A state court ruling in Boston yesterday has put Massachusetts on course to become the first state in the country to allow same-sex marriages. The justices ruled that a law to allow gay couples to form civil unions would establish “an unconstitutional, inferior, and discriminatory status for same-sex couples.” President Bush condemned the ruling. In a statement he said “If activist judges insist on redefining marriage by court order, the only alternative will be the constitutional process. We must do what is legally necessary to defend the sanctity of marriage.” Democratic presidential frontrunner Senator John Kerry said “”I believe the right answer is civil unions. I oppose gay marriage and disagree with the Massachusetts court’s decision.” In Massachusetts Republican Governor Mitt Romney called for a state constitutional amendment to define marriage as between a man and a woman. According to the Boston Globe, Massachusetts would join the Canadian provinces of Ontario and British Columbia, Belgium, and the Netherlands, as the only governments that offer full civil marriage rights for same-sex couples.