Reaching this conclusion was not easy for the governor.
March 20, 2015 12:28 PM Subscribe
This afternoon, the Puerto Rican Secretary of Justice announced that Puerto Rico will no longer defend the lawsuit against the ban on same-sex marriage, which is pending at the First Circuit Court of Appeals.
Live-tweeting of the press conference
In October, 2014, United States District Judge Juan Perez-Gimenez dismissed the challenge to Puerto Rico’s law limiting marriage to one man and one woman.
Live-tweeting of the press conference
In October, 2014, United States District Judge Juan Perez-Gimenez dismissed the challenge to Puerto Rico’s law limiting marriage to one man and one woman.
"Mazel tov"? Doesn't this mean that PR is trying to KEEP Same-Sex marriage?....
"Puerto Rico will no longer defend the lawsuit against the ban on same-sex marriage,"
meaning
"Puerto Rico won't defend the law against the law against same-sex marriage,"
which means...
....
Dammit, there are too many double-negatives going on - can someone tell me whether this is good news or not?
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 12:58 PM on March 20, 2015 [11 favorites]
"Puerto Rico will no longer defend the lawsuit against the ban on same-sex marriage,"
meaning
"Puerto Rico won't defend the law against the law against same-sex marriage,"
which means...
....
Dammit, there are too many double-negatives going on - can someone tell me whether this is good news or not?
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 12:58 PM on March 20, 2015 [11 favorites]
There are a lot of double negs, but the good news is the governor is no longer supporting the ban on gay marriage.
posted by glaucon at 1:01 PM on March 20, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by glaucon at 1:01 PM on March 20, 2015 [3 favorites]
From the first link:
“The government of Puerto Rico finally recognizes that denying marriage to LGBTT people is discriminatory and cannot be justified,” said Omar González-Pagan of Lambda Legal
So, this is great news. Mazel tov!
I know what you mean, though, Empress -- too many double negatives.
posted by tickingclock at 1:01 PM on March 20, 2015 [2 favorites]
“The government of Puerto Rico finally recognizes that denying marriage to LGBTT people is discriminatory and cannot be justified,” said Omar González-Pagan of Lambda Legal
So, this is great news. Mazel tov!
I know what you mean, though, Empress -- too many double negatives.
posted by tickingclock at 1:01 PM on March 20, 2015 [2 favorites]
Sorry about the framing. Yes, good news.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 1:06 PM on March 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 1:06 PM on March 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
Unpacking this: The ban was the law. So when the ban was challenged, that made the government the defendant. But the Government is choosing not to defend the ban against the challenge, so the challenger wins. In this case, the challenger is the future of basic human decency. So basic human decency wins.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 1:06 PM on March 20, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 1:06 PM on March 20, 2015 [5 favorites]
That's pretty impressive for a nation (sorry...US territory) that's 85% or so Roman Catholic.
"Plaintiffs seek no preferential treatment; only equality. The Exec. Branch recognizes the LGBT community's right to equality under the law."
Well done!
posted by Thorzdad at 1:06 PM on March 20, 2015
"Plaintiffs seek no preferential treatment; only equality. The Exec. Branch recognizes the LGBT community's right to equality under the law."
Well done!
posted by Thorzdad at 1:06 PM on March 20, 2015
"Mazel tov"? Doesn't this mean that PR is trying to KEEP Same-Sex marriage?....
Yes.
posted by kmz at 1:12 PM on March 20, 2015
Yes.
posted by kmz at 1:12 PM on March 20, 2015
The actual flow of events is:
Ban put in place
Ban was challenged with a lawsuit
Lawsuit was dismissed by US District Judge
Dismissal was appealed to First Circuit Court of Appeals
Puerto Rico decides not to defend the dismissal
Not entirely sure what this means. Probably that the court date will still have to take place, and the circuit court will see there is no defense and rule in favor of overturning the dismissal.
I presume (IANALorJ) that means the lawsuit has to make another appearance at the District Court level, being told "you may not dismiss this, it must be decided". Or I could be completely wrong.
posted by hippybear at 1:18 PM on March 20, 2015
Ban put in place
Ban was challenged with a lawsuit
Lawsuit was dismissed by US District Judge
Dismissal was appealed to First Circuit Court of Appeals
Puerto Rico decides not to defend the dismissal
Not entirely sure what this means. Probably that the court date will still have to take place, and the circuit court will see there is no defense and rule in favor of overturning the dismissal.
I presume (IANALorJ) that means the lawsuit has to make another appearance at the District Court level, being told "you may not dismiss this, it must be decided". Or I could be completely wrong.
posted by hippybear at 1:18 PM on March 20, 2015
Strange. PR is usually all about defending the indefensible.
posted by yoink at 1:30 PM on March 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by yoink at 1:30 PM on March 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
For those confused: I'm pretty sure this is similar to (one of) the whole California shenanigans. That's why the Prop 8 people ended up as the people defending it in Federal Court, because the Governor refused to defend it. In this, I'm assuming the law was not enacted as a referendum but a normal law, so the people who could theoretically step in to defend it would be...the Legislature? I dunno, probably no one.
posted by Lemurrhea at 1:46 PM on March 20, 2015
posted by Lemurrhea at 1:46 PM on March 20, 2015
That's pretty impressive for a nation (sorry...US territory) that's 85% or so Roman Catholic.
Not sure where you're getting your numbers. Wikipedia shows 43% Roman Catholic (yeah, I was surprised, too). Quebec is 83% Catholic and has had same sex marriage since 2004. Spain is 69% Catholic and has had same sex marriage since 2005. I wouldn't assume that Catholics and the Catholic church are aligned, on this issue or many others.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 3:41 PM on March 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
Not sure where you're getting your numbers. Wikipedia shows 43% Roman Catholic (yeah, I was surprised, too). Quebec is 83% Catholic and has had same sex marriage since 2004. Spain is 69% Catholic and has had same sex marriage since 2005. I wouldn't assume that Catholics and the Catholic church are aligned, on this issue or many others.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 3:41 PM on March 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
Good for them. Now the stiff-necked bigots who sponsored the challenge will realize the error of their ways, and choose to not stand in the way of progress; that they welcome what enlightenment comes from opening one's mind to brothers and sisters who march to another heartbeat.
Still, good for the governor.
posted by mule98J at 9:23 AM on March 21, 2015
Still, good for the governor.
posted by mule98J at 9:23 AM on March 21, 2015
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