Jacobs 'Extremely Pleased' With DOMA Ruling

Pride in her country's progress had Judy Jacobs praising the Supreme Court on Wednesday.

After SCOTUS struck down the Defense of Marriage Act and said the federal government could not deny legally married same-sex couples the same benefits as heterosexual couples, the Nassau Legislator said she was "extremely pleased."

"There is no reason we shouldn't recognize the equality of all people living in the United States," she said, breathing a sigh of relief.

"I had hoped this would happen but nothing was certain."

The decision came down Wednesday morning as the court decided 5-4. The ruling, which means New York and others like it with legalized same-sex marriage must legally recognize same-sex marriage, is a cause for celebration for many on Long Island.

"All of this progress comes from the efforts of each LBGT person standing up and saying who they are and being proud of it," said Pete Carney, director of Pride for Youth in Bellmore. "We are not here to be accepted or to be tolerated, we are here to be celebrated."

The long-awaited day was overdue and therefore bittersweet, according to Jacobs.

"It was also sad to see people celebrating now when they were forced to be quiet for so many years, unable to live the way everyone else did."

The keyword of the day, according to Jacobs, was progress.

"We saw how wrong this country was for so long on this issue. When you make strides like this, it makes you believe you won't go back."

Such is the opposite on the Voter Rights Act of 1965 decision, which Jacobs said encourages made her "very distraught."

"It shocked me… Since 1965, the law had been in place and suddenly it's removed? It's paving the way for a repeat of tragedies that occurred in our past."

The court's decision, also 5-4, allows nine predominantly southern states to change election laws without advanced approval from the federal government. The act was adopted in in the face of discriminatory voting standards that were largely responsible for denying African Americans the right to vote.

Jacobs said she hopes the decision will change but said the current Congress unaggressive tactics could hold it back.

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