mymetmedia.com
The Student Voice of MSU Denver
Volume 37, Issue 35
July 23, 2015
4
News
News
Met
Met
Renovating campus, renovating policy 2
Beer comes (back) to Tivoli later this year Met Met
Opinion Spective
8 10
Stephanie and Diane Santorico get married for the second time to celebrate the legalization of same sex marriage on June 26, 2015. Photo by Trevor L Davis • tdavis84@msudenver.edu
Supporters rally at Capitol to celebrate SCOTUS OK on gay marriage mrice20@msudenver.edu Hundreds gathered at the Colorado Capitol the evening of June 26 to celebrate the U.S. Supreme Court’s 5-4 landmark decision legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide. The Supreme Court opinion cited the Fourteenth Amendment’s guarantee of equal protection and individuals’ rights to personal choice as reasons for the decision. SCOTUS also stipulated that the 14th Amendment requires states to recognize same-sex marriages performed validly in other states. A who’s who of Colorado legislators and political activists addressed the crowd, with many acknowledging this as a giant step, but saying there is still work to be done toward full equality. Gov. John Hickenlooper said in the last
two decades Colorado has gone through a transformation from being a “hate state” to being recognized as a leader for equality. “In the end, love conquers all,” Hickenlooper said. U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette was jubilant as she addressed the crowd, but cautioned there is more work to be done. “We won, and justice won. And most of all, love won today,” Rep. DeGette said. “Until we have full equality for everyone, there is no equality for anyone.” Colorado House Speaker Dickie Lee Hullinghorst echoed DeGette’s thoughts. “Yesterday countrywide, confederate battle flags were taken down, and today all over the country rainbow flags are going up.” Hullinghorst said. “We must remain ever vigilant.” Manuel Ramos, an MSU Denver 2015
hospitality, tourism and events graduate said the ruling seems almost too good to be true. “I am super excited,” Ramos said. “I’m in shock, still that it actually passed.” Ramos said he’s been with his partner for three years and his greatest fear was that if something were to happen, he wouldn’t have the full access and rights that straight couples have. “Life just got simpler,” Ramos said. “I’m 30, and I’ve never known our life to be so simple.” Stonewall Democrats of Colorado Vice Chair Jeremy VanHooser said the rally was empowering and overwhelming. VanHooser is an MSU Denver 2011 human services graduate who also works in the MSU Denver Office of Institutional Diversity. Continued on page 4 >>
Beyond Machu Picchu: Mission work in Peru
Reviews Sports
Met
By Melanie J. Rice
13 14