Prop. 8 is a narrow ruling, either letting it stand (in which case the way forward would be another referendum to repeal it, which we would certainly win) or leaving in place Judge Walker's 2010 ruling that struck it down, thus reinstating gay marriage in California.  But since that ruling was based on the incompatibility of a discriminatory state amendment with the federal Constitution, a broader ruling that would sweep away marriage discrimination throughout the country is possible.  It has happened before that a state-based case led to the striking down of oppressive laws nation-wide -- Griswold v. Connecticut, Loving v. Virginia, Roe v. Wade, Lawrence v. Texas.  Not all the conservatives on the Supreme Court today are cut from the same cloth as Scalia -- remember Roberts on the ACA.

The right wing as a whole is surprisingly divided on the gay-marriage issue.  Some are actively supportive, while many more argue that opposition to gay marriage is now a lost cause that should be abandoned on pragmatic grounds.  The religious crazies are going even more bonkers than usual, even claiming that Satan is working through the Supreme Court (hmm, just when they'd found Satan in the executive branch).  Some of the haters (and if you doubt they deserve to be called that, read this) are prophesying the death of marriage itself if their cause loses, while others make the more imaginative (and Orwellian) argument that we must discriminate against those disgusting fags for their own good (note, though, how much push-back there is in the comments thread there).  If you've been wondering about the small but fanatical Paultard faction, they seem to be falling into line with the broader Christian Right (see the comments thread).

If the Court strikes down Prop. 8 and DOMA, the crazies will go completely berserk, intensifying the struggle for control of the Republican party.  If it upholds them, the crazies will likely feel vindicated and strengthen their dominant position -- but that will just deepen the party's isolation from a society inexorably moving in the other direction.

Back in the world of sanity, Politicus USA has some good analysis up.  If you really want to get into the details, Equality on Trial (formerly Prop. 8 Trial Tracker) has meticulous coverage.

There are millions of hysterics and haters in this country who insist that if the rest of us refuse to be subject to their bronze-age taboos, we're somehow infringing on their religious freedom.  But they are a shrinking minority in a society that now sees such madness for what it is.  Our country has overcome bigotry and primitive taboos before.  Know hope.