Not to rain on the anybody’s (pride) parade, but the Supreme Court rulings today did little to advance the goals of same-sex couples. Neither ruling addressed the underlying question: Do same-sex couples have a right to civil marriage?

The Supreme Court’s ruling on DOMA today is a victory for state’s rights, but not a victory for those who espouse the right of same-sex marriage. The ruling on California’s Proposition 8 dodged the question entirely, although it amounted to a technical victory for gay-marriage proponents in California.

As Justice Ginsburg hinted a month ago in her comments on Roe v. Wade, the majority of the court (including her) are not interested in enshrining a gay-marriage right until we have a clearer consensus in society.