Update - Since the ruling neither explicitly enabled the issuing of marriage licenses nor prohibited it, licenses were issued last night at least in Madison and Milwaukee - marriages have been taking place. J. B. Van Hollen has asked for an emergency injunction to stop the issuing of licenses until there is a chance to appeal the ruling.
Well -- it's been quite a day. The publicly exciting part is that the ACLU lawsuit against the Wisconsin ban on same-sex marriage was successful in federal court this afternoon. Justice Crabb ruled the law unconstitutional, saying
"Quite simply, this case is about liberty and equality, the two cornerstones of the rights protected by the United States Constitution"
I remember the day of the election. After a day of getting out the vote I stood with a number of friends of diverse sexual orientation in Menomonie. Many were crying whether they had a personal stake in the outcome, or just had a sense of fairness. Many were angry, but the overwhelming feeling was one of depression. This is a great step for fairness and equality in Wisconsin, and I for one am overjoyed. Progress may be much slower than we hope for, but it does happen in dribbles.
Perhaps between now and November we can all work for more of the same. But for today - congratulations to everyone in Wisconsin for being a fairer and happier state. Of course, I am sure we have not heard the last of this. J. B. VanHollen has announced that he will (of course) appeal the decision, and it is not yet clear whether same-sex couples can apply for marriage licenses in Wisconsin on the basis of this decision, since the judge did not order immediate enforcement. So perhaps we should continue to keep our fingers crossed, but that will not keep me from being hopeful and joyful at the news. And thanks to Emily Mills for the lovely image.