Expert views: U.S. Supreme Court makes gay marriage the law of the land

(Reuters) - The Supreme Court ruled on Friday that the U.S. Constitution provides same-sex couples the right to marry, handing a historic triumph to the American gay rights movement. The court ruled 5-4 that the Constitution's guarantees of due process and equal protection under the law mean that states cannot ban same-sex marriages. With the ruling, gay marriage will become legal in all 50 states. Story: Take a Look: Full ruling: http://1.usa.gov/1QTtTz1 Following are comments from politicians and other interested parties on the landmark ruling. COMMENTS: LORETTA LYNCH, U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: "By putting an end to an era of state-sanctioned discrimination, the decision lights the way to a future of acceptance, inclusion and opportunity for gay and lesbian Americans and their families. It encapsulates a nation's enormous leap of understanding - rooted in compassion, tolerance and empathy - and reflects the countless hearts touched and minds opened along the way. It vindicates an idea whose time has come at last. "I have no illusions that Obergefell v. Hodges spells the end of anti-gay prejudice. Difficult legal issues lie ahead and the protections written into law are not all they should be. That's why this march must go on and why this cause will endure, until all Americans - regardless of sexual orientation - are afforded the equal rights, equal treatment and equal opportunity they deserve. But on a day like today - a day that marks a watershed moment in the progress of this movement, in the story of this community and in the history of this nation - it is proper that we pause and take stock of just how far we have come." APRIL DEBOER AND JAYNE ROWSE, PLAINTIFFS, DEBOER ET AL V. SNYDER, ONE OF THE CASES CONSOLIDATED INTO FRIDAY'S RULING: DeBoer: "Were elated, not just for our family but for hundreds of thousands of families around the country. We've done everything we could to protect our children, and to make sure families like ours have the same safety and security as all other families, and we couldn’t be more thrilled that this day has finally come." Rowse: "For years, our five-year-old daughter has been asking us when 'we' are getting married, meaning the whole family. We all thought it was cute, but she's honestly more astute than many politicians in recognizing the importance of marriage for uniting a family." BILL DE BLASIO, DEMOCRAT, MAYOR, CITY OF NEW YORK: "America will never forget this day, and neither will people all across the world who know the meaning of love and compassion. June 26, 2015, will forever be memorialized as a pivotal moment in the history of our nation – the day the Supreme Court affirmed our core values of love, equality, and justice, rejected ignorance and malice, and appealed to the humanity in us all. Our country will finally afford millions of Americans the rights they have always deserved, but until now were unable to exercise. Today, this country is richer – filled with more equality, more acceptance, and more love than yesterday. And for the people of this city, where the movement for LGBT rights began in 1969 at the Stonewall Inn, we can be proud that we helped blaze the trail to this great victory." KEN LUSTBADER, RESIDENT, NEW YORK CITY'S GREENWICH VILLAGE, OUTSIDE THE STONEWALL INN: "Homophobia is alive and well and living in this country, however this memorialization by of LGBT rights by the Supreme Court plays a very critical role in busting that door open - it's quite moving." GOLDMAN SACHS, U.S. INVESTMENT BANK: "We applaud today's U.S. Supreme Court ruling on marriage equality, which will help families across the country, make it easier for businesses to hire and keep talented people, and promote both economic growth and individual freedom." BRIAN SANDOVAL, REPUBLICAN, GOVERNOR, STATE OF NEVADA: "Today's ruling confirms the state's position that the arguments against marriage equality are no longer defensible. The highest court in the land has decided the issue once and for all for Nevada and for our nation "This decision has a deeply personal impact on many Nevadans and marks a significant moment in our nation's history. The issue of same sex marriage is settled in Nevada and we must move forward together, as the Nevada family." RICK PERRY, CANDIDATE FOR REPUBLICAN NOMINATION FOR U.S. PRESIDENT: "I am disappointed the Supreme Court today chose to change the centuries old definition of marriage as between one man and one woman. I'm a firm believer in traditional marriage, and I also believe the 10th Amendment leaves it to each state to decide this issue. I fundamentally disagree with the court rewriting the law and assaulting the 10th Amendment. "Our founding fathers did not intend for the judicial branch to legislate from the bench, and as president, I would appoint strict constitutional conservatives who will apply the law as written." LESLIE RUTLEDGE, REPUBLICAN, ATTORNEY GENERAL, STATE OF ARKANSAS: "Although this decision does not reflect the will of Arkansas voters, we are a nation of laws, and the judicial system has an important role to play. I am disappointed that the justices have chosen to ignore the role of the States to define marriage. The justices have issued a decision, and that decision must