Midwest Voices

Barb Shelly

The Kansas City Star

Barack Obama has obviously broken through a number of barriers in his political career and presidency. Today he crashed through another, becoming the first president to declare that same-sex couples should have the right to legally be married in America.

It has taken Obama a long while to come around to this point, and his announcement today during an interview with ABC’s Robin Roberts probably was pressured by Vice President Joe Biden’s declaration this week that he unequivocally supports gay marriage.

But, who cares? It is a great day when the president of the United States said, as Obama did, “It is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same-sex couples should get married.”

Those are surely sweet words for the thousands of Americans who contribute so much to the country — including service in its Armed Forces — but have been denied the right to fully participate in one of its most cherished institutions. That will continue, of course. Same-sex marriage is a state purview and it’s still illegal in most of them. But attitudes are changing rapidly.

As Obama told Roberts:

“… when I go to college campuses, sometimes I talk to college Republicans who think that I have terrible policies on the economy, on foreign policy, but are very clear that when it comes to same sex equality or, you know, sexual orientation that they believe in equality. They are much more comfortable with it. “

Obama also mentioned that his daughters have friends whose parents are same-sex couples and “…it wouldn’t dawn on them that somehow their friends’ parents would be treated differently.”

Those are the heroes of this story – same-sex couples who have claimed their right to raise children and otherwise participate in society, despite many obstacles.”

Good for them and good for the president for deciding on this stand and announcing it to the nation.

Comments

1. 

   Steven Fetter

   66223

   1 year ago

   The man has iron in his backbone.

   Is his position now fully evolved or can we expect further mutations?

2. 

   Johnathon Busby

   1 year ago

   Thank you, Obama, for taking a political risk to do what’s right.

3. 

   George Hunsucker

   Northland

   1 year ago

   I just felt a tingle run down my leg as the big 0, as in ZERO, demonstrates AGAIN how out of step he is with the majority of Americans. fyi, NC passed a constitutional amendment yesterday declaring MARRIAGE to be between a man and a woman. Not a woman and her horse or dog…

4. 

   Sarah Henshaw Baum

   1 year ago

   A round of applause for President Obama’s clear stand on civil rights for all. Marriage is a contract that affords economic and legal rights to the two parties in the union. It’s simple.

5. 

   Tom Ryan

   Crossroads, Kansas City

   1 year ago

   Bravo, Joe Biden :-)

6. 

   Yanwen Xia

   Overland Park

   1 year ago

   I have to give him credit for being honest instead of dodging around, even at the risk of losing many voters at this election season. Be it. Personal integrity will go a long way.

7. 

   Stephen Eric

   1 year ago

   I think it’s a great day in the fight for equality, but as we saw yesterday, it is only a step. It was a far greater day when the military revoked Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell. That was worth celebrating in the streets.

8. 

   Mark Robertson

   1 year ago

   Those who call themselves gay or lesbian already have the right to marry anywhere in the U.S. and probably the world. They don’t have a right though to change the definition of marriage. Most of us have been going along minding our own business, and then a few years back we find out that we are all of the sudden bigots because we believe like we always have, that marriage is between a man and a woman.(No it’s not the same thing as slavery or interracial marriage.) Truth is truth whether it is the year 2012 or 12. Marriage has been and always will be between one man and one woman. Allowing for something called same sex marriage would continue the onslaught against marriage. We hear the claim that marriage is already in bad shape and that allowing something called same sex marriage wouldn’t hurt marriage. Marriage is struggling because of all of the other assaults on the institution, such as contraception, abortion, no fault marriage, the elimination of the spiritual aspect, the media and baseless societal mores. Though the opinion of one man means nothing when it comes to the sacred institution of marriage, noon on January 20th 2013(Actually, I believe it will be the 21st because the 20th is on a Sunday next year.) can’t come soon enough. Thank you. Mark Robertson Independence

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