June 21, 2013

Videos

By Matt Baume

This is it. The Supreme Court is ruling on Prop 8 in just a few days. And then that’s the final word for a case that started way back in 2009. So let’s look at what’s going to happen, how we’re preparing, and what you can be doing to get ready.

Of course, we have no way of knowing exactly what the Supreme Court’s going to decide. But there are a bunch of things that we do know.

The Supreme Court only sets aside a few days to release rulings. And the end of their current term is slated for the end of June. So with the month nearly over, that means their ruling will come sometime next week.

On decision days, they issue their rulings at 10 am Eastern time. That’s 7am Pacific. AFER has a huge team in place, ready to spring into action as soon as that ruling arrives. We’ll be the official source for the most accurate, up-to-date information from the team representing the plaintiffs.

On the day of the decision, we’ll rapidly update AFER.org in real time. We’ll provide a live video feed of major events, a plain-English FAQ, information about the next steps, and how you can take action. AFER.org will be your primary resource for the definitive word on what’s in the ruling and what it means.

So, what are the different ways the court can rule? There are basically three different potential outcomes: The Court can strike down Prop 8; they could uphold Prop 8; or they could decline to rule.

If they strike Prop 8 down, they could go even further and rule that all marriage bans, in every state, are unconstitutional. Or they could rule that civil unions and domestic partnerships are unconstitutional, and need to be converted into marriages. Or they could rule that states can’t revoke marriage once they have it. In all three of those scenarios, marriage would resume in California.

If they decline to rule, that would still be a victory. Because the lower courts both held that Prop 8 violated the U.S. Constitution, those rulings would remain in effect and Prop 8 would be gone for good.

And if Prop 8 is upheld, we’re still not out of options. This particular case would be over, but there are still other ways to overturn an unjust law.

So, if we win, when would marriages start? That’s still not clear. It could be anywhere from the next day to a month later. The Supreme Court’s decision will provide guidance on the timeframe.

While we’re waiting for the ruling, make sure you’re subscribed to updates here on YouTube and at AFER.org. That’s the best way to stay current on what’s happening.

Next, make sure you’re sharing these status updates with everyone you know. A lot of people don’t realize that we’re just a few days away from getting a decision. Repost this video to show your support and tell your friends that the decision is nearly here.

This isn’t the end of the road for our work towards the freedom to marry. But it’s going to be a milestone that we’ll remember for a long long time.

Whither conservative media’s opposition to... The End