Scott Williams, swilliams@wolfrivermedia.com
Ivan and Jamey Machmueller had given up hope that either of them would live to see this day.
So both were pleasantly surprised Friday when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that same-sex marriage is constitutional and legal throughout the country.
“It’s so overwhelming,” Ivan said. “I’m beyond happy.”
The Supreme Court’s ruling does not change Wisconsin law. The state’s constitutional ban on gay marriage, approved by voters in 2006, was struck down by a federal judge last year clearing the way for gay couples to legally marry.
The Machmuellers were married in March while the federal case was still pending.
They are among three same-sex couples in Shawano County to receive marriage licenses since the state’s constitutional ban was lifted.
Shawano County Clerk Rosemary Rueckert said she doubts there will be any outpouring of same-sex couples wanting to get married locally in the aftermath of Friday’s federal court ruling.
“If they wanted to get married, they probably would’ve been here already,” she said.
Before the state ban was overturned, seven couples in Shawano County had registered at the county courthouse under Wisconsin’s domestic-partner registry.
Ivan and Jamey Machmueller, who have been a couple for five years, held off on getting married until they were certain the state ban would not be upheld.
“We want to be sure we could get married and stay married,” Jamey said.
Neither held out much hope for the sort of sweeping landmark decision that came Friday from a divided Supreme Court, clearing the way for same-sex marriage nationwide and making it unequivocally the law of the land.
“No longer may this liberty be denied,” Justice Anthony Kennedy said.
The vote was narrow — 5-4 — but Kennedy’s majority opinion was clear and firm: “The court now holds that same-sex couples may exercise the fundamental right to marry.”
The ruling will put an end to same-sex marriage bans in the 14 states that still maintain them.
Kennedy’s reading of the ruling elicited tears in the courtroom, euphoria outside and the immediate issuance of marriage licenses to same-sex couples in at least eight states.
In praise of the decision, President Barack Obama called it “justice that arrives like a thunderbolt.”
Four of the court’s justices weren’t cheering. The dissenters accused their colleagues of usurping power that belongs to the states and to voters, and short-circuiting a national debate about same-sex marriage.
“This court is not a legislature. Whether same-sex marriage is a good idea should be of no concern to us,” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in dissent. Roberts read a summary of his dissent from the bench, the first time he has done so in nearly 10 years as chief justice.
Several religious organizations criticized the decision.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said it was “profoundly immoral and unjust for the government to declare that two people of the same sex can constitute a marriage.”
In Wisconsin, Diocese of Green Bay Bishop David L. Ricken issued a statement Friday saying the court’s decision can’t redefine marriage. He said the truth about marriage is and always will be a union between one man and one woman.
Gov. Scott Walker called the decision a “grave mistake” and renewed his call for an amendment to the Constitution allowing states to determine who can marry.
Ivan called it an historic court ruling that would be celebrated and talked about for generations. He was buying coffee in a gas station when he heard the news.
“I’m still in disbelief,” he said. “I just didn’t ever think we’d get to this point.”
Added Jamey: “It just goes to show how far we’ve progressed.”