11/03/2008
Obama Reiterates Position on Gay Marriage, Opposition to Prop 8
Barack Obama reiterated his opposition to Proposition 8 in an interview with MTV to be aired at 9am today on the network.
Said Obama to Sway in response to a question on the anti-gay ballot initiative: "I think it's unnecessary. believe marriage is between a man and a woman. I am not in favor of gay marriage. But when you start playing around with constitutions, just to prohibit somebody who cares about another person, it just seems to me that's not what America's about. Usually, our constitutions expand liberties, they don't contract them."
Obama has said he is in favor of civil unions and leaving marriage matters to the states to decide.
Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP...
Posted 7:29 AM EST by Andy Towle in Barack Obama, California, Gay Marriage, News | Permalink
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for cripessake! give obama a break. once he is in office, he will do whatever to insure equal rights for all. anyone of us, even the most dense, should infer that. i am sick and tired of repug fags trying to muddy the waters. the dems will always do better by us gays than the repugs will.
focus people! focus on the the supremes, the supremes, the supremes. all signs point to an obama victory and a 7 to 10 gain in the senate plus up to 30 seats in the house. when the serious people take charge, maybe we can all get down to business. just stop the silly back-biting! the blacks and educated whites will deliver for obama in the northeast and southeast and the browns will deliver the southwest and west along with progressive whites. we are not each other's enemies. serious up folks.
Posted by: nic | Nov 3, 2008 10:38:33 AM
Obama is not a black American, actually he is bi racial and not so long ago his parent's own marriage was outlawed in various states. He was raised by his Caucasian mother. While I certainly support him for president, I cannot understand his unwillingness to explicitly support the CA Supreme Court's decision. He explains away his opposition to our civil rights by stating that he is a Christian. What bullshit. Leaving it up to the states makes gay Americans political prisoners in our own country. Obama need to grow up and realize that civil rights and equal protection belong to gay folks too.
Posted by: busytimmy | Nov 3, 2008 10:58:02 AM
it's amazing that in this day and age a progressive black man would support jim crow laws for the modern age. how about water fountains labeled "straight" and "gay". thanks for nuttin', barack.
Posted by: psgoodguy | Nov 3, 2008 11:16:35 AM
Obama is a politician first, last, and always. His position on issues will always reflect to a certain extent what the traffic will bear. Were he to come out in full support of gay marriage he would invite all manner of opposition that doesn't make political sense for him -- or us -- at this juncture.
As Martin Luther King said, the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.
Posted by: rascal | Nov 3, 2008 11:16:59 AM
"Obama need to grow up and realize that civil rights and equal protection belong to gay folks too."
BUSYTIMMY,
I betcha' you coulda' said the same thing to Lyndon Johnson in 1964 on the issue of interracial marriage, and he turned out to be the best friend black folks ever had in the White House...EVER.
"Obama is not a black American, actually he is bi racial..."
TIMMY, this is the USA not Brazil or the Dominican Republic. The racist "one drop doctrine" is deeply woven into American Culture. More young Americans can see beyond that doctrine and accept the term "biracial", but only after you explain to them your family's racial make-up.
Without the "one drop" rule, Bille Holiday and Louie Armstrong wouldn't have been part of the same race, and America's musical heritage wouldn't be shit (exaggeration, but from my heart).
Hey, ask your typical Republican or Reagan Democrat (or typical American for that matter) what Barack Obama is.
Posted by: Derrick from Philly | Nov 3, 2008 11:19:03 AM
He tried just to do something good for the No-on-Prop.-H8 battle without damaging his campaign. Is that so hard to understand?
Posted by: Chris | Nov 3, 2008 11:35:19 AM
A list of things that I care about Obama as President doing for gay rights for which he has already said he agrees:
a) Ending DOMA
b) Ending DADT
c) Appointing non-reactionary federal judges including the S. Court.
d) Ending discrimination against gays and trangendered in housing and jobs
These are the things that he has President controls and does.
A list of things that ultimately Obama as President can not control:
a) The definition of marriage. He can have what ever personal opinion he wants. The most important thing I needed from him was No on 8. The rest is his opinion.
b) How people will feel about us gays. Many of you bring your emotional baggage about not being accepted for being gay. He won't change that because laws don't do that.
