Editorial: Ruling won't erase Michigan's anti-gay folly (very good read)

[William769]

Talk about economic pressure

The good news for Michiganders who regard gay marriage as anathema is that nothing the federal judiciary is poised to do will likely disturb Michigan's own constitutional ban on such unions.

The bad news -- for them, and for others hoping to see our state regain its economic momentum -- is that states with which Michigan competes for talent are busy eradicating their barriers to recruitment, even as state lawmakers here work to fortify ours.

That spells trouble for Michigan's economic recovery, no matter how delicately the courts tip-toe around the volatile issue of same-sex unions.

There was much gnashing of teeth this week when a 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals panel ruled that California's more recent ban on gay marriage violates the federal Constitution's equal protection clause. Conservatives wailed that unelected judges had once again run roughshod over the people's will. They also expressed concern that the U.S. Supreme Court justices would move to enshrine gay marriage as a constitutionally protected right.

http://www.freep.com/article/20120209/OPINION01/202090387/Editorial-Ruling-won-t-erase-Michigan-s-anti-gay-folly