I'm particularly happy about the SCOTUS decisions this week and even updated my Facebook profile pic specific to Obergefell.
What confuses and actually angers me, though, is the number of staunchly Republican friends I know that also seem to be celebrating the decision. I can't figure out whether they are just going with the tide or are in denial about what they've done to totally and completely impeded the progress of equal justice.
The number of times I've had people say to me "I'm fiscally conservative and socially liberal, and I vote Republican" is one of the strongest frustrations I've come across and frankly I find to be a cop-out (and I am confident that will anger some of my friends and relatives). Without even getting into the economic arguments about why the Conservatives' fiscal position is so flawed, the mere concept that they believe they would save a few dollars or that our society needs to punish "moochers" is more important than building a "just" society is wrong. LGBT rights are the civil rights issue of our generation. To support elected officials that continuously impede those rights because of personal economics violates every construct that Tikum Olam advances. Then, to stand up and celebrate the decision, after supporting folks that have opposed it is a slap to those that have worked so hard.
Log Cabin Republicans have for years tried to advance LGBT rights within the GOP camp. They have continuously failed. Their planks get voted down at GOP Convention (and they have even been voted out of certain meetings). They get denied entry to various events and causes. This is from people INSIDE the hierarchy of their own organization! The GOP has systematically denied basic rights to LGBT folks (and Blacks, and Hispanics and so on....but again being specific to LGBT here) that I can't reconcile how folks I know can be so strongly on both sides of the issue.
Lastly...a special shout out to Joe Biden. While we celebrate Obergefell with Kennedy writing the majority decision, let us remember that it was Biden, in particular, who led the fight against Bork that killed Bork's nomination. Kennedy was the replacement. While I often find Kennedy flawed, had Biden not helped stop Bork, it is very likely we would have had a very different decision this week!