Obama Opposes Efforts to Revoke Gay Marriage

As you may know, the Supreme Court of the State of California recently voted to award full marriage rights to its gay citizens. This was a measure that was passed twice by the California state legislation, but was vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger on the grounds that he felt it was a matter for the courts to decide. Now that they've done so, marriages have begun to take place across the state.

So the anti-gay movement has now been trying to pass a state constitutional amendment to make these marriages illegal again. Barack Obama has just issued a statement opposing this effort.

He says:

I am proud to join with and support the LGBT community in an effort to set our nation on a course that recognizes LGBT Americans with full equality under the law... that is why I oppose the divisive and discriminatory efforts to amend the California Constitution, and similar efforts to amend the U.S. Constitution or those of other states.

For too long, issues of LGBT rights have been exploited by those seeking to divide us. It's time to move beyond polarization and live up to our founding promise of equality by treating all our citizens with dignity and respect. This is no less than a core issue about who we are as Democrats and as Americans.

Right on! If civil liberties and respect for families are to mean anything at all, they surely need to be offered to ALL our citizens. The right to marry the person of your chosing is among the most precious and personal rights society affords its citizens, and I am proud that my candidate will not bow to nonsensical fearmongering. This is a pro-family position.

Those who want to overturn this ruling actually seek not only to prevent future gay unions but also to dissolve those that have already been formed. If two people chose to unite with each other, and stand up before the law to form a permanent union, the state should not take that away from them.