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Arguments have come to a close in the Supreme Court cases against DOMA and Proposition 8, but opinions about it have not. Richard Lui and Rep. Mark Takano, the first openly gay minority congress member, discussed the cases and what it could mean for the country going forward.
Rep. Takano, who lost his initial bid for congress by 17-points and won by 18-points 18 years later, says the landscape is changing.
This time around voters in his district cared less that he was gay and more that he was an educator. He believes the public is ready to accept an expansive ruling on same sex marriage.
Asked if this is the best time for the gay community to tackle the issue, since there is such broad acceptance, Rep. Takano replied with a Martin Luther King quote: “The arch of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.”
Takano said that the court should not rely on public opinion, but he understands that courts usually take into account the public’s ability to accept their decisions. He pointed out that public opinion has changed.
Watch Rep. Takano share his perspective on the case.