Tulsa woman makes it into Supreme Court to hear gay marriage arguments

Passions ran high on the streets of the nation's capital as the Supreme Court spent part of its morning hearing arguments on California's Proposition 8, a ban on same-sex marriages.

Among those who participated in the day's events was Tulsan Cathlene Wiedenhoeft, there to represent the Tulsa Equality Center.

She tells KRMG she, her partner, and her friend got there at 5:30 a.m., but were already in a line of more than 100 people.

"As the morning brightened up with the sun coming up, many, many more people joined down there."

And it was like a scene out of the 1960s.

"You could just tell that the passions were high on both sides."

They managed to get what are called "three-minute passes" to briefly observe the arguments before the court.

"One attorney was trying to say that procreation was a basis for marriage, and the justices were just peppering him with questions," she told KRMG.

They wanted to know why someone who couldn't have children, or older couples, wouldn't be banned from marrying if that was the basis for marriage.

They went back outside to see even larger, louder crowds.

"There was a lot of clergy wrapped in rainbow colors, supporting the (gay marriage) initiative," she said, "but in the parade there was a lot of clergy supporting the other side. It was an interesting day."

She remembered looking up to the see the inscription engraved on the front of the Supreme Court building: "Equal Justice Under Law."

"It never really kind of stuck out until you saw the passion around this subject matter," she said. "I think that everybody should have the opportunity to be equal, and not have to settle for separate but equal."

She and her party will remain in D.C. for the second day of arguments, this time concerning the federal Defense of Marriage Act.