Same-sex marriage is now the law of the land in all 50 Americans states after the U.S. Supreme court ruled gay citizens have the same rights as straight couples to enter a marital union that "embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice and family."
The historic vote was 5 to 4, with conservative Justice Antonin Scalia calling the decision a "threat to American democracy." He added "ask a hippie."
President Obama, minutes after the opinion was released, called it "a victory for America."
"When all Americans are treated as equal, we are all more free," Obama said.
Obama said that progress sometimes comes with "two steps forward, one step back propelled by the persistent effort of dedicated citizens, and then sometimes there are days like this when that slow steady effort is awarded with justice that arrives like a thunderbolt."
The landmark decision comes the same week the Supreme Court gave the president another major victory by reaffirming provisions of his Affordable Care Act -- also know as Obamacare.
The United States became the 21st country to legalize same-sex marriage nationally. "We've made our union a little more perfect," the president said.
Our new favorite map. RT if you live in a state where marriage equality is law. pic.twitter.com/7GlCwCJHyg
-- Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) June 26, 2015
Hillary Clinton, who is now running for president, immediatedly tweeted a map of the United States to make the point same-sex marriage is now allowed in every state.
The first same-sex couple is set to marry legally in Georgia's Fulton County Courthouse. #gapol pic.twitter.com/DcCKhkR63f
-- Greg Bluestein (@bluestein) June 26, 2015
Fourteen couples brought the case to the high court with the argument that freedom to marry was a fundamental right that should not be left to a majority-rule vote. Some of the couple had been denied marriage licenses in their home state, while others who were married were fighting to get their union recognized in a state they had move to.
Gay couples immediately began lining up at courthouses to get marriage licenses in states that had previously prohibited same-sex unions.
Obama said that progress sometimes comes with "two steps forward, one step back propelled by the persistent effort of dedicated citizens, and then sometimes there are days like this when that slow steady effort is awarded with justice that arrives like a thunderbolt."
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