Obama Opposes California Anti-Gay Marriage Amendment

Calitics:

In a letter to the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club, Sen. Barack Obama stated his opposition to the California constitutional amendment. As far as I know, this is the first official mention of such a position.

Incidentally, the Alice Pride Breakfast was an amazing success. I'll have pictures up from the Alice Breakfast and Leno Pride 2008 up soon.

Read the whole story: Calitics

Comments

[EarthToZoey]

08:06 PM on 06/30/2008

Thank goodness. I am so sick and tired of politicians cowering before the tyrannical voting bloc who is effectively convincing Americans that it is right to take away personal freedom to a small minority of the population. Anti-Gay "Marriage" Amendment supporters are revoltingly warped in their logic. They use twisted rhetoric and straw man arguments that make a mockery of our democracy.

America was wrong on slavery.
America was wrong in treatment toward Native Americans.
America was wrong on disenfranchising women.

Let us not be wrong on yet another civil liberty.

Kudos to Barack Obama for standing up to political pressure for what is just. Keep it up!

[openhand]

06:01 PM on 06/30/2008

DIVORCE is the biggest threat to marriage. Make divorce illegal before you ban 2 gay people from affirming their love. HYPOCRITES.....

[AnotherTry]

11:31 AM on 06/30/2008

He opposes the amendment, but he also opposes same-sex marriage for religious reasons.

Too little, too late, Senator.

[jsfox]

12:44 PM on 06/30/2008

No he believes same sex marriages are a states right issue and not a Fed. issue.

[AnotherTry]

02:48 PM on 06/30/2008

Slavery was a states rights issue too.

And yes, he stated during a debate that his religion keeps him from supporting same-sex marriage.

Look it up.

[SanityClaus]

07:46 PM on 06/30/2008

Fellow HuffPo readers, don't waste your time arguing with AnotherTry. His passion for marriage equality is admirable, but his angry and divisive rhetoric, combined with his calls to boycott the Presidential election or waste your vote on a 3rd party candidate, are the worst possible tactics that are guaranteed to be losers for the LGBT community.

Don't be deceived by his claims to speak for gay people; as a gay man, I completely disown his misguided and intellectually vapid "arguments."

He fails to grasp the interplay between state and federal jurisdiction in a democratic republic, as well as the role of the judiciary.

Senator O has been an ally for the LGBT community, as this most recent public statement attests. His campaign website has a robust section devoted to LGBT issues at

http://pride.barackobama.com/page/content/lgbthome

where you can read position papers and understand how his expertise in constitutional law informs his nuanced positions.

[CitizenGeek]

11:30 AM on 06/30/2008

Nice to see him lending his support for gay couples in California.

[rebeccaj]

11:25 AM on 06/30/2008

Maybe Obama just takes each issue individually and votes what he thinks.

Refreshing, no?

We don't need another puppet who only listens to his base and is unwilling to do nuance and be flexible.

Do we?

[joeyp404]

10:59 AM on 06/30/2008

So wait. He's against the anti-gay marriage amendment in California, but against gay marriage. That's what I call straddling the fence.

[JJI]

10:53 AM on 06/30/2008

Hey wow. He found his balls. Good for him.

[WatchIt]

10:53 AM on 06/30/2008

Well, I don't agree, but the alternative of McCain/Romney '08 is intolerable even to think about it....

[AnotherTry]

12:37 PM on 06/30/2008

Who asked you? Equality for all Americans is not a question to be answered. It is guaranteed by our constitution. Read it sometime.

[HollywoodBill]

12:52 PM on 06/30/2008

Exactly where in the Constitution does anyone, straight or gay, have the RIGHT to get married? I'll save you the time. It's not mentioned even once. Therefore the power to grant marriages is reserved for the states and the states can restrict to whom the privilege is granted.

While Californians were moving toward same sex marriage, the actions of the Supreme Court may hurt more than help with this November's constitutional amendment. The cry of judicial activism just might be stronger than allowing same sex marriage.

Right now, polling indicates neither side has the victory yet. It's going to be a battle. Unless of course the Bradley Effect is already taking place.

[nhunter]

10:48 AM on 06/30/2008

After severely disappointing me with his support of the "compromise" FISA bill, it's mildly reassuring to see that Sen. Obama still espouses the occasional left / progressive point of view: not that he could be said to be sticking his neck out with this one.