October 31, 2007
Obama Won’t Budge on Marriage Equality
The man who says he’s the best candidate for LGBT rights still doesn’t want to give us the same rights he has.
In two appearances on Monday [Barack Obama] said he still opposes same-sex marriage, preferring civil unions for gays and lesbians. His position is the same as the other Democratic frontrunners but the tone of the questioning is an indication the fallout continues from Sunday’s appearance at an Obama gospel rally that featured outspoken “ex-gay” Donnie McClurkin.
. . .
Obama said that he believed same-sex couples should have the same rights as married couples but that their relationships should be called civil unions rather than marriage.
He also said stressed the importance of his Christian faith, but said there has to be a clear separation between church and state.
. . .
Appearing at the Cedar Rapids Public Library, Abbi Swanson whose son is gay, asked what he would do to give him the same rights as opposite-sex couples.
“You want the word marriage and I believe that the issue of marriage has become so entangled - the word marriage has become so entangled with religion - that it makes more sense for me as president, with that authority, to talk about the civil rights that are conferred [with civil unions]” he told her.
Try telling that to the more than 300 same-sex couples joined in civil unions in New Jersey who have learned the hard way that civil unions just aren’t good enough.
Permalink | Trackback | Category: "Ex-Gays", Barack Obama, Christianity, Donnie McClurkin, Election 2008, Homophobia, Iowa, Marriage Equality
