Breaking News:
According to The Advocate, President Obama was quoted as saying this to ABC News’ Robin Roberts:
“I’ve stood on the side of broader equality I hesitated on gay marriage in part because I thought civil unions would be sufficient,” the president said. “But 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,” Obama said.
As you may recall, just this past Sunday Vice President Joe Biden spoke publicly about his own belief that marriage should be an equal opportunity civil right.
What do you think? Will this change the way the United States views same-sex marriage? Will the rest of the US to “evolve” alongside our President?
How will this statement affect his chances at re-election?
Was this announcement strategically designed to come after the passing of Amendment One in North Carolina?
Watch President Obama’s interview with Robin Roberts about same-sex marriage here.
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Every day I’m just a little bit happier Obama is the president.
If what the President or anyone else says changes your mind on what you consider a matter of principle, you don’t really stand on principle. Some people are rudderless followers, and are okay with that.
“Will the rest of the US to “evolve” alongside our President?”
Boy, what a statement.
President Obama “evolved” back in 1996 when he stated in very clear terms that he favored same-sex marriage. For the last several years, he simply lied about how he felt for political gain.
The real story here isn’t that the President Obama evolved. It’s that it took him years to be honest with America.
It’s good to hear him say it clearly! One nation-created equal. One step closer.
The effect it will have on election results is likely minimal. The people who hate and oppress gay Americans were never going to vote for Obama anyway.
Although, there are Democrats who are for civil partnerships but against same-sex marriage. So that could influence their vote, if they care enough about the issue. And, he’s certainly locked in the non-Republican lgbt vote. I mean, I wasn’t exactly chomping at the bit to get a mail-in ballot this year, but now I’m definitely going to vote.
I predict that if same-sex marriage becomes legal all over that it will be the dog that didn’t bark. Ultimately it will not make an enormous difference to society as a whole. It will certainly not spell the end of the institution of marriage. I doubt it will be lead to any kind of cultural revolution or counter-revolution. You’ll see a few more front-page photos of newlywed same-sex couples kissing, and then it would quickly become a non-issue. (In the 1960’s, ending all bans on black people marrying white people was supposed to lead to the end of American civilization as we know it. The start of the apocalypse, basically. Turns out not society just kept on truckin’.)
From my perspective, it would just acknowledge was has already been happening for a very long time – same-sex domestic relationships. Perhaps if J. Edgar Hoover could have married his live-in boyfriend he would have been a happier person. Maybe the FBI under Hoover could have been a kinder, gentler, less paranoid institution. Don’t conservatives want staunch conservatives like J. Edgar Hoover to have access to all the tools they need to be successful in their lives?
I noticed that Obama couched the issue in terms of military service, which is the safest, most patriotic ground to stand on: the men and women fighting for their country ought to have full marriage rights. This puts his critics in the position of denying rights to returning veterans. It looks like he’s trying to seize a conservative high ground at the start of an upcoming battle. (I’m guessing most vets would say, “Sure, why not same-sex marriage, whatever, but what I really want to talk about is my health care and job prospects. Can you put those words into my mouth instead?”)
I imagine it would have been much more controversial, and his statement more vilified, if he had couched himself in terms of the history of civil rights movements or traced his thinking back to Stonewall. Or, if he said he talked with some very persuasive people at a Gay Pride parade and what they said really resonated with him. The “vets ought to be able to marry” is a step in the right direction, in my opinion, but it’s clearly a toe in the water. It’s like he’s president in 1945.
We’ve had same-sex marriage in Canada for a while now. I’m sure it’s made a world of difference to same-sex couples. To the rest of us, it’s been a non-event. The sky did not fall. Nothing bad happened.
Parts of Canada has had poly/plural marriage for years now as well, with no problems. The US can learn a lesson.
We’re Amurrikins! We don’t hafta learn nuthin’ from nobody!