This is what a clear minded approach to Obama's comment would conclude.
PS: DERRICK is both right and wrong. Yes, there is a sense of entitlement (coming mostly from white gay men) about how civil rights struggles happens. But, I disagree that this mean we should ever settle for less and must always strive to get everything. Part of the problem early Derrick with the Black civil rights movement was that we took and put up with a lot of shit for way too long.
PPS: The pitting blacks against whites on this issue by both sides is silly. The irony is that the polling out on Prop 8 is showing that blacks are no more likely (45/45 with 10 undecided) to be for or against than most whites are.
Posted by: Akaison | Nov 3, 2008 11:40:06 AM
Although, I'd like the rights too, I think the next president has many more important issues to tackle first. I am willing to wait.
Posted by: Jeff | Nov 3, 2008 11:48:14 AM
Sometimes I wonder if people posting here actually read or listent to what Obama say. Yes, he says "I am not in favor of gay marriage," and of course that's wrong.
But nowhere does he say "I will fight against gay marriage." In fact, what he's arguing for in terms of practical legislation/voting is FOR gay marriage. He's not upset that the CA Supreme Court found we have a right to marriage. He wouldn't have argued on the no side. He's against amending the CA constitution to take away rights because "our constitutions expand liberties, they don't contract them." How can anyone find fault with that?
Instead everyone pounces on the pandering "I believe marriage is between a man and a woman" -- but he will not act on that statement in any way to prevent us having access to marriage if courts or legislatures find in our favor.
Posted by: Kevinvt | Nov 3, 2008 11:54:14 AM
KEVIN
That's because you have two groups here converging. The first are the purists who will not be happy unless he address every point of importance to them- legal, moral, and emotional. That he addresses the only salient one in their favor- the legal ones- isn't enough for them.
This dovetails nicely into the second group- the conservatives. They have no interest in seeing a liberal/progressive succeed at all, and this is there opportunity to claim "told you so" by using the perfect as the enemy of the good. In this way, they divide and conquer the purists from the pragmatic. In many ways, it is no different than what Rove did.
It's been this way with multiple struggles , and not just this one.
Posted by: akaison | Nov 3, 2008 11:59:59 AM
Ouslander,
Not all Christians are against abortion. In fact, many don't have a problem with it. My family and friends are Christians who have no problem with abortion or gay marriage.
Why?
Because there are many different denominations/sects of Christianity that interpret the Bible differently.
People seem to forget that not all Christians are Right-wing freaks. Martin Luther King Jr was a Christian. One of his chief confidantes was a gay man.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayard_Rustin
RB,
Please cut the "socialist" crap. No one's buying that B.S. Given Obama's own personal wealth, that argument is ridiculous. But it's even more ridiculous given that Obama's economic plan is the favorite of the majority of all economists. None of whom has called it socialist.
I think it's interesting how conservatives have no problem calling Obama a socialist when the tax rates Obama is proposing is more lenient than those under Reagan. Even more curious, of course, is how conservatives have no problem running up HUGE deficits. McCain proposes more tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans but offers no plans to make up those revenue shortfalls.
Posted by: noah | Nov 3, 2008 12:08:47 PM
gee, AKASON, what you and KEVINVT, and DERRICK fR Philly, PA certainly dovetails (as you so adequately describe) with my views. if we take nothing else from this marathon election, it is that if the clintons and the obama side can make nice, we should all be able to work together together. make no mistake, the dems will never march in lock-step like the rethugs do, but that is what makes us attractive. we are a rag-tag group, but when we are sick and tired of being sick and tired, we will always join together for the common good -- think FDR, think JFK, think RFK, think MLK, think LBJ. the fact that their initials alone represents them speaks more than any words i could every string together.
i am heartened and inspirited by the reaction that ordinary americans are saying regarding the election. nevertheless, i am keeping my fingers crossed: i do not trust the voting process that the repugs have set up.
