The Ninth Circuit Appeals Court struck down Proposition 9 in California today by declaring that it is unconstitutional and, right on queue, Mitt Romney immediately criticized the decision and blamed activist judges for denying the will of the people.
Mitt Romney ripped the Ninth Circuit Appeals Court on Tuesday for striking down a California initiative that banned gay marriage in the state after a brief period in which it was legal.
“Today, unelected judges cast aside the will of the people of California who voted to protect traditional marriage," Romney said. "This decision does not end this fight, and I expect it to go to the Supreme Court. That prospect underscores the vital importance of this election and the movement to preserve our values. I believe marriage is between a man and a woman and, as president, I will protect traditional marriage and appoint judges who interpret the Constitution as it is written and not according to their own politics and prejudices.”
Ironically, "interpret[ing] the Constitution as it is written" is exactly what the judges have done in this case and in other cases. Politics and prejudice is what leads men like Mitt Romney to conclude that not all Americans are equal and that not all Americans deserve the same rights granted to them by the Constitution.
Romney's advocacy of voting on civil rights in a public referendum mirrors New Jersey Governor Chris Christie's recent dodging of the same-sex marriage issue. Both men are hiding behind the "will of the people" as a justification for denying universal rights to all Americans, and they do so out of political self-interest.
And this is one case in which I will bring up Mitt Romney's Mormon faith, because it was the Mormon church who bankrolled the Proposition 8 campaign in the first place.
At least some of that money came from Mitt Romney. Romney can be quoted for promoting his donations to charity, and he recently tried to downplay his low tax rate by citing these donations. A large portion of those donations went to the Mormon church.
I don't care what space-god Romney worships, but pledging to overturn same-sex marriage as president while also donating millions of dollars to the religious groups bankrolling anti-gay campaigns crosses a line that should not be crossed.