The Hiller Instinct: Hiller Instinct: Same-sex showdown

Their vote respected all of us -- supporters and opponents of gay marriage. Instead of the hypocrisy we've seen so much of, today we finally saw some honesty.

Take the SJC's unanimous and straightforward ruling last month that legislators had to vote. But when the court said it couldn't order them to, that was more a profile in cowardice than courage.

Because when the same court authorized gay marriage three years ago, the legislature was given six months to change the law.

"Let the people vote," Governor Romney said. "Let the people vote!"

And while Gov. Mitt Romney was right about the legislature's responsibility, he was wrong to manipulate the emotions surrounding the issue and divide the state as governor, hoping it would help make him president.

Governor-elect Deval Patrick was wrong, too.

"Above all, this is a question of conscience," Governor-elect Deval Patrick said just before the vote.

Not so. Above all, this is a question of whether we're ruled by laws or by personal convictions, no matter how sincerely held.

"Marriage equality is with us and has been with us now for a couple of years, and the sky has not fallen, and Western civilization hasn't crumbled," Governor-elect Patrick said.

Civil rights are surely fundamental in a just society, but they come from the constitution, not before it.

Today, the rule of law trumped the rule of opinion, as it should.

But, until today, it wasn't clear whether it would.

I'm Andy Hiller, and that's my instinct.

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