Bernard H. Cochran: It’s ‘Loving Day’
Today is unofficially celebrated as “Loving Day,” the day in 1967 when Richard Loving, a white male, and Mildred Jeter, a black and Native American female, won their U.S. Supreme Court case (Loving vs. Virginia), a 9-0 decision that overturned all Southern anti-interracial marriage laws.
In his opinion, Chief Justice Earl Warren stated: “Under our Constitution, the freedom to marry ... a person of another race resides with the individual and cannot be infringed by the state.” The court may well find that the words “of the same sex” carry the same weight in its imminent gay-marriage decision.
Mildred Loving stated, shortly before her death: “I am proud that Richard’s and my name is on a court case that can help reinforce the love, the commitment, the fairness and the family that so many people, black or white, young or old, gay or straight, seek in life. I support the freedom to marry for all. That’s what Loving and loving, are all about.”
Celebrate “Loving Day” by supporting loving rather than hating – especially since scripturally mandated.
Bernard H. Cochran
Professor emeritus, Department of Religion and Philosophy, Meredith College
Raleigh
This story was originally published June 11, 2015 at 4:45 PM with the headline "Bernard H. Cochran: It’s ‘Loving Day’."