President Obama Supports Gay Marriage
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http://news.yahoo.com/obama-announces-his-support-for-same-sex-marriage.html <<video
"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,” President Barack Obama
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:drinker: :drinker: :drinker:0
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Fantastic!! Then let's make it happen!0
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I'm not getting excited over this one.
1) It's getting closer to election. With Obama and Romney being so close on issues, he will say anything he can to get votes. Whether he acts on this or not will prove if he means it. Besides, he waits until now? When he gets to see the whole country's reaction to NC to say this?
2) In 2008, Obama said he also supported decriminalization of marijuana, he has continued the war on drugs since then.
This means nothing to me. Saying you support something and acting in favor of something you support are two different things.0 -
I concede that it may be politically-influenced timing. But the quote does say that he came to the realization. He describes his thought process as an evolution.
One of the reasons I like his statement is that (political timing aside), his phrasing isn't typical politispeak - he's not mincing words or hinting at anything. He is saying "I think same sex couples should be able to get married." Which I think is pretty cool to see a U.S. President state so clearly.0 -
It's about time. He talked circles around it and never said anything definite last election. Of course it's political timing, but I so could not care less. He said it and it's important that such a powerful person said it. So, cheers! :drinker:0
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and this is why i work for him.0
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Love & marriage between two consenting & of age adults - no matter what their gender is the way it should be. I'll vote for Obama if he really means what he said.0
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what annoys me about the whole thing is that marriage is a contract -- but does a strait couple have to sit down with a lawyer and work it all out? no. they go into it barely knowing what the obligations are.
Gob'ment ought to quit marrying folks. That nonsense belongs in church. Civil unions for everyone!0 -
This has made the BBC 10 O'clock news.
Our Conservative PM David Cameron (and his Liberal Democrat coalition partner Deputy PM Nick Clegg) support gay marriage, but there are many old-school Conservatives still vehemently opposed to gay marriage who support the religious opposition. They even blamed the Conservatives drubbing in recent local council elections on the party's support for gay marriage (yes that is how sad and petty-minded they can be) especially given the fact that the Labour party who gained most council seats from the Conservatives and Lib Dems also support gay marriage.
I'm still hopeful we will have gay marriage in the UK before the end of the current administration's term in office.0 -
About time.0
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Sorry, i'm fresh out of gold stars...too little too late. Thank goodness I'm a Canadian. My government is completely incompetent, but my people actually believe in universal rights.0
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exactly!0
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Perhaps a political tactic, but, I have hope that this is something he has always believed in and has just had difficulty expressing because of the lack of support it has in lots of whacky states. Does it suck that he didn't say it before? Absolutely. Is he the only sitting president to have done this? Yes. I mean, that does take a huge amount of political risk. It made me think about my parents and their own "coming out" process after I came out. Coming to terms with things, acceptance & understanding doesn't always initially happen. It's a process for some. Good for the president if this is him acknowledging something fundamentally important. Good for him for putting aside his personal & political fears and expressing what he believes is the right thing. Good for him.
Does it fix anything else? Like the idea that healthcare is linked to your employment or marital status? No. But, it does give people the opportunity to have more rights and protections as a couple than they have had. Does it support a hetero normative institution? Yes. But it has only been hetero normative institution because up until recently, gay marriage was not recognized in US states. We have an opportunity to recreate and define our relationships and the institution of marriage (or non marriage!) The idea though that we have a choice, is so important.0 -
I have to point out that while this is a long time in coming from any president I am wary of this. I have read more then enough reports that in his re-election strategy meetings the whole gay marriage thing has been seriously discussed as to what would help him most to win re-election (like any politician).
He has flip flopped on this issue over the years depending on which voting blocks he needed. I think Bidens gaffe last week forced him to stop deflecting the question and I will guarantee there were agonizing meetings over what he should do. SInce most religious fundamentalists who are against this also tend to fall into the same bloc that wont vote for him anyway he took a calculated risk in "coming out" on this decision - the risk is alienating the African-American voting bloc (at least some of it).
