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Obama comes out in favor of same-sex marriage
Wed, 2012-05-09 16:32
#1
Obama comes out in favor of same-sex marriage
Wed, 2012-05-09 16:41
#2
From Huffington Post:
"I've always been adamant that gay and lesbian Americans should be treated fairly and equally," Obama told Roberts, in an interview that will air in full on ABC's "Good Morning America" Thursday."I have to tell you that over the course of several years as I have talked to friends and family and neighbors when I think about members of my own staff who are in incredibly committed monogamous relationships, same-sex relationships, who are raising kids together, when I think about those soldiers or airmen or marines or sailors who are out there fighting on my behalf and yet feel constrained, even now that Don't Ask Don't Tell is gone, because they are not able to commit themselves in a marriage, at a certain point I’ve just concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same sex couples should be able to get married,"
Although same-sex proponents in the US are 0 for 31 in referendums regarding either the legalization or banning of same sex marriage. This number includes a recent referendum passing in North Carolina banning both same-sex marriage and civil unions by a margin of 39-61. However, support for same-sex marriage in the US is increasing at an accelerating rate, with up to half of americans stating they're in favour of it.
Let the political calculations begin.
Wed, 2012-05-09 19:32
#3
bagkitty
"that for me, personally..."
Oh, I think I will echo Dan Savage and say I am a little underwhelmed.
Wed, 2012-05-09 19:38
#4
Catchfire
Heh.
Wed, 2012-05-09 19:39
#5
alan smithee
The Faux News talking heads are exploding as I write this....(Just like that famous scene from 'Scanners')
Wed, 2012-05-09 20:18
#6
...same sex couples should be able to get married...
The quote ended there. Did he specify "in the United States"? Just wondering.
Wed, 2012-05-09 21:25
#7
He's only the president. It's a significant role in cosmetic U.S. Government, yes it is. But unlike the self imposed powerlessness of herr Steveler in Ottawa, Obama's political impotence is real.
Thu, 2012-05-10 07:44
#8
Trying to shore up his base as he goes into the election. He needs those who voted for him in 2008, many voting for the first time, to vote for him rather than to stay home.
Fri, 2012-05-11 03:04
#9
The head of the most powerful state on earth says supports same-sex marriage and there's 7 responses? I was expecting criticisms. I have PLENTY of criticisms. I wasn't expecting silence.
Fri, 2012-05-11 03:26
#10
I think it's a good statement from Obama. While I think his statement has made many potential supporters very happy, I think it was still a risk for him to do this.
It seems to me that he has political capital and a lead heading into the election so he's going to do something with it. Good for him.
From a more cynical perspective this could be viewed as culture wars and distraction from the real issue of global corporate domination.
I think it's progress.
Fri, 2012-05-11 04:14
#11
I think gay rights, as an issue, will actually help Obama this election.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_opinion_of_same-sex_marriage_in_the_United_States
http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/09/support-for-gay-marriage-outweighs-opposition-in-polls/
[img]http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2012/05/10/us/politics/fivethirtyeig...
Most 2012 polls show the number of Americans supporting the idea of same-sex marriage outstriping the number opposing it by a small margin. A chunk of the rest at least support civil unions. It's really only a shrinking base of social conservatives who support Mitt Romney's position at this point.
Romney is now forced to somewhat alienate independents and libertarians who might support civil unions to satisfy the already not-thrilled base of social conservative republicans. Obama will please his base, probably won't many voters outside the deep south (yes including North Carolina), and also happens to stand on the right side of progress, justice and history.
I'm not unhappy with Obama, but I'd say it's more appropriate to give gay rights activists credit for radically changing American public opinion on the issue, than to Obama for taking a supposed lead on the issue.
Kinda wish Hephaestion was alive to see this. He'd probably be a little incredulous.
Fri, 2012-05-11 06:45
#12
Obama chose his words very carefully. He said that gay couples [i]should[/i] be able to be married. He did not say that gay couples have [i]a right[/i] to be married.
This is like saying that black children and white children ought to attend the same schools, but if the people of Alabama reject that notion-what are you gonna do?
From the [url=http://news.yahoo.com/obama-announces-his-support-for-same-sex-marriage.... writeup[/url].
The president stressed that this is a personal position, and that he still supports the concept of states deciding the issue on their own.
Well, before Roe v. Wade, abortion was a state-by-state issue, too. So was slavery. There are 44 states in which gay men and women are currently barred from marrying one another. Obama's position is that, while he would have voted the other way, those 44 states are perfectly within their rights to arbitrarily restrict the access of certain individuals to marriage rights based solely on their sexual orientation.
[url=http://gawker.com/5909002/barack-obamas-bullshit-gay-marriage-announcement#13366064585933&%7B]LINK[/url]
Fri, 2012-05-11 14:18
#13
Right. That's how it works. This is simply a small step forward in what will be a gradual, drawn out shift.
Fri, 2012-05-11 14:30
#14
Yes indeed!
Brilliant war room/oppo-y stuff: Obama’s move
http://warrenkinsella.com/2012/05/brilliant-war-roomoppo-y-stuff-obamas-...
Fri, 2012-05-11 14:49
#15
If this is true I can imagine Tea partiers heads imploding.
Sat, 2012-05-12 14:39
#16
Rev. Jesse Jackson likens gay marriage push to fight over slavery
http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-jesse-jackson-gay-...
Tue, 2012-05-15 01:54
#17
America's first gay president (Hint: It's not Obama)
Newsweek is going to have to run a correction after its cover story this week proclaimed Barack Obama to be the nation's first gay president.
Yes, I know ..... they are playing off the whole "Bill Clinton was the first black president" thing and they don't mean it literally.
At least with Clinton there clearly was no occupant of the Oval office before him who had been black, so he could be the first, even if only in an honorary capacity.
But Obama was beaten to the title by about 150 years by a guy named James Buchanan.
While in Washington, Buchanan's "room mate" was Senator Rufus King. The two men were virtually inseparable and were rumored to be lovers.They shared a house and a bedroom (this apparently was not uncommon for the time.) Many openly wrote and spoke this accusation. For example, Tennessee Governor Aaron Brown was sent to Washington as an advance man for President-Elect Polk, and wrote Polk back, describing King as Buchanan's "better half" and as "Aunt Nancy" (a derogatory term for homosexuals). Although Buchanan was unmarried, Brown writes to Polk: "General Saunders, in the presence of Mr. Buchanan and his wife and some others, advanced the opinion that neither Mr. Calhoun nor Mr. Van Buren had any chance to be elected...and being asked by someone, who then can be, he forgot himself and said that Colonel Polk could run better than any man in the nation. This of course was highly indecorous toward Mrs. B." Former President Andrew Jackson would also refer to Rufus King as "Miss Nancy" and "Aunt Fancy", both being derogatory terms for gay men in the 19th century.