The election of Barack Obama as our president last week was perhaps the most patriotic many of us have felt in a long time. It appeared our country was finally ready to do away with hundreds of years of oppression, showing us all what we could accomplish if we let our biases aside and focused on equality and understanding.

Unfortunately, the same was not true in California, who while electing Obama as president also managed to pass Proposition 8 – under which same-sex marriage is now outlawed in the state.

In an ironic response to the foolish passing of Proposition 8, Connecticut began performing same sex marriages yesterday.

The California proposition, which was passed last week, placed a ban on the practice of performing same sex marriages, though it had been allowed in California since Feb 2004. Despite much publicity against it along with quite a few outspoken celebrities, including Ellen Degeneres-who’s resent marriage to Portia De Rossi becomes null with this new passing-the right wing along with the $72 million the Mormon Church spent in a get-out-the-vote effort in favor of the proposition still won, sadly.

Shortly after 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Peg Oliveira and Jennifer Vickery became Connecticut’s first legally wed same-sex couple when they shared vows on the steps of City Hall in New Haven. And why not? Is it really so heinous to allow two consenting adults to have the same rights allowed every heterosexual couple?

According to the Conn. ruling, couples have the right to wed rather than accept a civil union law that would give them the same rights as married couples. Unfortunately, the latter is also what president-elect Barack Obama is proposing. The problem with this is that it takes away the equality from gay and lesbian couples, still ostracizing them. The allowance of equal rights for homosexual couples on a national level would certainly be a step forward. However, if the federal government won’t step in and make gay marriage an option, then at least state courts should step up. If enough states make the decision for equality and allow all its residents, regardless of sexual orientation, the right to marry, then perhaps the voice will grow loud enough for Congress to hear.

We admire Connecticut for sticking up for its residents and can only hope that California, Florida and Arizona – who also passed Proposition 8-like bills banning gay marriage – will come to their sense and realize that the time for keeping away rights is over and that we are entering a new age of equality.