BREAKING RANKS

Louisiana Gay-Marriage Ban Upheld

Federal judge rules it’s constitutional.

A federal judge ruled Wednesday that Louisiana’s ban on gay marriage is constitutional, making him the first to uphold a state law’s definition of marriage as only between one man and one woman. U.S. District Court Judge Martin Feldman addressed his unusual ruling, saying, “It would no doubt be celebrated to be in the company of the near-unanimity of the many other federal courts that have spoken to this pressing issue, if this court were confident in the belief that those cases provide a correct guide.” Feldman justified his ruling by saying that no “fundamental right” was at stake. “This court is persuaded that Louisiana has a legitimate interest… whether obsolete in the opinion of some, or not, in the opinion of others… in linking children to an intact family formed by their two biological parents, as specifically underscored by Justice Kennedy in Windsor.” He did, however, note that the court’s decision “is but one studied decision among many” and that the issue of same-sex marriage will, at some point, end up before the Supreme Court.