Obama backs same-sex marriage

First of all, Barack Obama is not the pope. So his opinion about same-sex marriage won't have any effect on the forever hateful prejudice of the Roman Catholic Church.

But I did like how he "evolved" his endorsement of gay and lesbian (LGBT) marriage. He consulted his wife, who reminded him about the fine American citizens who were gay and lesbian and friends of theirs. He consulted his children. They said they had classmates in school who had same-sex parents and they were fine classmates. He had hoped to kinda side-strep the issue by saying each state should decide for their own state. But immigration and other matters are national matters, and even if all 50 states approve same-sex marrige there are some country-wide issues still not solved. In the long run he announced the decision out of personal integrity.

The list of prominent Americans who take the same stand as their president is a long and impressive list. Six states do have equal marriage. But President Obama's personal opinion does not create or change the national law -- any more than President Aquino's approval of the RH Bill changes the Roman Catholic resistance or passes the law in the Philippines.

Of course, justice and equality under the law makes it clear that all people should have the right to marry the person they love -- in the United States and in the Philippines. One commentator observed that the government should not be in the business of deciding who a person should love and marry.  Sadly, the government stance on marriage is controlled by church teachings and church power.

In Catholic Spain where the Catholic bishops do not enjoy the persuasive power they have in the Philippines, the citizens of the country have two rights that Filipino citizens do not have. The right to divorce from a person with whom one is in an impossible marriage, and the right to marry the one a person loves without censorship or "gender test."

But, one more time, in the only country in the world where the church has the power to prevent its citizens of all religions and non religions to divorce, they are not about to allow the citizens the right to marry the person they love.

Following is the coverage on President Obama's endorsement of same-sex marriage in the Inquirer's May 11, 2012 issue.

Obama backs same-sex marriage
Agence France-Presse
5:15 am | Thursday, May 10th, 2012

WASHINGTON – Barack Obama became the first US president Wednesday to say publicly he was in favor of same-sex marriage, in a high-stakes intervention in a pre-election debate roiling American politics.

In what supporters will hail as a historic moment in civil rights history, Obama changed his stance, after previously saying he was “evolving” on gay marriage, a fiercely divisive issue in US politics.

“I’ve just concluded, 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 in an interview with ABC News.

Obama, who had previously backed strong protections for gay and lesbian couples, said his position had evolved partly after talking to his two daughters Malia and Sasha who had some friends who had same-sex parents.

“It wouldn’t dawn on them that somehow their friends’ parents would be treated differently. It doesn’t make sense to them and frankly, that’s the kind of thing that prompts a change in perspective,” Obama said in the interview.

Obama came under increasing political pressure on gay marriage after Vice President Joe Biden said on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday that he was “absolutely comfortable” with same-sex marriage.

Education Secretary Arne Duncan said this week that he was also in favor of the concept.

Some political analysts have warned that Obama could be entering a political minefield, with some key voting blocs in swing states that he hopes to court in November’s election opposing gay marriage.

On Tuesday, voters in North Carolina, a state Obama narrowly carried in the 2008 election, approved a state constitutional amendment forbidding gay marriages, civil unions and domestic partnerships.

The measure was passed by 61 percent to 39 percent after similar state constitutional amendments have been approved in some 30 US states.

The amendment solidifies and expands already enacted North Carolina law forbidding same-sex marriage.

Obama came to the position he elucidated on Wednesday through a long period of reflection and following pressure from his political base, which includes gay and lesbian groups.

In 2004, he said for religious reasons that he believed that “marriage is between a man and a woman,” but added that he favored a “bundle” of civil rights for gays and lesbians.

“What I believe in my faith … a man and a woman when they get married are performing something before God.”

In 2010, Obama said “my feelings are constantly evolving” on gay marriage, and said he was in favor of civil unions for gays and lesbians that have strong civil protections.

In 2011, Obama said he was “still working on it.”