Editorial Of The Day

From the editorial board of the Shreveport Times:

Last week's decision by a federal judge to uphold Louisiana's constitutional ban on same-sex marriage is disappointing on many levels, but mostly because it means this state will continue to sanction what in the year 2014 is obvious discrimination against a specific segment of the population. U.S. District Judge Martin Feldman's ruling not only supports the state's ban as constitutional but also clarifies that same-sex marriages performed legally in other states will not be recognized here.

Same-sex marriage bans have no reasonable place in today's society because they are based almost solely on traditional or religious prejudices. While the court's failure to acknowledge that in this case is certainly disappointing, it is not the end of the debate. Appeals already have been filed. Also, the ruling has given rise to more discussion on the matter in the court of public opinion. We are certain there will be heated exchanges from both sides of the same-sex marriage debate before this is concluded. But in the end, it's an opportunity to educate and enlighten.

RELATED: The plaintiffs in the Louisiana case have filed their notice of appeal with the Fifth Circuit Court.