California has just legalized gay marriage in their state by court order. There is an automatic stay for 60 days to allow appeal.
"The state's [California] protracted denial of equal protection cannot be justified simply because such constitutional violation has become traditional," Judge Kramer wrote. "Simply put, same-sex marriage cannot be prohibited solely because California has always done so before."
This is an obvious legal ruling, but certainly controversial. The court's role is to protect the minority from discrimination.
This is a huge ruling with far reaching consequences. About the only available option to those who wish to deny gay marriage is to amend the constitution. By weaving discrimination into the constitution... it would become unconstitutional to not discriminate.
In the days before email and the internet, revolutionary changes incubated more slowly. News of change and fear of change now spread at the speed of light.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0316/p02s01-ussc.html