So I am guardedly hopeful but considering the administrations current history of equivocating, deflecting and failure to follow through on any number of issues I would want to see some solid steps taken in the next six months even if they are just seeds. It's easy to say "I support" but I would like to see Obama actually take a leadership role and try to get something done NOW- not some ephemeral "elect me and then I will work on it"
So everyone in this community just be wary a little that we are not being used only to be forgotten and pushed off. Pressure must be kept on this issue or we can be conveniently forgotten after November.0 -
I think the fact that DADT was repealed during his first term does in fact speak to his belief in equal rights. I can't believe how many people are being so negative. Of course there is political motivation, but can you really tell me that it was easy for him to say this? How easy was it for us to come out, if you have?? I know I was terrified, and I still live in fear every day of being judged or punished for being gay. The fact that the leader of my entire COUNTRY came out in support of my rights as a real person with equal right to love and be loved is freakin AMAZING. Of course there is more work to be done, but really people? I am so disappointed with this "what have you done for me lately" attitude.0
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I think the fact that DADT was repealed during his first term does in fact speak to his belief in equal rights. I can't believe how many people are being so negative. Of course there is political motivation, but can you really tell me that it was easy for him to say this? How easy was it for us to come out, if you have?? I know I was terrified, and I still live in fear every day of being judged or punished for being gay. The fact that the leader of my entire COUNTRY came out in support of my rights as a real person with equal right to love and be loved is freakin AMAZING. Of course there is more work to be done, but really people? I am so disappointed with this "what have you done for me lately" attitude.
I feel similarly. The truth is the President is not ALL powerful! He cannot change everything, including and especially social issues. Look at other hot topics across history, slavery, women's rights, african american rights, abortion rights,.... these are not decided by one person, but by growing consensus across the country and typically in the Supreme Court! It was brave of him to come out during an election year, and with others rallying behind him I hope this will turn the tide! I am a resident of North Carolina and was so happy to get to vote against the amendment. I truly believe the courts will repeal it, but I will continue to do what I can to spread the word to help gain support for the repeal process.0 -
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Thanks for sharing, very enlightening!0 -
I think the fact that DADT was repealed during his first term does in fact speak to his belief in equal rights. I can't believe how many people are being so negative. Of course there is political motivation, but can you really tell me that it was easy for him to say this? How easy was it for us to come out, if you have?? I know I was terrified, and I still live in fear every day of being judged or punished for being gay. The fact that the leader of my entire COUNTRY came out in support of my rights as a real person with equal right to love and be loved is freakin AMAZING. Of course there is more work to be done, but really people? I am so disappointed with this "what have you done for me lately" attitude.
I feel similarly. The truth is the President is not ALL powerful! He cannot change everything, including and especially social issues. Look at other hot topics across history, slavery, women's rights, african american rights, abortion rights,.... these are not decided by one person, but by growing consensus across the country and typically in the Supreme Court! It was brave of him to come out during an election year, and with others rallying behind him I hope this will turn the tide! I am a resident of North Carolina and was so happy to get to vote against the amendment. I truly believe the courts will repeal it, but I will continue to do what I can to spread the word to help gain support for the repeal process.
DADT repeal was not especially brave and was quite honestly crumbling anyway. It just forced the services to officially recognize what was tacitly happening anyway. So long as you didnt get "in the face" of your commander you were fairly OK. I am not being negative per se just saying be wary of being used.
As for not being "all powerful" he certainly slings around Executive Orders will nilly for a **** ton of things yet still refuses to sign the non discrimination EO which has been onhis desk for months. This EO would prohibit discrimination of individuals based on sexual orientation or gender identity by Federal Contractors -and that IS something he has control over that an EO can indeed fix. Instead he has refused to sign it and for all purposes the White House has indicated they have no interest in signing it. If he cant sign an EO over this then I question his sincereity on gay marriage as nothing more then vote pandering. At this point even of the EO is signed after being rebuffed for signing numerous times over the months I would again believe it to be for vote pandering.
The EO are the concrete steps I am talking about- put some action behind the words.0 -
PS - this was an ingenious move, and is just what is needed to rally the base by framing this correctly and accurately as a civil rights issue, and NOT a religious one as the GOP is constantly attempting to do.0
