American Samoa is the only U.S. territory to hold out against the recent Supreme Court ruling that legalised same sex marriage.
American Samoa is refusing to accept same sex marriage in the territory, despite the US Supreme Court’s decision in June to make marriage equality across all US states and territories.
Speaking to the Associated Press, Professor Rose Cuison Villazor, an expert in territorial law at the University of California Davis law school says the Supreme Court’s decision “should be unquestioned. The Supreme Court’s decision was pretty strong.”
But American Samoa Attorney General Talauega Eleasalo Ale hasn’t been ready to take that step.
“We’re still reviewing the decision to determine its applicability to American Samoa, and I have no specific comments at this time,” he said.
Asked if same-sex marriage is legal in the territory, Ale said, “I don’t know. We’re reviewing the law.”
American Samoa is the only US territory to hold out against the measure following the US Supreme Court’s decision in June.
The AP reports that in Puerto Rico, Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla signed an executive order soon after the ruling. U.S. Virgin Islands Gov. Kenneth Mapp has signed a similar executive order. In Guam, there is no effort to ignore or challenge the ruling, said territorial legislative Vice Speaker Benjamin F. Cruz, who is gay. The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands is also supporting the decision.
Article | Levi Joule.
