Chris Blattman

Search
Close this search box.

Scalia says, “Ask the nearest hippie”

In the dissenting opinion of this morning’s Supreme Court ruling on marriage equality, Justice Antonin Scalia memorably wrote: “Who ever thought that intimacy and spirituality (whatever that means) were freedoms? And if intimacy is, one would think Freedom of Intimacy is abridged rather than expanded by marriage. Ask the nearest hippie.”

That is L.V. Anderson, who did just that. The first hippie on the street had important things to say.

I have never been married. I have had the same wonderful girlfriend for 26 years, and just being dedicated to her … it does limit. Like, if I walk down the street and I met a woman who was hot and was interested, I would turn her down.

You cannot imagine the change in the acceptance of homosexuality. I had friends in high school who were gay people—I mean, I know now with wisdom of looking back and the misery they suffered in their shortened lives; let’s remember that first of all, all of them are dead. Here I am, almost 75, and I’m this happy straight guy with a gorgeous girlfriend and we have wonderful times, and none of them are in that position.

I mean, the degree—you know this because you’ve heard about it and read about it, but it’s even more than you can imagine, the degree to which their lives were miserable.

Even if my religion or morals told me gay marriage was wrong, the scale and scope of the misery and discrimination heaped upon gays has been so great, and the imposition of their marriage on others so trivial, I don’t see how you could oppose it. Full interview is great.

And, by the way, I feel like saying this out loud: Whatever side of this issue you are on, surely we can all agree that Scalia is a complete ass.

6 Responses

  1. David Gold, Scalia got it right. Congress’ intent was force states to set up their own exchanges. That’s the way the law was plainly written, and that;s the way it was advertised. No hypocrisy there.

  2. Scalia is a conservative pawn, and everyone knows it. Say what you will about the other justices, Scalia is by far and away the most politically motivated.

  3. Scalia is also a hypocrit. Roberts, in his opinion on the ACA, cited Scalia’s reasoning in a previous case about respecting Congress’ intent, and then Scalia argued against himself. And this is not the first time. Evidence and logic be damned!

Why We Fight - Book Cover
Subscribe to Blog