Gay marriage is going to the Supreme Court — and it's probably going to win

It's hard to see the high court upholding a ruling that stumbles on basic questions of equality

Supreme Court
(Image credit: (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File))

Last week, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in Cincinnati issued a a ruling that will result in marriage rights being denied to same-sex couples in four states. In the short term, this is unfortunate. But in the longer term, this could prove to be excellent news for gay and lesbian rights.

That's because the Sixth Circuit's decision will force the Supreme Court to issue a decision that will probably be favorable to same-sex marriage. Judge Jeffrey Sutton's majority opinion only demonstrates why bans on gay marriage deserve to fall.

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Scott Lemieux

Scott Lemieux is a professor of political science at the College of Saint Rose in Albany, N.Y., with a focus on the Supreme Court and constitutional law. He is a frequent contributor to the American Prospect and blogs for Lawyers, Guns and Money.