Yesterday, President Barack Obama made breaking news when announcing he indeed favors and supports same-sex couples marrying. Obama is the first president in the history of the United States to ever take this stance, and hopefully he won't be the last. This moment I feel, is just as important as when we elected our first black president of the United States, because for the first time in history gay and lesbian people are recognized as equals under the law.
Meeting with gay military families that put their lives on the line for American families everyday, and associating with same-sex couples whose kids are friends with his two daughters, Sasha and Malia, President Obama's views fully evolved to what is morally and socially right for America.
After Vice President Joe Biden, gave his favorable views on same-sex marriage, the media kept pushing the gay hot button until President Obama finally spoke out, affirming his favorable views as well. Questions began to swirl of why Obama chose to come forward now with his personal belief, and others believe this may be a political ploy for the Obama administration to gain votes. President Obama already had the majority of the gay vote, who do you think voted for him in 2008? Most gay and lesbian people would never vote Republican, as it is obvious they are not for us but against us. Even if Republicans decided to change their anti-gay mantra, same-sex couples would still be leery of voting for them due to their previous anti-gay track record. Personally, I always felt President Obama was for gay marriage even though he never said it, trying not to upset those who are strongly opposed to it, such as the black church. Although Obama didn't originally plan to speak on this matter until two months before election day, I feel it happened right on time in order to give those opposed to it, time and space to react, understand, and accept his position.
I believe President Obama, took into careful consideration the positive impact marriage has on any family, but most of all, the human right and validation it gives the LGBT community to not feel like a second class citizen within our own country. It has always been about equality, civil rights, and human rights when any specific group has been oppressed. It seems Republicans love to use religion to divide the American people, but religion has nothing to do with it. People choose to interpret certain parts of the bible that fits their way of life, while using it to destroy and harm other people that are different from them. Anyone can follow a certain religion and believe whatever they want about that religion, but using religion to promote fear, or using religion to gain a majority vote, or even using religion to oppress a certain group of people just because their different should never be okay.
Republicans have affirmed time and again that the purpose of marriage is procreation only, and that children are better off in a two parent household with a mother and a father. But what about the husband and wife who married and can not procreate due to fertility issues, should they not adopt or use a surrogate because they can't procreate? Or what about the husband or wife that passes away leaving behind children and one parent, should that one parent give their children or child up for adoption because the home no longer has two parents? What about the feminist woman who prefers to be a single mother and can afford to take care of a child, should she not raise a child because a man isn't present in the home? My point is, there are to many ways to define what a family is, and for Republicans to try and fit all Americans in one box just isn't realistic. We're all different, we all live in the same country, and we're all stronger together than apart. Eventually, the bigotry has to end.
During slavery times in the United States, African Americans were oppressed by religion as well. Black people were told they had no souls, that they weren't smart enough to learn, that God never wanted them to be financially well off, that they weren't good enough to marry a white person, and that they'd never be as good as any white person because that's the way God intended it to be. But African Americans along with other races, realized that slavery wasn't Gods plan for them and they fought hard to prove that very fact. Because of our ancestors efforts, we now have our first black president that wants to be fair to everyone across the board, and the only way to do that is with love, compassion, and fair laws; President Obama gets that, and for those who still haven't I can only hope that eventually you will.
President Barack Obama's LGBTQ Track Record:
1) 2009 - Signed Hate Crimes Prevention Act
2) 2010 - Expanded Family Medical Leave Act for LGBTQ Parents
3) 2011 - Ended "Don't Ask Don't Tell" military policy
4) 2011 - Directed DOJ to Stop Defending Defense of Marriage Act
5) 2011 - Endorsed Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act
6) 2012 - Supports Employment Non-Discrimination Act
7) 2012 - Signed HUD bill that prevents Gay and Lesbians from being discriminated against when purchasing homes
8) 2012 - President Obama affirms he is for same-sex marriage
For the record: Republican presidential nominee, Mitt Romney, is set to speak this Saturday at Liberty University, an institution that forbids openly gay students from applying; yet this very institution received over $445 million dollars of federal funds in 2010, funds that should be used for any student trying to attain a higher education, not just heterosexual students.