be followed." PHIL BRYANT, REPUBLICAN, GOVERNOR, STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: "Throughout history, states have had the authority to regulate marriage within their borders. Today, a federal court has usurped that right to self-governance and has mandated that states must comply with federal marriage standards—standards that are out of step with the wishes of many in the United States and that are certainly out of step with the majority of Mississippians." TIM COOK, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, APPLE: (From Twitter) "The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do" "Today marks a victory for equality, perseverance and love." MARCO RUBIO, U.S. SENATOR, AND CANDIDATE FOR REPUBLICAN NOMINATION FOR U.S. PRESIDENT: "I believe that marriage, as the key to strong family life, is the most important institution in our society and should be between one man and one woman. People who disagree with the traditional definition of marriage have the right to change their state laws. That is the right of our people, not the right of the unelected judges or justices of the Supreme Court. This decision short-circuits the political process that has been underway on the state level for years. "While I disagree with this decision, we live in a republic and must abide by the law. As we look ahead, it must be a priority of the next president to nominate judges and justices committed to applying the Constitution as written and originally understood. "The next president and all in public office must strive to protect the First Amendment rights of religious institutions and millions of Americans whose faiths hold a traditional view of marriage." MARK McLANE, HEAD OF GLOBAL DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION, BARCLAYS: "We are delighted at the Supreme Court's ruling that all Americans, no matter where they live, have a civil right to marriage equality. Inclusion benefits our business and the communities we serve. We continue to support equality through our own internal policies and initiatives and to embrace diversity in our workforce and among our customers." SCOTT WALKER, GOVERNOR, STATE OF WISCONSIN, AND CANDIDATE FOR REPUBLICAN NOMINATION FOR U.S. PRESIDENT: "I believe this Supreme Court decision is a grave mistake. Five unelected judges have taken it upon themselves to redefine the institution of marriage, an institution that the author of this decision acknowledges 'has been with us for millennia.' In 2006 I, like millions of Americans, voted to amend our state constitution to protect the institution of marriage from exactly this type of judicial activism. The states are the proper place for these decisions to be made, and as we have seen repeatedly over the last few days, we will need a conservative president who will appoint men and women to the Court who will faithfully interpret the Constitution and laws of our land without injecting their own political agendas. As a result of this decision, the only alternative left for the American people is to support an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to reaffirm the ability of the states to continue to define marriage." RICK SANTORUM, CANDIDATE FOR REPUBLICAN NOMINATION FOR U.S. PRESIDENT: (From Twitter) "Today, 5 unelected judges redefined the foundational unit of society. Now it is the people's turn to speak #Marriage" STEPHANIE RAWLINGS-BLAKE, DEMOCRAT, MAYOR, CITY OF BALTIMORE, AND PRESIDENT, U.S. CONFERENCE OF MAYORS: "Today is a great day for America's families. The U.S. Conference of Mayors hails the Supreme Court's decisions today on marriage equality. This historic decision will dramatically improve the lives of same-sex couples in cities across the nation." GREG ABBOTT, REPUBLICAN, GOVERNOR, STATE OF TEXAS: (From Twitter) "Marriage was defined by God. No man can redefine it. We will defend our religious liberties." TIPPI McCULLOUGH, PRESIDENT, THE STONEWALL DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS OF ARKANSAS, A MARRIAGE EQUALITY GROUP: "Many Americans have lived in fear of living an authentic life and of simply being who they were born to be. They feared losing their job, or not being hired at all, being denied housing, or of being shunned by those closest to them. Full marriage equality is a step toward achieving full civil rights recognition." SAM BROWNBACK, REPUBLICAN, GOVERNOR, STATE OF KANSAS: "Activist courts should not overrule the people of this state, who have clearly supported the Kansas Constitution's definition of marriage as being between one man and one woman. "We will review the ruling carefully to understand its effects on the people of Kansas." CARLY FIORINA, CANDIDATE FOR REPUBLICAN NOMINATION FOR U.S. PRESIDENT: "This is only the latest example of an activist court ignoring its constitutional duty to say what the law is and not what the law should be. Justice Alito spoke for so many of us when he said that '[t]oday's decision usurps the constitutional right of the people to decide whether to keep or alter the traditional understanding of marriage ... All Americans, whatever their thinking on that issue, should worry about what the majority's claim of power portends." BENJAMIN NEWBERN, BOARD CHAIR OF EQUALITY ALABAMA: "Today the United States again took a giant step toward the more perfect union we