Today's the Day

Today is the first day that same-sex couples can apply for marriage licenses in the District. The Post describes the day:

The two women [who were the first couple to apply ] left their Southeast Washington home two hours before the bureau opened, standing in line in a light cold rain for about an hour before they, along with some 20 other couples mostly dressed in jeans, jackets and sweaters, were allowed inside the courthouse. The number of applicants grew slowly throughout the morning. By midafternoon, 124 couples had filed to be married, far surpassing the dozen applications the bureau typically collects on a single day.

Many of the couples wore HRC buttons on their lapels; most were from the District, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia, and the line appeared to be made up of more women than men. Some couples brought their children or spoke of the importance to their sons and daughters. ...

There were congratulatory hugs, commemorative pens and chocolate cupcakes to mark the historic moment. But it was also a somewhat-subdued scene of quiet anticipation as applicants drank coffee, checked their BlackBerrys and prepared to head to work after filing their forms and paying $45 in fees.

This makes me feel good about the District:

Court officials had called extra security officers to monitor the halls for protesters. But the celebration largely overshadowed a group of four opponents from a church in Kansas who gathered outside the courthouse, chanting and carrying signs in protest, one of which read: "Mourn for your sins."

There were also local religious leaders in the crowd, who showed up to demonstrate their support for same-sex marriage, and dozens of college students, who cheered as couples emerged hand in hand from the courthouse. Representatives from the Hyatt Regency handed out roses and offered discounts on catering and accommodations for same-sex weddings held before the end of the year.

Warm and fuzzy...

Photos from Talking Points Memo's gallery

(Two quick notes: That "church in Kansas"? Yeah, it's who you think. And for those who argue that all the benefits can be obtained by powers of attorney, etc - note the price of a marriage license.)