As I understand it, gay marriage is already legal in 36 states. That leaves 14 states, and maybe some territories and Washington, DC. When does this decision take effect, making gay marriage legal throughout the U.S.?

And since we now have universal legal gay marriage, can we start throwing criticism back at the troglodytes in the UK for still outlawing gay marriage in Northern Ireland? It seemed unfair to me that in many posts, UK Mudcatters have condemned the US as "backward" since only 36 states allowed gay marriage.

The fact of the matter is that gay marriage was illegal throughout the world in 2000. The fact that it has become accepted so quickly is a real sign of hope, not cause for condemnation that it hadn't happened already.

-Joe-