President Sidesteps, ‘Misunderestimates’ Importance Of Issue:
Video & Analysis
Last night, in Part II of the NBC News Special: Inside The Obama White House, Brian Williams asked President Obama, “Do gay and lesbian couples who wish to marry in this country have a friend in the White House?”
The President’s response:
“I think gays and lesbians have a friend in the White House because I’ve consistently committed myself to civil unions, making sure that they have the ability to visit each other in hospitals, that they are able to access benefits, that they have a whole host of legal rights, that they currently do not have. I don’t think it makes sense for the federal government to get in the business of determining what marriage is. That isn’t traditionally the federal government’s role.”
Now, let me translate:
“I think gays and lesbians have a friend in the White House” The question was, “Do gay and lesbian couples who wish to marry in this country have a friend in the White House?”, not “Do gays and lesbians have a friend in the White House?” Notice, no mention of the term “gay marriage”. He couldn’t even say the words.
“I’ve consistently committed myself to civil unions” Civil unions? Civil unions are the poor man’s gay marriage. Civil unions are to marriage what a 10-speed Schwinn is to a BMW motorcycle. Civil unions don’t give couples full equality in either rights or recognition. It’s strange how dated and out of touch his answer sounds on the same day the sixth state in the union delivered marriage equality to its citizens.
“making sure that they have the ability to visit each other in hospitals, that they are able to access benefits, that they have a whole host of legal rights, that they currently do not have.” Yeah, Mr. President, I know by making that statement you think you sound like you feel our pain, but you do not. Because marriage equality isn’t just about rights, its about recognition. It’s about being treated equally. It’s about being seen as equal. With all due respect, Mr. President, that’s something you should really feel our pain on.
“I don’t think it makes sense for the federal government to get in the business of determining what marriage is. That isn’t traditionally the federal government’s role.” Again, yeah? Mr. President, then repeal DOMA. You said you would, but now it’s off your agenda. It’s off your website, too. DOMA, the federal Defense of marriage Act, that Bill Clinton signed in 1996, does two things, and very much put the federal government “in the business of determining what marriage is”. First, DOMA tells states that they do not have to recognize same-sex marriages from other jurisdictions, such as other states. Second, DOMA says that the federal government cannot (not, doesn’t have to, but cannot) treat same-sex marriages as marriages. Period. So, Mr. President, if, by “traditionally” you mean, pre-1996, great, repeal DOMA. If by “I don’t think it makes sense for the federal government to get in the business of determining what marriage is” you mean, the federal governement should have nothing to do with marriage, then, by all meands, get out of the marriage business and repeal DOMA. There are no other ways around the question. There are no other ways around your answer.
Mr. President, in the past few weeks you’ve started to take some heat on your gay marriage stance, or lack thereof. This is just the beginning. Gays right now are on luke-warm. We’re moving into par-boil. Next comes steam and a riolling boil. We’d all like to avoid that. You hinted good news was coming for us, and told us to be patient and wait. We’re waiting, but time’s all but up.
Mr. President, repeal DOMA. Repeal DADT. Enact ENDA. And god-damn it, make the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Bill law. You have the power to make these realities. You are an extremely popular president, with a Democratic majority in the House and Senate. It’s time, Mr. President. It’s time. Because if much more time passes, you may not have a friend in over ten million gay and lesbian houses.