Pat Robertson: Gay Marriage Is Still Illegal!

When Pat Robertson says something, you know it’s going to be several miles out of touch. But on Monday’s edition of “The 700 Club,” Robertson revealed just how far out of touch he is. He openly declared that the Supreme Court’s marriage equality decision wasn’t the final say on the matter.

During that day’s “Bring It On-Line” segment, Robertson fielded a question from “Sherri,” who was none too pleased about a letter to the editor that appeared in her local newspaper. A college student wrote that Romans 13:1-4 supports the marriage equality decision–and since “government is from God,” everyone, including Christians, should accept the decision. Sherri wanted to respond to what she saw as a “downright blasphemous” suggestion–but in a “benevolent” manner that didn’t sound condescending.

People for the American Way’s Right Wing Watch got a clip of the Virginia Beach Ayatollah’s response. Watch here.

Robertson told his audience that legal rulings only apply to the parties involved in the suit. If a court allows one party to marry another, he said, it doesn’t require you to marry a gay or a lesbian. But then Robertson went off the deep end. He argued that when a court makes such a decision, it’s not “the law of the land.” Why?

“Congress didn’t pass any law. Your state legislature didn’t pass a law. So you’re not under anything, it’s a decision of the court having to do with a couple of people. Now they would like to make it bigger than that but, in terms of the Constitution, it isn’t.”

We’ve heard this before. A number of religious right ideologues have taken up the claim that the marriage equality decision isn’t the law of the land because the courts aren’t the final authority on what our laws say. You’d think that Robertson, a graduate of Yale Law School, wouldn’t have joined in on this nonsense. Shows how much I know.

But since you’ve gone that route, Pat, maybe I should remind you that you’re treading on extremely dangerous ground. By your “logic,” public school officials can force kids to pray in school neither Abington School District v. Schempp, nor Murray v. Curlett, nor Engel v. Vitale are valid without legislative action. States still have the right to ban interracial marriages because under your standard, Loving v. Virginia wasn’t the final word on the matter. People who believe in God can be kept out of public office because Torcaso v. Watkins didn’t decide that issue in your eyes. And on, and on.

I know, I know–I’m just a lowly journalism major from the University of North Carolina lecturing a graduate of Yale Law School. But even a third grader knows that when the Supremes rule on something, the only way that ruling can change is if they change their minds in the future. Either Robertson doesn’t know, or he doesn’t want his viewers to know.

h/t Right Wing Watch

Darrell is a 30-something graduate of the University of North Carolina who considers himself a journalist of the old school. An attempt to turn him into a member of the religious right in college only succeeded in turning him into the religious right's worst nightmare--a charismatic Christian who is an unapologetic liberal. His desire to stand up for those who have been scared into silence only increased when he survived an abusive three-year marriage. You may know him on Daily Kos as Christian Dem in NC. Follow him on Twitter @DarrellLucus or connect with him on Facebook. Click here to buy Darrell a Mello Yello.