- No matter how hard boiled an old time queer like me thinks she is, it does my heart good that the goddam President of the United States says my relationship deserves the same respect as his. I never much wanted marriage; we bumped along just fine for 25 years before any state came close to affirming our relationship on a par with heterosexual ones. But once the fight over marriage became the arena in which our full citizenship was contested, there was no choice but to dive into the breach and push.
- I'm glad he came out with this the day after North Carolina again voted my kind off the island. If it hasn't happened to you, you have no idea what it feels like to have your fellow citizens declare by popular vote that there is something so wrong with you that you shouldn't be allowed full rights. It stinks and it hurts.
- I can be glad that, by showing one of his flashes of timely courage, the President reminded the section of the U.S. people that he inspired in 2008 that he offers something to be for. This was the novel aspect of the election of 2008 -- that year, instead of dutifully and diligently turning out to fend off a looming horror, the young and the idealists (not necessarily co-extensive cohorts of citizens) seized a chance to dare to hope. By governing conventionally, prosaically, in a very hard time, this President tamped down that flame. The Romneybot is such a pathetic imitation of a candidate, Obama might be able to defeat him simply by reminding us that he is the lesser evil (by a long shot). But that was a dispiriting prospect. I am working in a campaign and I can tell you that we have feared we would have to overcome diminished turnout among turned-off voters. Somehow gay marriage has become one of the central markers of a just society for a contemporary generation. By getting himself in the right on marriage equality, the President is helping himself and helping everyone who needs an engaged electorate that believes their choices make a difference.
The President stopped off for Chinese food on fundraising trip to San Francisco in February and was captured by press photographers turning on the charm.
4 comments:
I'm happy about this, too, Jan!!!
It's wayyyyyyyyy overdue!!!
Yup! Made me happy too! Let's move this country into the 22nd Century!
It's about time that intolerance took a back seat to a fair and just society. The bigots will die off and the young people will see a time when everyone is equal.
I am happy that we, as a nation. are on our way to that happening. Three cheers for Obama.
I'm from that downunder Land of Oz. Our Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, has come out against marriage equality. This is a bit of a surprise really. We would not have picked her to be that sort - she is a childless single woman living in the Prime Minister's Lodge with her man.
Of course, now that Obama has come out people ask her if she will change her view. She says 'NO'.
What we really think is that the right-wing within the Australian Labor Party from whom she has drawn support for her position as PM has dug its toes in and won't cross the bridge to marriage equality.
Time alone will tell if the lady is for turning.
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