The historic federal trial challenging the constitutionality of same-sex marriage bans commenced in California today, focusing on Proposition 8, which state voters approved last year. David Boies and former Bush solicitor general Ted Olson, who argued opposite each other in the Bush v. Gore case, are now arguing together on behalf of the two couples who wished to be married but were denied marriage licenses because of Prop. 8. In his opening statement, Olson, President Bush’s former Solicitor General, went right after common right-wing arguments against marriage equality:

And, as for protecting “traditional marriage,” our opponents “don’t know” how permitting gay and lesbian couples to marry would harm the marriages of opposite-sex couples. Needless to say, guesswork and speculation is not an adequate justification for discrimination. In fact, the evidence will demonstrate affirmatively that permitting loving, deeply committed, couples like the plaintiffs to marry has no impact whatsoever upon the marital relationships of others.

When voters in California were urged to enact Proposition 8, they were encouraged to believe that unless Proposition 8 were enacted, anti-gay religious institutions would be closed, gay activists would overwhelm the will of the heterosexual majority, and that children would be taught that it was “acceptable” for gay men and lesbians to marry. Parents were urged to “protect our children” from that presumably pernicious viewpoint.

Read the rest of Amanda Terkel’s Think Progress blog post here.