Three years after then President Bill Clinton signed Don’t Ask Don’t Tell into law, candidate for Illinois Senate Barack Obama came out in favor of same-sex marriage. This is his response to the question to the Windy City Times back in 1996:
I favor legalizing same-sex marriages, and would fight efforts to prohibit such marriages.
Fast forward to current President Elect Barack Obama, who recently overturned the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy which fundamentally promotes the equality for all gay and lesbian individuals across the country, but is however ‘evolving‘ on the issue on supporting same-sex marriage, which would only promote the same equality he has already done once before.
Obama’s Devolution
Back in 1996, he stated he was in favor of supporting same-sex marriage, which is very fair since marriage is fundamentally a civil right. However, following the 2008 campaign, he has stated that marriage is “between one man and one woman.” Another presidential candidate has also repeated this same statement many times over.
Historically Speaking
In the days of the Civil Rights Movement, then President John F. Kennedy suffered the same quandary that Obama is clearly facing now this particular issue. Though Kennedy didn’t have an appropriate amount of time to fully ‘evolve’ on the issue, the following President, Lyndon B. Johnson, paved the way for the issue making America a more equal and just place to live.
Why Support?
If Obama truly wishes to promote the equality for all Americans, then supporting this issue is the way to go. After all, it was many years ago that someone in the president’s seat took the rights of African Americans and made it their platform. Obama certainly would benefit by continuing to promote such justice, and drown out the recent anti-gay rhetoric promoted by such individuals as Michelle Bachmann, Rick Perry and Rick Santorum.
“We must demand full equality for all. They say that this country is free, and they say this country is equal, but it is no equal if it’s sometimes.” ~ Lady Gaga, Oct 11, 2009 at the National Equality March in Washington, DC.
