A Week In Review: Same Sex Marriage, Charleston, and Human Worth
Recently there have been a whirlwind of monumental shifts in our country, and although this blog is focused on the very specific goal of highlighting and promoting women in the criminal defense field, I feel compelled to discuss these events.
By far, the most powerful among them was the Supreme Court’s ruling in Obergefell vs. Hodges, and the related cases that held that same-sex marriage is a guaranteed Constitutional right. At first glance this case appears to be about marriage, but in reality it sheds light on much deeper issues of human rights. This case was about equality and human worth - as Frank Bruni, Op-Ed Columnist from the New York Times, so eloquently stated in Our Weddings Our Worth; “It was about worth. From the highest of this nation’s perches, in the most authoritative of this nation’s voices, a majority of justices told a minority of Americans that they’re normal and that they belong — fully, joyously and with cake.”
This was not the only significant case ruling this week. The day before the same-sex marriage ruling, the Supreme Court upheld the Affordable Care Act. Otherwise known as Obamacare, the Affordable Care Act provides healthcare to all Americans. This is yet another huge statement about how we strive to see worth and value in every citizen, by assuring them access to medical care.
There was also the memorial for the horrific shooting in Charleston, and the video of President Obama delivering a powerful eulogy that moved our nation. Hopefully his words serve to heal some of the pain caused by the hatred and bigotry behind that senseless crime. This event forces us to remember that prejudice and bigotry are alive and that we must continue fighting to assure that every person is treated equally and with value regardless of race, sex, or sexual orientation.
Lastly, it would be negligent to not mention that the Supreme Court also issued a ruling on Friday relevant to criminal defense in Johnson v. United States. The case determined that imposing an increased sentence under the Armed Career Criminal Act (ACCA) residual clause was a violation of due process due to the fact the clause was unconstitutionally vague.
As criminal defense attorneys we, more than most, understand fighting and struggling for others to see the worth and value in every citizen. Our clients are often society's most hated and disregarded citizens. At the core of what we do is the belief that a person is more than the worst thing that they have done in their life and that they have worth beyond a criminal act. The theme that rings loud and clear this past week is a theme we appreciate and have to value. When our nation demonstrates compassion and understanding in the way that it has this past week, we are all better for it.