Unless you have been living under a rock these past few months, you are probably aware of the fact that same sex marriage is now legal in the United States. The Supreme Court’s ruling in Obergefell v Hodges, which expanded the rights of gay Americans, would not have been possible without the combined efforts of activists and attorneys in the last few decades (Liptak para. 4). I decided to take a closer look at the specific lawyers who argued on the side for gay marriage because their pursuits in this landmark case led to a significant change in American culture
Mary L. Bonauto was a lawyer who justified same sex marriage to the Supreme Court by claiming that all people have the right to be allowed to join the governmental institution of marriage (Liptak para. 6). Douglas Hallward-Driemeier was another attorney who argued that the fourteenth amendment protected same sex marriage even when the marriage occurred in a different state (Bouchard para. 8). Other people helped the case, but as the legal director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, Shannon Minter said, Mary and Doug were the “dream team” (De Vouge para. 6).
The countless hours of litigation and persuasion Bonauto and Hallward-Driemeier put into advocating same sex marriage has improved the lives of many Americans. Whether you agree or disagree with the Supreme Court’s ruling, the fact of the matter is we are all affected by the court’s ruling. Lawyers have the power to shape laws and touch many lives, so it is almost impossible to underestimate the significance of the legal profession.
The countless hours of litigation and persuasion Bonauto and Hallward-Driemeier put into advocating same sex marriage has improved the lives of many Americans. Whether you agree or disagree with the Supreme Court’s ruling, the fact of the matter is we are all affected by the court’s ruling. Lawyers have the power to shape laws and touch many lives, so it is almost impossible to underestimate the significance of the legal profession.
By: Jasmine Shafquat
Bouchard, Mikayla. "Supreme Court Hears Same-Sex Marriage Arguments." New York Times. The New York Times, 28 Apr. 2015. Web. 15 Oct. 2015.
De Vouge, Ariane. "Meet the Lawyers Who Will Argue the Gay Marriage Case." CNN Politics. CNN, 27 Apr. 2015. Web. 15 Oct. 2015.
Liptak, Adam. "Supreme Court Ruling Makes Same-Sex Marriage a Right Nationwide." The New York Times. The New York Times, 26 June 2015. Web. 14 Oct. 2015.
You bring up an interesting point in saying that lawyers can change lives in ways like this. I have never thought about court rulings like that, and it is true that you should never underestimate their dedication and work ethic.
ReplyDeleteThe two points you made actually go hand in hand, perhaps the reason why lawyers have an intense work ethic is because they have the power to impact many lives.
ReplyDelete