Truth be told, the original defense of marriage occurred on June 12, 1967. That’s when the Supreme Court ruled in Loving v. Virginia that two people, no matter their race, should be legally allowed to marry. In a stirring video tribute to the landmark case released by the American Foundation for Equal Rights, Ted Olson and David Boies, the conservative-liberal tag team fighting to overturn California’s Proposition 8, which bans gay marriage in the state constitution, pay homage to Richard and Mildred Loving and use their powerful example — and Mrs. Loving’s own words — to make the case for legalizing same-sex marriage.
As Loving said on the 40th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision, “I believe all Americans, no matter their sex, no matter their sexual orientation, should have that same freedom to marry. . . . I am proud that Richard’s and my name is on a court case that can help reinforce the love, the commitment, the fairness and the family that so many people, black or white, young or old, gay or straight, seek in life. I support the freedom to marry for all. That’s what Loving, and loving, are all about.” Thankfully, more and more Americans agree with her. Now, we just have to get the courts to.