Posted by: nic | Nov 3, 2008 12:37:57 PM
LOOK Im all for Obama..but for him to come right out for the LGBT community and Marriage would be political suicide (sad but true in America) - IF I could afford too..I'd move the hell out of this country. Im sick to death of the hypocracy in the words "Liberty & Justice for All" ...really>? ALL...nah....they are just words - EMPTY WORDS! I'll be voting OBAMA all the way!
Posted by: Disgusted American | Nov 3, 2008 1:18:32 PM
Sometimes, I wonder how ridiculous we all are as human beings. Yesterday, I read a news report about a 13-year-old Somali girl was stoned to death after coming forward after being gang raped by three men.
The girl's community has been conquered by Muslim extremists who put her on trial for adultery. The extremists convicted her and had her stoned to death.
Stop. Think. Look around yourselves and ask about what freedoms you have today and how they can easily be lost.
As others have said, Barack Obama is the most openly gay friendly presidential candidate of a major American party in history. I'm sick of listening to the whiners who don't seem to get how much success the gay rights movement has made or will be able to make because of liberals and progressives.
With rare exception, the Republicans, the CONSERVATIVES, have been the enemy of the gay rights movement. When push comes to shove in this election, have the Republicans not only used racism against Obama but also anti-gay rights rhetoric?
Will you people grow the f*ck up? John McCain support Prop 8. The supporters of Prop 8, for the most part, are all Republicans. The gay Republican trolls on this site are spineless. They have no problem kissing the hand, foot, or ass of those would strip you of not only recently gained rights to marry but the other rights won on a local and state levels.
The gay rethug idiots scream bullsh#t about "socialism" but had no problem supporting George Bush as he disregarded the Constitution and used tools of authoritarian Communist Russia: warrantless wiretaps, secret prisons, torture, etc.
So, people, focus! Tomorrow's election matters!
1. Enacting ENDA
2. Killing DOMA
3. Killing DADT
4. Enacting fully equal civil unions
and
5. Restoring the Rule of Law
6. Putting progressives on the courts
7. Ending a stupid war
8. Helping the working & middle classes
9. Etc.
You are living at a crucial point in history. Are you going to take a stand and fight for your rights by voting for candidates who give a damn about you or will you be suckered?
Posted by: noah | Nov 3, 2008 1:32:11 PM
Barry, honey, you can't have it both ways. Either you support civil equality for law-abiding, tax-paying American citizens or you don't. No parsing, Barry. Same-sex couples either are equal participants in American society or they are not. Don't hide behind the "I am for civil unions but I am against gay marriage because of my christian beliefes" bullsh*t. Barry, baby, this is the ONLY thing that might make me go ahead an pull the McCain lever. At least McCain is HONEST in his hypocrisy. You come across as simply condescending. I don't need condescension, Barry. I need equality.
Posted by: mike | Nov 3, 2008 1:47:55 PM
Mike:
You're an idiot. Seriously, read what you posted. It makes no sense. You won't get equality from McCain.
Posted by: sugarrhill | Nov 3, 2008 2:25:56 PM
C'mon guys! See the bigger picture here. Obama is doing what he HAS to do; and saying what the audience wants to hear makes him a politician seeking votes, not some demonish hypocrite. Obama will support gay rights. He's been to gay-oriented fundraisers on the downlow (as he has to be). The Republicans will snatch any opportunity they can to exploit Obama for supporting the "dangerous and perverted homosexual agenda." Wake-up fellas; this is how the game must be played for right now. Obama is our friend and anyone who thinks other needs to have their priorities checked.
Posted by: Dr. Christopher Blackwell | Nov 3, 2008 3:44:46 PM
so I have a question.
I am definitely NOT going to vote for the McCain/Palin ticket for obvious reasons (i.e they stand for everything I stand against) but I'm still reluctant to vote for Obama. Before you all call me a 'freeper' or 'idiot' or what have you, let me explain: I've accepted the fact that our government is hopelessly corrupt, and that simply electing a president is not going to change things on the scale I'd like to see them changed. The issues that I care about are:
1) Our governments obsessive need to control the political/economic status of the Middle East
2) Homosexuals being accepted as full human beings
3)Oceanic oil drilling (which I STRONGLY oppose) and
4) responsible conservation of resources (such as water, air, food, etc)
I have attempted to research Obama's views on these issues, but due to the fact that it's election season, concrete viewpoints are hard to come by. It seems to me that (and please don't bite my head off for saying this) his views on these issues do not differ much from McCains. He seems to have no problem with coastal drilling, and they both seem to think that we aren't worthy of marriage. So, on the eve of the election, would anyone be willing to honestly (and preferably, in a kind tone) give me reasons why I, concerning the issues I stated, should vote for Obama? I'd appreciate it. At this point, I feel like voting for either of them would be voting against my beliefs.
