Connecticut Court Rules For Equal Treatment Under The Law

From Mike in Texas and Holy Foolishness in an email:

The Connecticut Supreme Court posted its decision on Kerrigan v. Public Health -- a marriage equality case --

Here's the whole decision.

Here's the bottom line:

We conclude that, in light of the history of pernicious discrimination faced by gay men and lesbians,1 and because the institution of marriage carries with it a status and significance that the newly created classification of civil unions does not embody, the segregation of heterosexual and homosexual couples into separate institutions constitutes a cognizable harm.

We also conclude that (1) our state scheme discriminates on the basis of sexual orientation, (2) for the same reasons that classifications predicated on gender are considered quasi-suspect for purposes of the equal protection provisions of the United States constitution, sexual orientation constitutes a quasi-suspect classification for purposes of the equal protection provisions of the state constitution, and, therefore, our statutes discriminating against gay persons are subject to heightened or intermediate judicial scrutiny, and (3) the state has failed to provide sufficient justification for excluding same sex couples from the institution of marriage.

Very good news, indeed. The opponents of gay marriage are engaged only in a holding action. Movement is in the direction of acceptance. The acceptance may not come as swiftly as some of us might like, and others will see the decision as the rush toward Armageddon, but the outcome is not in doubt.