the people aspire to. Today the Liberty Bell rings alongside wedding bells across an ocean of joy. We call on probate judges across the state that swore an oath to faithfully and impartially uphold the duties of their office to abide by this ruling. Same sex couples have waited long enough." TONY PERKINS, PRESIDENT, FAMILY RESEARCH COUNCIL: "Five justices on the Supreme Court have overturned the votes of 50 million Americans and demanded that the American people walk away from millennia of history and the reality of human nature. "In reaching a decision so lacking in foundation in the text of the Constitution, in our history, and in our traditions, the Court has done serious damage to its own legitimacy. "No court can overturn natural law. Nature and nature's God, hailed by the signers of our Declaration of Independence as the very source of law, cannot be usurped by the edict of a court, even the United States Supreme Court." RICK SNYDER, REPUBLICAN, GOVERNOR, STATE OF MICHIGAN: "Same-sex marriage has been a divisive issue in Michigan and across our country. Recognizing that there are strong feelings on both sides, it is important for everyone to respect the judicial process and the decision today from the U.S. Supreme Court. Our state government will follow the law and our state agencies will make the necessary changes to ensure that we will fully comply. "Let's also recognize while this issue has stirred passionate debate, we now should focus on the values we share. With this matter now settled, as Michiganders we should move forward positively, embracing our state's diversity and striving to treat everyone with the respect and dignity they deserve." JEB BUSH, CANDIDATE FOR REPUBLICAN NOMINATION FOR U.S. PRESIDENT: "Guided by my faith, I believe in traditional marriage. I believe the Supreme Court should have allowed the states to make this decision. I also believe that we should love our neighbor and respect others, including those making lifetime commitments. In a country as diverse as ours, good people who have opposing views should be able to live side by side. It is now crucial that as a country we protect religious freedom and the right of conscience and also not discriminate." HILLARY CLINTON, CANDIDATE FOR DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION FOR U.S. PRESIDENT: (From Twitter) "proud to celebrate a historic victory for marriage equality." (From campaign email) "Today is one of those days we'll tell our grandchildren about. Marriage equality is now the law in all 50 states. From Stonewall to today's decision, the courage and determination of the LGBT community has changed hearts, minds, and laws. Generations of advocates and activists sacrificed so much for this victory. This is our country at its best: inclusive, open, and striving towards true equality." DONALD TRUMP, REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER, CANDIDATE FOR REPUBLICAN NOMINATION FOR U.S. PRESIDENT: (From Twitter) "Once again the Bush appointed Supreme Court Justice John Roberts has let us down. Jeb pushed him hard! Remember!" UNITED AIRLINES, U.S. AIR CARRIER: "Today’s historic ruling is a long-awaited victory for all those who chose to take a stand for marriage equality, and we applaud the Supreme Court for affording same-sex couples the respect and dignity they deserve under the law." BERNIE SANDERS, CANDIDATE FOR DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION FOR U.S. PRESIDENT: "Today the Supreme Court fulfilled the words engraved upon its building: 'Equal justice under law.' This decision is a victory for same-sex couples across our country as well as all those seeking to live in a nation where every citizen is afforded equal rights. For far too long our justice system has marginalized the gay community and I am very glad the Court has finally caught up to the American people." MIKE HUCKABEE, CANDIDATE FOR REPUBLICAN NOMINATION FOR U.S. PRESIDENT: "The Supreme Court has spoken with a very divided voice on something only the Supreme Being can do-redefine marriage. I will not acquiesce to an imperial court any more than our Founders acquiesced to an imperial British monarch. We must resist and reject judicial tyranny, not retreat." NANCY PELOSI, DEMOCRAT, MINORITY LEADER, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: "Today, the Supreme Court unequivocally affirmed that equal justice under the law means marriage equality for LGBT Americans. This decision is about creating a future where loving, committed families are able to live with dignity. This is about freedom. This is about love. This is transformative, not only for LGBT families, but for America." BOBBY JINDAL, GOVERNOR, STATE OF LOUISIANA AND CANDIDATE FOR REPUBLICAN NOMINATION FOR U.S. PRESIDENT: "The Supreme Court decision today conveniently and not surprisingly follows public opinion polls, and tramples on states' rights that were once protected by the 10th Amendment of the Constitution. Marriage between a man and a woman was established by God, and no earthly court can alter that. "This decision will pave the way for an all out assault against the religious freedom rights of Christians who disagree with this decision. This ruling must not be used as pretext by Washington to erode our right to religious liberty." (Reporting by Reuters staff; Compiled by Dan Burns)