He's free to do it, as are the couples Boies and Olson represent. The exercise of that freedom is ultra-cool. I do wish the groupthink strategists were more persuasive with him, but once a lawyer gets a brainstorm it can be nigh impossible to put out the fire. Anyhow, it's spilled milk now, so all I can do is calm my fear of the risks and support it.

I'm sorry, but I don't give a flying fuck if they call it Marriage or a Civil Union, as long as I receive the same rights as straight couples... and if it takes 60 years to change the name? WHO FUCKING CARES! Marriage is just a word, the rights bestowed are all that counts.

I'm glad Dave is doing something proactive, rather than sitting back and waiting for this fictitious "master plan" to materialize.

@7:

"Proactive" in this case is equal to "foolhardy." Try now, and the easy answer is the one they've already given - [simple version warning] gay marriage isn't widespread, in the US or elsewhere, and therefore it's not some sort of fundamental right. Wait for states and other nations to act first, and that argument is gone. Not that it SHOULD be that way, but the concept of adhering to precedent has saved abortion rights, and the converse of the "wait for the states" argument ended bans on interracial marriage. [Loving v. Virginia]

Good one, Dom.

What a dumb thing to do! If his case gets to the US Supreme Court he will lose and the issue of gay marriage will be set back for decades.

He sounds very arrogant. Perhaps he cares more about his own career than the cause of marriage equality?

Why would he be "done taking direction from national gay-rights groups"? Um, hello? Those national gay rights groups are WINNING. A calculated, state by state approach is the way to go.

Sure... because individual rights are achieved collectively by each man subordinating himself to the standards of the majority... just like artistic value... right?

What a dumb thing to do! If his case gets to the US Supreme Court he will lose and the issue of gay marriage will be set back for decades.

He sounds very arrogant. Perhaps he cares more about his own career than the cause of marriage equality?

Why would he be "done taking direction from national gay-rights groups"? Um, hello? Those national gay rights groups are WINNING. A calculated, state by state approach is the way to go.

This is such a Pacific Northwest move I do not even have words for it. Someone who thinks they should get to do whatever they want jumps in the fray with lots of noise and thrashing about. "I'm good at throwing a wrench in things." Yup you are aren't you. Sometimes the level of naivety in this region astounds me. It's like children playing at law and government.

David Coffman is a shister. As a lawyer, he was disbarred by the Washington State Supreme Court in June 2012. He abandoned his practice in Seattle, closed his office and left town. Former clients of Michael David Coffman have suffered permanent and continuing damage.