President Obama responded to the historic Supreme Court ruling to legalize same sex marriage nationwide Friday, saying the decision is a victory for America.
“Our nation was founded on a bedrock principle, that we are all created equal; the project of each generation is to bridge the meaning of those founding words with the reality of changing times,” the president said.
“Progress on this journey often comes in small increments; sometimes two steps forward, one step back, propelled by the persistent effort of dedicated citizens. And then sometimes there are days like this, when that slow, steady effort is rewarded with justice that arrives like a thunderbolt.”
The president said the ruling will strengthen our communities by offering same sex couples the dignity of marriage.
“This ruling is a victory for America, this decision affirms what millions of Americans already believe in their hearts–when all Americans are treated as equal we are all more free.”
Obama ad-libbed most of the speech, going off-script to speak from his gut. The historic 5-4 decision saw conservative Justice Anthony Kennedy joining the court’s liberal justices to legalize same sex marriage nationwide.
Hollywood and media figures have swarmed social media reacting euphorically to the decision, which many believe is a major civil rights victory.