The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled today that California's Proposition 8 is unconstitutional, asserting that the voter-approved statewide initiative cannot limit the name "marriage" to heterosexual couples.

In a Feb. 7 news release, Liberty Counsel, "an international nonprofit litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989," states:

The ruling is very narrow and limited only to California.... Mathew Staver, founder of Liberty Counsel, commented: 'The ruling is like kissing your sister. On the one hand, it is not the broad ruling sought by same-sex marriage advocates but, on the other hand, it also does not allow the people of California to limit the name 'marriage' to opposite-sex couples. If there is any good news that comes out of this opinion, it is that it's limited to California and does not apply to the other 49 states and territories....

The ruling will be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, which some legal experts believe is likely to review the case; others aren't so sure. Even if the court does decide to review the case, it's far from certain that it will reverse today's ruling. 

After all, if the U.S. Supreme Court can find a "right" to abortion in the Constitution-it did in 1973-it can certainly find a "right" to same-sex marriage.

Polygamy, anyone?