Obama for Gay Marriage?
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May 16, 2012 • Whitney Finch
Filed under Opinions
On Wednesday, May 10, President Obama was interviewed by Robin Roberts on Good Morning America, where he announced his support for gay marriage. Hours later we have one of the biggest uproars this election season. Every Republican, Christian or Republican Christian out there tossed in their very angry two cents. Mitt Romney stated, “I will stay by what I said, and I am still against gay marriage. Also, President Obama is wrong.”
Right round all of this happing, North Carolina passed their law, making it illegal to marry someone of the same sex – the same North Carolina where it’s legal to marry your cousin, as long as it’s not your gay cousin. Now, I am unsure if these two events go together or are just coincidence. Either way, it’s drawing a deeper line in the sand.
Cherliyn Norton, a sophomore, weighed in: “I support Obama now due to him changing his mind. See, I don’t like the government and the churches should be the same. All these people getting so upset, to me, is kind of dumb.”
James Skinner, a senior, said: “It’s good he supports it, but truly I don’t care either way this goes. It doesn’t really affect me so I’m happy either way.”
For the most part this is nothing new. One person is for something and someone else isn’t. It’s how our government was made. Now I don’t feel that this topic alone is going to make America go into a second Civil War. There are far worse topics that could do that.
I found this interesting, so know I want to know your thoughts on it. But one thing I ask is you keep your opinions school-worthy, and also to respect everyone else’s thoughts.
That’s all I’m saying!
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I have to say, I am extremely disappointed to see how so many politicians in this day and age, especially in America, feel that they know what’s right for their citizens and think it is their duty to impose laws that determine who we will and will not marry. I thought America was a nation of freedom, especially the freedom to be able to choose the people we want to spend our lives with. And it baffles me that Christians still use the same “It’s in the Bible” excuse. There are many, much worse things said in the Bible that today’s society would find outright barbaric.
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This is a great article! I’m impressed to see a high school student take on something of this much depth. I am certainly in favor of gay marriage, and I’m glad to see that teenagers are taking an interest in the new civil rights movement of our time.
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I think the worst thing about this insane argument are the right wingers trying to use the bible as a reason not to grant this unorthodox arrangement, but the bible has many different unorthodox marriages in it…such as marrying your brothers widow, having multiple (up to 700 for some) wives, a rape victim being forced to marry her attacker, and a wives slaves being available to the husband.
Not to mention, several of the loudest critics to gay marriages have had multiple wives and divorces.
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The interesting thing about gay rights is that it doesn’t actually matter what the President thinks or says or supports because it’s just like the civil rights movement. No one could stop civil liberities then and no one will now. All that Obama and Romney are doing is cowing to preceptions and attempting to win votes on a subject that is a ‘hot button’. But really, gay’s will get their rights to marriage and equality regardless of what either of those two men think the same as African Americans gained their rights in the 60s.
So why don’t we focus on some other issues, like how in the world we’re going to get ourselves out of this debt crisis! I’d like to see them come up with something more than flowery words and vague promises about that!
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It’ll be interesting to see how much of an issue this becomes further down the election campaign, it should be a complete non issue, but alas basic common sense and basic human rights does not seem to be that prevalent in America.
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Obama did something truly daring here, and I for one am proud of him for that. At the end o the day, the only thing he is supporting here is a portion of the citizens of the country he leads trying to be happy, and there is nothing wrong with that. Let gay people get married, it won’t hurt anything, and they’ve done nothing to not deserve that right.
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First off, as a teacher myself, I am incredibly impressed with the writing I see here. It’s rare to see a student take such a heavy issue and write with depth and understanding, which Ms. Finch has done extremely well.
As for the issue at hand, it is a clear matter of using religion to justify policy, a clear violation of the establishment clause of the first amendment, and this interview by the president is one to be commended. Is it a political move to garner support from the far left that has become a bit disenchanted with Mr. Obama since 2008? Certainly. Does that make it any less of the right thing to do? Absolutely not.
The truth is, this will have little to no impact on the election or civil rights. Congress has the authority to pass laws, not the president. However, by making this an issue, Mr. Obama has become the highest-ranking voice in this debate, which forced it onto the news cycles and, consequently, into everyday conversation. I firmly believe history will show Mr. Obama and those like him who are supporting equality are the ones in the right, and those opposed will be seen as nothing more than this generation’s version of the sexists and racists of previous ones.
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I’m surprised it has taken Obama so long to verbalize his support. The gay rights movement is gaining momentum, with the repeal of don’t ask don’t tell but the pace of the movement needs acceleration. To me, this seems like such a non-issue in the grander scheme of things. When will our society stop trying to keep those perceived as different from having the unalienable rights?
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