Third Way Statement on the Supreme Court Marriage Decision

Today Third Way President Jonathan Cowan released the following statement:

“Today, the Supreme Court has recognized what so many Americans have come to realize over the last decade: that gay and lesbian couples who want to make a lifetime commitment to each other strengthen, not weaken, the fabric of our society. The couples who fought so hard to have their relationships recognized by law in every single state across this country offer a reminder to each of us of what marriage is truly about, and why it is so important to our communities and our country. They have cared for each other for better or worse, in sickness and in health, through triumphs and trials, only to be parted by death. And today, at last, they will for the first time see their commitment respected by the laws of the land. It is truly a great day for America.

“We could not be more honored that we were able to be a part of the movement that so masterfully laid the groundwork for the Court to make this decision and the country to embrace it. Of everything we have done over Third Way’s 10 years, we count the work we did to help move voters in the middle to support marriage as among our very proudest. And the partnerships we forged with the people and organizations in this savvy and forward-thinking movement will be the bar by which we measure other relationships for years to come. We are so grateful to have seen this incredible evolution from the inside, and we will be forever changed by the experience.

“We still have progress to make as a nation. But today, we have taken a giant step forward towards reflecting the values we preach. And we’ve gotten to this moment because so many gay and lesbian couples courageously told the world their stories and helped their neighbors, coworkers, family, and friends to understand that they wanted to make the promise of marriage for the same reasons as any other American. Our hearts are enormously full of joy for those couples today, who can finally travel to any corner of this country and without hesitation call each other wife, husband, or spouse.”