MIA On Gay Marriage

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/07/AR2009050703055.html

On Wednesday, Maine became the fifth state in the Union to legalize gay marriage, thereby pushing the issue of gay marriage to the forefront of American politics again. Many people are looking for President Obama to provide real leadership on the issue of gay marriage and gay rights. One such person is Eugene Robinson, columnist for the Washington Post.

In his article on May 8th, Mr. Robinson writes about Mr. Obama’s rhetoric about equality for all during the Presidential campaign. He also writes about Mr. Obama endorsing the idea if civil unions with all of the same rights and responsibilities as marriage. Essentially, civil unions would just be marriage under a different name. Calling gay unions civil unions instead of marriages could go a long way toward appeasing religious people who fear an eroding of the faith-based values. It would satisfy all of the legal concerns, without trying to force religious people to accept it socially.

Mr. Robinson also writes about the lack of forceful leadership with respect to the issue of gays serving in the military. As a candidate, President Obama called for the repealing of the Clinton-era “don’t ask don’t tell” policy about gays in the military. As president and Commander-in-chief he hasn’t done anything about changing the policy. Right now, with two wars going on simultaneously, we need to encourage all capable, patriotic Americans to enlist. It seems reckless to force qualified people out of the military because of a persons’ sexuality.

Mr. Robinson makes the argument that President Obama (and others in government) duck the issue of gay marriage and gay rights by calling it a states’ rights issue. That argument sounds a lot like the arguments used to subjugate African-Americans first making them slaves, then second-class citizens under Jim Crow. Mr. Obama is treading carefully, understanding that you can change laws, but you cannot easily or quickly change hearts-and-minds.