October 07, 2014 11:57 AM UTC

Equality at last: but don't forget

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• by: ProgressNow Colorado

What happened yesterday was a very big deal.

Yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court announced that it would not hear the appeal of Utah's same-sex marriage ban. Because Colorado is part of the same group of states as Utah in the federal appeals court system, this means that Colorado's same-sex marriage law has also been struck down as unconstitutional.

After years of struggle for equality, committed same-sex couples in Colorado are finally seeing their fundamental rights acknowledged once and for all. Today is a day to celebrate.

But as we celebrate this historic victory for equality, not everyone is celebrating. Here in Colorado, politicians who have fought against marriage equality don't have much to say today. Bob Beauprez, who once claimed that "proponents of gay marriage want to tear apart the institution of traditional marriage itself," has yet to release a statement on yesterday's ruling. Cory Gardner even voted against allowing same-sex couples to have joint custody of children, which has been a settled matter in Colorado for years.

While we congratulate our LGBT friends, neighbors, and family members on their historic victory, it's important to remember that two politicians vying to represent Colorado are on the wrong side of history–and we won't forget.

Years from now, it will be considered bizarre that anyone would have opposed the right of all committed couples to marry. I'd like to believe that those who opposed marriage equality will apologize some day to the Americans whose rights they refused to acknowledge until the courts forced them. Until that happens, though, we have to hold them accountable.

Send a message right now to Bob Beauprez and Cory Gardner: they were wrong about marriage equality, and it's time to admit it. We'll share your names and comments with Beauprez, Gardner, the press, and other public officials.

And today, take a moment to reflect on how far we've come as a nation. Times like these make me so proud to be an American. The American Dream is big enough for every family, and that should give us all hope. Thanks for being on the side of equality when it mattered most.