Thanks in advance.
Posted by: liminality | Nov 3, 2008 5:36:04 PM
Just an FYI regarding Obama's Christian faith.
He has been a long-time member of a congregation (Trinity UCC) that is part of the United Church of Christ. The United Church (national) General Synod approved a resolution in favor of full marriage equality for same-sex couples in 2005. The church considers same-sex marriages to be the spiritual equivalent of hetero marriages. I'm a gay UCC pastor that has presided over 4 same-sex weddings and counting!
Anyway, here's the point: if Obama is saying his Christian faith compels him to reject same-sex marriage, then he's listening to some church teachings other than those from his own denomination.
Posted by: ParsonFred | Nov 3, 2008 7:00:14 PM
"It seems to me that (and please don't bite my head off for saying this) his views on these issues do not differ much from McCains."
You honestly think this? Obama's concrete viewpoints are right there on his website, and on the issues you say you're interested in, I think you'll find Obama much closer to your concerns. Go there. Read. But, come on, you're still undecided, now? Really? If you're waiting for the perfect presidential candidate who has a realistic shot at the job, you'll be waiting a long, long, long time.
Posted by: Ernie | Nov 3, 2008 7:05:53 PM
please understand, Ernie, that I am not 'undecided' about whether to vote for Obama or McCain, I am undecided about whether to vote for Obama or not vote at all. I don't think his website is as concrete as you say. It does lay out certain positions, but only vaguely. I understand the whole 'to get elected there are some things you shouldn't say' argument, but frankly, I don't see his willingness to play the old political games instead of expressing bold opinions as being indicative of any real "change".
Anyway, thank you for your prompt reply. I will more than likely vote out of social responsibility because, to paraphrase you, perfect president candidates are hard to come by, and he DEFINITELY is more capable than that old imp and what's-her-name. I have to say, though, I do long for braver leaders. Just because they will piss on you instead of shit on you is no real reason to vote for someone.
Posted by: liminality | Nov 3, 2008 7:32:28 PM
I don't get the Obama love and the Clinton hate. Obama has basically used gay marriage as a strategy to win Mr. and Mrs. Bigot, where Bill was the first President who very openly loved the gays. Maybe he wasn't able to do everything he wanted, but his attitude alone made a huge difference. I can't see how Obama's attitude will help us at all. This election, like most of them is a decision between the lesser of two evils.
Posted by: Steve | Nov 3, 2008 7:37:25 PM
Liminality and anyone else still undecided... Why dont you try these sites to see who you match up with?
http://www.vajoe.com/candidate_calculator.html
http://www.selectsmart.com/president/2008.html
I tried them both and got Obama 77/75% and McCain 32/37% matches. The one site only has the guys still running while the second one has everyone who appears to have ever thought about running. In that one I scored 83% with Biden as the highest and best match. It would be interesting to see where you fall in line with a match of those still in the running.
Posted by: UFLYUY | Nov 3, 2008 10:45:39 PM
thanks, ufl
I actually scored 80%/83% for Obama, interestingly enough.
Posted by: liminality | Nov 3, 2008 11:36:07 PM
Liminality, your obvious choice is Ralph Nader. He's a non-interventionist who wants to change U.S. policy in the Middle East, supports gay marriage, wants to phase out all fossil fuels and ban offshore drilling, and is a paragon of environmental conservation.
All of that adds up to one very brave leader in my book. He certainly won't win, but if you'd rather vote your conscience than view the election as a horse race and your vote as a bet, choose Nader.
Posted by: Milan | Nov 4, 2008 12:36:54 AM