I heard the gist of President Obama’s announcement on his support for gay marriage last night and I even posted on it.
BUT
Today I’m watching the news and I see a clip of him saying that it should be up to the states…HUH?
Anyone else see the irony of a black man touting states rights?
Just sayin….
3 Responses
Yes, Obama said he is personally in favor of legalizing same sex marriages but he believes it should be left up to the states to decide. That puts him in the same company as Dick Cheny – http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2009/06/01/cheney_comes_out_for_gay_marri.html.
It also leaves Romney three options. He can go to the left of Obama and say: Leave it up to the states? I’m in favor of the federal government legalizing same sex marriage! That’s not likely to happen.
He can say: I’m down with the Prez on this one. I don’t like same sex marriage, but hey, leave it up to the states. In that case, Obama wins the argument.
Or, he can go to the right of the president and say: If I’m elected, I’m going to fight for an amendment to the US constitution banning same sex marriage, civil unions and any other form of domesticity that is not a traditional heterosexual marriage. Thirty or 31 states have already passed amendments to state constitutions, so you can argue he only needs 7 more states to pass it.
Oh I get that…maybe I’m just too old but I remember 1964… when “states rights” was the battle cry of segregationists….
You could remember 1864, when states rights was the battle cry of segregationists then as well. I just started reading Shelby Foote’s 3 volume history of the Civil War (bought it on sale when Borders went out of business). The prologue begins with background on Jefferson Davis, who was a cabinet secretary before Mississippi seceded. Reading the diatribes from Southern politicians then sound just like the diatribes from Southern and Tea Party politicians today. I’ll say that the issue once made me uncomfortable and was one I was conflicted about. I have gay friends who are in committed relationships. Still the idea of them marrying felt weird. However, it is the law where I live and I haven’t left my wife for a dude. It’s been a non-event. I also note that the most conservative, church-going states have the highest divorce rates. Go figure.