In a truly revolutionary and long overdue ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court has rendered invalid all laws across the United States that prevent same sex marriages.

It’s a day of celebration for all in recognition of a simple and profound truth: marriage is indeed a basic human right.

Justice Kennedy wrote this final paragraph of the Court’s ruling:

No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice, and family. In forming a marital union, two people become something greater than once they were. As some of the petitioners in these cases demonstrate, marriage embodies a love that may endure even past death. It would misunderstand these men and women to say they disrespect the idea of marriage. Their plea is that they do respect it, respect it so deeply that they seek to find its fulfillment for themselves. Their hope is not to be condemned to live in loneliness, excluded from one of civilization’s oldest institutions. They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right. The judgement of the Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit is reversed.

It is so ordered.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, says it all. It’s a rebuke to the forces of bigotry. It should leave many people across the land hanging their heads in shame for ever suggesting that marriage is reserved for only one group of people.

If you held that belief at one time and have since changed, that’s a great step. You’ve come a long way.

If you still believe marriage is only for heterosexual couples, you may very well have some additional issues. I would suggest moving to South Carolina and hanging a confederate flag in your garage. Maybe you could buy lots of guns and ammunition for a final holdout. Whatever. The point I’m making is this: good riddance.