DOMA and Prop. 8 decisions: We’ve come a long way, say readers

Perhaps this is another sign that, as supporters of same-sex marriage rights often say, society is indeed changing: All but one of the letters we’ve received so far on the U.S. Supreme Court’s rulings Wednesday on California’s Proposition 8 and the federal Defense of Marriage Act praise the justices’ decisions.

Letters on this topic, including some disagreeing with the readers below, may run in Thursday’s paper. But for now, in the court of Times reader opinion (which isn’t out of line with polling trends), gay marriage proponents have the advantage.

Here is a selection of those letters.

FULL COVERAGE: Prop. 8 and DOMA

JoAnn Le Frank, writing from Clearwater, Fla., says it’s time for same-sex marriage opponents to accept the inevitable:

“It’s been a long, arduous road for gays, who finally have good reason to celebrate the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that married gay men and women will be recognized and eligible for federal benefits.

“Society is changing. Therefore laws, as well as old definitions, need to be updated, much like the software that keeps our computers running.

“While many folks may not support gay marriage, my hope is that they will learn to accept it, for the sake of getting along.”

DOCUMENTS: Decisions on DOMA, Prop. 8

Rancho Palos Verdes resident Edward A. Ruttenberg makes a similar point, but more briefly:

“Inevitable is now getting very close....”

Andrew M. Weiss of Playa del Rey calls for some consensus on the U.S. Supreme Court:

“Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justices Samuel A. Alito Jr., Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas dissented in the Defense of Marriage Act case. What a surprise.

“Yes, I’m absolutely thrilled by the majority’s decision, but once again we have proof that these nine justices are indeed just as partisan as the politicians who appointed them. Whatever happened to doing the right thing, as in the 9-0 decisions in Brown vs. Board of Education or Loving vs. Virginia?

“It’s time to put an end to the fantasy that the court is not just a nine-person legislative body.”

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