Simply put, he explained

摘要

"Simply put," said the judge, "same-sex marriage cannot be prohibited solely because California has always done so before." Cue for statewide gay and lesbian jubilation, be it an impromptu rally in San Francisco's Castro district or West Hollywood's official city celebration, complete with a "wedding-cake and champagne reception". In a 27-page decision Richard Kramer, a San Francisco Superior Court judge, had ruled on March 14th that California's statutory ban on same-sex marriage was a violation of the civil rights guaranteed by its constitution. Put equally simply, Gavin Newsom, who as mayor of San Francisco authorised some 4,000 same-sex marriages just over a year ago, was right and the attorney-general of California, Bill Lockyer, defending state law, was wrong. "No rational basis", said Judge Kramer, "exists for limiting marriage in this state to opposite-sex partners."