Supreme Court Strikes Down Gay Sex Ban

That’s right. Sodomy laws goodbye.

Justices John Paul Stevens, David Souter, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Breyer agreed with Kennedy in full. Justice Sandra Day O’Connor agreed with the outcome of the case but not all of Kennedy’s rationale.

Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist and Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas dissented.

“The court has largely signed on to the so-called homosexual agenda,” Scalia wrote for the three. He took the unusual step of reading his dissent from the bench.

“The court has taken sides in the culture war,” Scalia said, adding that he has “nothing against homosexuals.”

Wow. And to think that this overshadows the Georgia v. Ashcroft ruling:

In a 5-4 ruling, the justices said lower courts reviewing redistricting cases should consider all factors and not focus solely on whether minorities can elect a minority candidate.

The ruling only affects states that are subject to the 1965 Voting Rights Act because of past discrimination. The act discourages dilution of minority voting strength.

Virginia being one of the states affected by the Voting Rights Act, this is significant. Folks in Fredericksburg will remember the big to-do over the City redistricting and the gerrymandering of Ward 4. This one has more ramifications than Lawrence v. Texas, to be sure.