Brian Brown, president of the National
Organization for Marriage (NOM), on Monday criticized a federal
judge's ruling forcing Ohio to recognize the marriages of gay couples
on death certificates.
“Though seemingly confined to how
Ohio's death certificates treat so-called same-sex 'marriages'
performed elsewhere, the ruling is utterly unlawful and violates the
sovereignty of the people of Ohio,” Brown
wrote in response. “We call on the state to appeal the ruling
of this activist judge.”
In his 50-page ruling, U.S. District
Judge Timothy Black cited the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling knocking
down a key provision of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which led
to the federal government recognizing the legal marriages of gay and
lesbian couples.
Black reasoned that if the federal
government is not allowed to discriminate, then neither should the
states.
(Related: Federal
judge rules Ohio's gay marriage ban unconstitutional.)
“In the DOMA case, the U.S. Supreme
Court specifically ruled that it is the right of the states to define
marriage,” Brown insisted. “This activist judge is grossly
twisting the Court's ruling in the DOMA case in order to justify a
ruling that is completely at odds with the law. In the process, he
has issued an open invitation for gay marriage activists to bring a
wider lawsuit to redefine marriage entirely. This cannot be allowed
to stand.”
The ruling is the third in less than a
week to side with marriage equality supporters and comes less than a
month after Brown predicted victories for opponents.
(Related: NOM's
Brian Brown predicts victories for gay marriage foes.)