Obama Endorses Gay Marriage, North Carolina Bans It.

[Jesse]

North Carolina bans Gay Marriage and Civil Unions.

North Carolina approved a constitutional amendment Tuesday defining marriage solely as a union between a man and a woman, becoming the latest state to effectively slam the door shut on same-sex marriages.

Read more Here

Obama Endorses Gay Marriage.

In an interview with ABC News on Wednesday, President Barack Obama declared that “same sex couples should be able to get married.”

The president told ABC’s Robin Roberts that his views on the issue of marriage equality had been “going through an evolution.”

“I’ve always been adamant that gay and lesbian Americans should be treated fairly and equally,” Obama explained. “I hesitated on gay marriage, in part, because I thought civil unions would be sufficient, that that was something that would give people hospital visitation rights and other elements that we take for granted, and I was sensitive to the fact that for a lot of people, the word marriage was something that evokes very powerful traditions, religious beliefs and so forth.”

Read more Here.

Also

From Think Progress

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.

Copyright Think Progress, Huffingtonpost & Rawstory.

[Blackee Dammet]

Yeah, but that doesn't mean he'll actually do anything to help the process along.

[Xero21]

I'm surprised Obama wasn't already for gay marriage. I guess I hadn't done enough research about him on that issue.

[HypnoToad]

I'm surprised Obama wasn't already for gay marriage. I guess I hadn't done enough research about him on that issue.

He was for Civil Unions, I think. Not actual marriage.

[Jesse]

I'm surprised Obama wasn't already for gay marriage. I guess I hadn't done enough research about him on that issue.

He was. When he was senator he expressed his view that he thought gay people should be allowed to marry. He's very subtlety done things to prove it as president, aka repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell and stopped defending the Defense of Marriage Act. As president he's said his views on marriage equality were "Evolving" but now he's come full circle and finally said it in a very solid way.

Yeah, but that doesn't mean he'll actually do anything to help the process along.

He stopped defending DOMA and repealed DADT. How is that not doing anything?

[SuperDude526]

And up until now it actually benefitted him to be neutral at best on the issue. Think about it: before this, if you were a conservative opposed to gay marriage or gay anything, Obama being in support meant an automatic vote against him. Now think about the gay vote: yes, gays would be less inclined to support President Obama if he denied them legal rights in the future, but who's the alternative? Certainly not the Republicans, they want to go in the reverse direction. Ron Paul? He'd probably say it was impinging on the rights of states or something to let gays marry. So Obama made an unfortunate but expedient decision, but now thankfully it benefits him more to come in unequivocal support of gay rights.

[@LP2K12]

Doesn't change my vote for him and I think it remains that way for others. Sure, he may picked up a few more voters from this, but most people already knew what his beliefs were when they voted for him.

[Pidgeon]

I don't really know what to say. Obama's new stance doesn't really mean anything to me nor does the north Carolina amendment. Obama just came around to stance he took years ago and dropped when he became a candidate. North Carolina can stick their head in the sand as deep as they want the world is.still going evolve and we're still going to get there. So none of this means anything to me

[Gloomy Mushroom]

It's not about politics really. It's about equality for everyone. And being an African-American being in such a political position as he is, he would know all about equality and giving everyone a fair go. I am really happy that he has come out and pubically announced this. I really don't know a lot about his political policies but this is a huge positive move in my eyes.

[Xero21]

It's not about politics really. It's about equality for everyone. And being an African-American being in such a political position as he is, he would know all about equality and giving everyone a fair go. I am really happy that he has come out and pubically announced this. I really don't know a lot about his political policies but this is a huge positive move in my eyes.

If it's not about politics, why has he been saying that he believes "marriage is between a man and a woman" for the past 10-12 years? Did he just now become a fair person?

Ron Paul? He'd probably say it was impinging on the rights of states or something to let gays marry.

Ron Paul has stated repeatedly that while he is personally against gay marriage, it is up to the states to decide and that "everyone has their own definition of marriage, so we shouldn't try to force our own definitions onto anybody else." He also wants to de-politicize the issue.

[Gloomy Mushroom]

If it's not about politics, why has he been saying that he believes "marriage is between a man and a woman" for the past 10-12 years? Did he just now become a fair person?



Ron Paul has stated repeatedly that while he is personally against gay marriage, it is up to the states to decide and that "everyone has their own definition of marriage, so we shouldn't try to force our own definitions onto anybody else." He also wants to de-politicize the issue.

Cos his daughters spoke to him and expressed their concern about the topic. Or so that's what the news said here.

[SuperDude526]

Y'know I hate to say it, but it pretty much is always about politics. For all we know, he's always been in support of gay marriage. But until now, that was a politically tenuous position to take: it wasn't certain if people would vote for you, and other lawmakers in other branches of government would almost certainly do their darndest to stop you, because their constituents told them to. In politics as in business as in so many other things in the real world, expediency is king.

[The Prisoner]

I welcome that, though this position should not be seen as a revolution but as normality. I'm glad Obama brought this up, again.
One of the few things the socialdemocratic/green cabinet did right in Germany, back at the end of the 90s. It was not much.

[Will]

Truth.

[Slug Whore]

Truth.

Damn straight.

Frankly, the fact that this is even an issue is embarrassing.

[Jesse]

Truth.

Damn straight.

Frankly, the fact that this is even an issue is embarrassing.

+1

[Gloomy Mushroom]

I would hate for my kids to see me like that or to be homophobic. Homophobia is something I cant wrap my head around cos there are to many flaws in that phobia.

[mastae]

I'm all for gay marriage, but let's face it. This decision was made because it's reelection time.

Obama is just a puppet.

[Jesse]

I'm all for gay marriage, but let's face it. This decision was made because it's reelection time.

Obama is just a puppet.

Not being racist: Historically, as a demographic. African Americans have been against Gay Marriage so... this might not completely help him.... but then again the Democrats sure aren't going to vote for Romney and will probably remain apathetic if they can't decide who to vote for and not vote at all.

[Pidgeon]

Truth.

yes!