The Argument Over Same-Sex Marriage Is Almost Over

This chart (from vox.com) shows the radical change that has happened in this country in just the last few months. Currently it is legal for same-sex couples to get married in 31 states -- and will soon be in another 4 states (since a federal judge has overturned their bans, and their Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld that decision for other states).

That means the bans are still effective in only 15 states (those in gray on the map above) -- and they are just waiting for their own Circuit Court of Appeals to make a decision. It is unlikely those bans will be upheld, since the U.S. Supreme Court has already refused to overturn the unconstitutionality of the state bans.

There is still the possibility that a Circuit Court of Appeals could decide the bans are constitutional, but that would just force the Supreme Court to make a real decision -- and their recent refusal to hear a case on the matter shows there are probably at least five justices ready to vote the state bans unconstitutional. It has been a long fight to get equal rights for same-sex couples, but it looks like it may soon be over.

This is a good thing for the United States and all of its citizens -- because when equal rights are upheld for one individual or group, it is upheld for all Americans.