As I've said before in comments, despite appreciating the conflicting emotions the institution of marriage evokes among various members of our community, I believe same-sex marriage to be a powerful equality issue. Given that global society accords the institution with such a multitude of rights and obligations--not to mention, respect!--excluding us from that institution sends a powerful message that we are second-class citizens. It renders our relationships and families to a status of "less than" and legitimizes hatred and attacks against us.

I believe that when the first generation of kids grows up knowing it's legal for boys to marry boys and girls to marry girls, it will be that much harder for their bigoted parents to plant the seeds of hatred in their growing hearts.

And I am so happy I lived to see this day! When I was a kid growing up in the 1950's in redneck El Cajon, CA, I would have never imagined such a momentous change would occur in my lifetime. A huge thank you to the justices of the California Supreme Court who did the right thing and ruled in favor of equality!

Another thing about the photos: the contrast between the couples tying the knot, the employees and volunteers doing their jobs and the haters holding their signs couldn't be stronger. Sad, pathetic, small-minded people trying to hold back the swelling tide of history. If they weren't so mean-spirited, inserting their acrimony into our day of matrimony, I could almost feel sorry for them.

Our side has its signs, too. "Stop the hate" and "God Loves Everyone," on rainbow backgrounds are effective. "God hates shrimp-eaters: Leviticus 11:11," on the other hand, is absolutely brilliant!