Sam Stein, of HuffintonPost, reports more Presidential tap dancing of the issue of how he can appear to be support marriage equality, without actually saying the words, in Obama Believes Gay Marriage 'Best Addressed By The States': White House Official
WASHINGTON -- As President Obama gets set to host a high-profile fundraiser at an LGBT gala in New York City Thursday, two potentially awkward developments confront him. New York's state legislature seems poised to pass a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage, both expanding the legal right to marriage and drastically altering the political debate.
In Washington, D.C., meanwhile, questions have again emerged over the president's past support for same-sex marriage, specifically as to whether a nameless former staffer or Obama himself signed a 1996 questionnaire favoring marriage for same-sex couples. ... There will also likely be protesters at the gala demanding a clarification of his position.
At a White House briefing on Monday, Press Secretary Jay Carney stressed that the president had been nothing but consistent in saying that his position was "evolving" on the topic.
What? "the president had been nothing but consistent in saying that his position was "evolving" on the topic." Well, this is true, the President's position has been "consistently changing." First he was for marriage equality in a 1996 survey. Then in the 2008 election, he was only for "civil unions" which most recognize as an unconstitutional "separate, but equal" standard, which violates the 14th amendment. Something constitutional scholar, Obama, is well aware of.
This kind of double speak is embarrassing. When Republicans do this we are all over them, with ridicule. What are we supposed to do now? For the last 30 years I've asked my many friends in the GLBTQ communities to be patient, as we could not win a presidential election if we tried to confront society's discriminatory stances against the GLBT. But, now that the majority supports full equality, we can no longer use this excuse.
I can't tell you how many hours I defended Micheal Dukakis, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Al Gore, John Kerry, Barack Obama in all the previous elections for their "civil unions only" positions, which I did grudgingly for reasons of Machiavellian political calculus. To win support in my communities, I promised the 2008 Obama eleciton would be the last time I would do this. After 2008, it will finally be time for full equality for all Americans. I honestly, had expected President Obama would have come through by now. Especially, after he audaciously adopted the "fierce urgency of now" as his campaign slogun.
It is now time for authentic Martin Luther King-like courage.
But, instead, listen to this absurd fodder for a Jon Stewart show.
"What I know is what his position was during the campaign and what it is now," Carney said. "He’s been very clear about it. He was very clear in the campaign. He’s very clear about the fact that his position is evolving. I don’t have anything to add to that."
Monday afternoon, a White House official offered a slightly more concrete answer in an email statement to The Huffington Post.
Did you catch the fact that the President's position is "clear." When the Presidential Press Secretary has to desperately use the word "clear" three times in one statement, then we can know for sure, it is "clearly wrong."
But, wait, the absurdity of this tap dance, becomes even more embarrassing.
"Although the President believes that this is an issue best addressed by the states, he also firmly believes that committed gay and lesbian couples should receive equal protection under the law," the official said.
If the President believes the gay, lesbian, and I would hope he left off transgender communities accidentally, communities should receive equal protection under the law, as quarantined by the 14th Amendment, then come out and unambiguously, support full equality, with regard to marriage now.
The way to say this, Mr. President is "I support marriage equality for all Americans." And, yes, it will be up to the states to accomplish this." What you will be doing is supporting the concept of equality for all Americans, and the 14th Amendment. It is just expressing your personal opinion. Do you support equal rights for all, or not? That's what we want to know, now, Mr. President.
Alternatively, you are metaphorically reduced to telling Rosa Parks to keep sitting in the back of the bus, until society is more political comfortable with the idea of equality. We know what King said about the people who advocate this. But, if this is your position, you should, at least, tell Rosa Parks how many more years, you are willing to take this position.
A Civil-Unions-only position is no more equal than were the "separate-but-equal" schools of the segregated south.
It's time to stop this embarrassing and hurtful charade. It is 2011, and this is the United States of America.
Same goes for all of our Democratic leadership.
Sam Stein seems more sympathetic than I am as he closes with this observation.
Obama is reportedly looking for politically comfortable ways to take a more open stance on same-sex marriage. Stressing states' rights, with a basic federal guarantee of benefits for same-sex couples, could be the path he's looking for.
If he does this it will make me more angry. How much courage does it take to say, "yes, of course, it is up to the state to enact the marriage laws, but in my opinion, it's time to support full equality for all Americans, now. With regard to marriage and everything else. Freedom, and equality are two of the most American values we have."
Period.
Next Question.
Anything less in a continued, unacceptable insult to our GLBTQ, and all the Americans who have died fighting for freedom, and equality.
And, it will be an extra painful moment for President Obama if he continues to fail to do this. Because the original meaning Martin Luther King, Jr.s "the fierce urgency of now" was to repudiate those in the black community who were arguing for a slower pace of civil rights changes, so the society could catch up.
"Politically comfortable ways" is the opposite philosophy of "the fierce urgency of now" Mr. President, and you know this.
If King were alive now, I fear he may say that those that to reverse the meaning of this passionate cry for equality, now, for campaign purposes, is engaging in the "fierce hypocrisy, of political expediency."
Please reread King's Letter From Birmingham prison for background on this, if you have any doubt about this. King does not mention the fierce urgency phrase in this letter, but explains the philosophy, and refutes the "wait until society is ready, or political comfortable" advocates.
I say, now in the original spirit of the "fierce urgency of now" it is time to support full equality for all Americans, Mr. President.
Just do it, now so all Americans can finally be equal. These are the words of freedom and equality we want to hear Thursday night, Mr. President. You will feel so much better. And, so will our hurting nation.