Available Quote by Ted Olson
“The Supreme Court has said that: Marriage is the most important relation in life. Now that's being withheld from the plaintiffs. It is the foundation of society. It is essential to the orderly pursuit of happiness. It's a right of privacy older than the Bill of Rights and older than our political parties. One of the liberties protected by the Due Process Clause. A right of intimacy to the degree of being sacred. And a liberty right equally available to a person in a homosexual relationship as to heterosexual persons.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Supreme Court Oral Argument, 2015
The quote argues that marriage is a fundamental right rooted in privacy and liberty, extending equally to same‑sex couples.
In simple terms: Marriage is a basic, protected right for all.
Key Takeaway
Recognize marriage equality as a constitutional liberty.
Themes
e
equality
civil rights
privacy
law
Mood
serious
hopeful
Type
legal
political
When to use this quote
- legal debates
- policy making
- public advocacy
- educational curricula
Key Concepts
Constitutional law
civil liberties
judicial interpretation
Questions to Reflect On
- How does recognizing marriage as a privacy right affect other liberties?
- What limits, if any, should exist on the definition of marriage?
A Different Perspective
The Court may later interpret the scope differently.
![“It happens every once in awhile at the federal level when the solicitor general, on behalf of the U.S., will confess error or decline to defend a law. I don't know what is going through the [Obama] administration's thought process on 'don't ask, don't tell.' It would be appropriate for them to say…” quote by Ted Olson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8b8/ted-olson-28366_administration_it-happens-every-once-in-awhile-at-the-f_334545.jpg)
