Obergefell v. Hodges

"Marriage equality is not about redefining marriage; it is about expanding dignity."

"The right to marry is fundamental to liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

"Our nation's highest ideals include equal rights for all its citizens."

"The ability to recognize one's own dignity and to demand respect for that dignity is foundational to freedom."

"Justice delayed is justice denied, but justice affirmed is liberation realized."

"Equality under law is not merely a legal principle; it is a moral imperative."

"The Constitution protects the right to define one's own existence in terms of relationships and identity."

"Love itself should be sufficient justification for legal protection and recognition."

"History demonstrates that those deemed unequal by law eventually claim their rightful place."

"The exclusion of any group from fundamental rights diminishes the freedom of all."

"Marriage is not about governmental approval; it is about personal dignity and human connection."

"Courage in law comes from recognizing that yesterday's unthinkable becomes tomorrow's necessity."

"The Constitution evolves not because words change, but because understanding deepens."

"No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love and commitment."

"To deny equal protection based on identity is to deny the humanity itself."

"The right to marry is fundamental because it affects the deepest personal choices and the most intimate associations."

"Legal recognition of equality is incomplete without moral acceptance."

"Progress requires judges willing to see beyond precedent into principle."

"Discrimination, no matter how wrapped in tradition, remains discrimination."

"The liberty protected by the Constitution is not merely freedom from restraint; it is freedom for self-definition."

"Marriage equality teaches that law must serve people, not ideology."

"When the government denies recognition, it wounds the spirit as surely as it restrains the body."

"The arc of justice bends slowly, but it bends toward inclusion."

"Fundamental rights cannot be made contingent on the preferences of the majority."

"Love expressed through commitment deserves the law's respect and protection."

"To be a judge is sometimes to stand against the comfortable to uphold the right."

"Equal protection means that some cannot be relegated to a different legal status because others disapprove."

"The Constitution's promise of equal protection becomes hollow when reserved for some."

"Dignity is not granted by government; it is inherent, and government must recognize it."

"Marriage is a keystone of social order, and that order cannot be built on exclusion."