ACLU Hopes California Ruling Affects CT

A ground-breaking California Supreme Court decision in favor of gay marriage could affect the Connecticut Supreme Court in a case now awaiting decision.

“Having the California Supreme Court say that constitutional principles demand that marriage be open to same-sex couples is an enormous win,” said Andrew Schneider, executive director of the ACLU of Connecticut. “The California court has made landmark decisions on race and sex discrimination, on freedom of speech and privacy, and on treatment of the disabled and poor people — all long before the U.S. Supreme Court. No court in America has more authority to say that marriage for same-sex couples is an issue of basic freedom than this one.

“We’re waiting for the Connecticut Court to rule in a similar case, Kerrigan vs. Connecticut, which was argued months ago.We joined with GLAD and others in arguing that gay marriage is a basic right that courts can decide without waiting for legislative action,” Schneider added.

The ACLU, both nationally and in Connecticut, has long worked to promote equality and to eliminate all forms of discrimination including laws that try to tell people how to live their lives and who to love, Schneider noted.In Connecticut, the ACLU took a leadership position in winning adoption of a civil-union statute, but has never abandoned the ultimate goal of authorizing the full right of gays and lesbians to marry.