South Florida Reacts To Supreme Court's Gay Marriage Ruling
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – For many across the country, the Supreme Court's historic gay marriage ruling is a reason for triumph and celebration, for others, the ruling is a disappointment.
Outside the federal courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, several dozen gathered, jubilant that the Supreme Court ruled the U.S. Constitution guarantees the right to same-sex marriage.
"Today is about the jubilation fighting for equal rights for all our citizens," said one man outside the courthouse.
For one Broward couple, who has been front-and-center in the gay marriage debate, the day brought on a sense of relief and joy.
"It was pure excitement and relief, I think, that we got this decision," said Todd Delmay.
Jeff and Todd Delmay were the first same-sex couple to marry in Broward County—the second to marry in Florida.
"Now to know that we can go anywhere in the country that we love—the country that we were born—and have equal protections, not only for ourselves but for our son, is just wonderful," Jeff Delmay said.
Jannique Stewart, who runs a Christian ministry, said Friday's ruling is an "attack on truth." She was involved in the efforts to ban same-sex marriage in Florida in 2008.
"Well of course today's Supreme Court ruling was definitely disappointing," Stewart told CBS4's Joan Murray. "There is a such thing as right and wrong so ultimately this is an attack on truth, this is an attack against morality—God's morality."
In Miami-Dade County, much like Broward, emotions ranged.
Catherina Pareto and Karla Arguello, the first gay couple married in Florida, welcomed the Supreme Court news with pride.
"I said, 'oh my gosh it happened. Finally, finally. We're here. We're equal. And we're recognized,'" Pareto told CBS4's Michele Gillen.
The couple will soon be a family of five; they have a son and are expecting twins. Timing is most poignant, they said.
"When the babies are born, they're going to be born in a completely different world. They're never going to realize that their parents were not able to get married. They're just going to be born into a world where we're equal," said Arguello.
Today's Supreme Court decision, for Dr. Eladio Jose Arnesto of the Florida Democratic League, is more than regrettable.
"This is a shocking imposition on the American people by five Supreme Court lawyers, five extremists," he said. "Five saboteurs of the constitution who have mocked the rule of law in America, they have overturned democracy and have mocked the voters throughout America that have constantly ordained that the institution is the union of one husband and one wife."
