President Barack Obama said in an interview with ABC that "it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same-sex couples should be able to get married."
With his Wednesday announcement, the president reversed his longstanding position on the issue. It came on the heels of his own vice president and education secretary saying they were in favor of gay marriage.
According to an ABC blog post, Obama further described his thought process as an "evolution" that progressed as he discussed the issue with staff members, gay and lesbian service members and his own family.
He said he thinks Americans are growing increasingly comfortable with the concept of gay marriage and cited his own daughters' views on the matter.
“It’s interesting, some of this is also generational,” he said. “You know, Malia and Sasha, they have friends whose parents are same-sex couples. There have been times where Michelle and I have been sitting around the dinner table and we’re talking about their friends and their parents.
"And Malia and Sasha, it wouldn’t dawn on them that somehow their friends’ parents would be treated differently. It doesn’t make sense to them, and frankly, that’s the kind of thing that prompts a change in perspective.”
Read CNN's full coverage of President Barack Obama's stance on gay marriage
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I am proud of this President. Only an African-American would understand the bigotry and hatred they Gay Community gets from their fellow Americans. DOWN WITH DOMA!!!!
Pedophiles, child molesters, murderers, rapist and all other perverted individuals in the military have died for our country, if that's the excuse for legalizing gay marriage then heck lets legalize all perversions
Paula, you're a bigoted idiot.
Paula,
Whether you like it or not, the momentum is in full swing for legalizing gay marriage. Please remember that it wasn't too long ago that interracial marriage was also illegal, which causes us to look back in disbelief. I'm sure that if you would have polled most Americans at that time, they would have voted in favor of the status quo, which is proof enough that the majority cannot decide on the legal rights of minorities! I agree with the President that this is a generational issue in part, as most of the younger people seem to have no problem with gay marriage. No comment on your perversion comment.....
"Pedophiles, child molesters, murderers, rapist and all other perverted individuals in the military have died for our country, if that's the excuse for legalizing gay marriage then heck lets legalize all perversions'
All the others that you listed bring harm to others. DUH! Being gay isn't a perversion. The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Counseling Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, the American School Counselor Association, the National Association of School Psychologists, and the National Association of SocialWorkers, together representing more than 480,000 mental health professionals, have all taken the position that homosexuality is not a mental disorder and thus is not something that needs to or can be “cured."
I wonder if Obama would support gay marriage if both his daughters were both gay and gonna marry women?
You just don't get it do you? You think he is going to land on the side of an issue that would restrict the rights of his own daughters? This is no different then saying you think he would only be in favor of whites and blacks being able to marry, as long as his daughters don't come home with a white guy. You are a bigoted idiot. You are also clear evidence that bigots are not smart enough to know they are bigots!
1948 says it all.
@Tom: You're single???? SHOCKER!!!!
Just keep in mind folks that years from now, when there's a book written and a movie made about the gay rights movement and how bad it was back in the day, a lot of you are going to be looking like 2 slice Hillie from THE HELP! Bigoted, ignorant and unchristian as they come. There's a reason she's considered a villain...and many of you are lining right up on the same plane. Bigoted, ignorant and not at all true Christians.
Calling all polygamist we need to fight for our rights too. This OBAMA is a panderer, if we organize and lobby in numbers we will get our way.
I'm proud of Obama- people came to this land to be who they want to be, if you want to practice your religion- fine, but thT dosent mean you dictate how other people live their lives. I'm not gonna tell you that you have to wear a blue shirt for the rest of your life... If you wanna stick with tradition maybe straight couples should be married off by their parents and not get to choose
IT is sad day in America when same couple can get married and live normal lives. This lifestyle should not even be tolerated more so to get married. Giving an inch ended up taking a mile. SAD!
I want to marry my sister, i gonna see if barrack is going sign off on it. A punk of a president.
4yrs too late. he wants the gay vote and when he does get it, he's gonna have it repealed!! Don't trust the crooked politicians, all the same. WE NEED A THIRD PARTY!!!!
We applaud the president for his courage in taking a stand for equal justice under the law. Gay people deserve the same rights as any other citizen. We are a retired Christian clergy couple in our 80's and have witnessed the pain and suffering of families whose gay children were driven to suicide by bigotry and hatred. Parents separated and families torn apart because one parent would not accept that a child was gay or siblings taunted and bullied. Gay couples who have been together for decades having no access to medical facilities, being denided admission to retirement homes together, not to mention the years of economic inequities placed on them because they were not "married". I could go on with case after case.
It is time for EVERY citizen of the United States of America to have the same rights, regardless of race, creed, color or secual orientation.
Ditto!!! Very well said my friend.
I have met the true enemy and it is people of this administration. It is time to resurrect the crusades and apply the second amendment to those that offend Christians. Never would I defend the principles of these Nazi's!
Really? Nazi's wanted gay people DEAD. You haven't any clue w t f you're talking about, so don't talk at all. You were never going to vote for him in the first place.
@ Adam, no I don't get it at all. You have corrected me this date.
Obama Should have kept his opion to his self. He just hurt his chances of getting back into office.. This is a very sensitive issue in the Black communnity and the majority of community is against prop 8 because they don'twant their kids to be taught that this normal behavior while there in school and influence them to go the gey route... He should let the american people vote on it like they have done in the past... He just lost millions of votes. Sometime the best thing is silences....
"Sometimes the bes thing is silence..."
This would be no different than telling your own kids not to stand up for themselves and what decent parent would do that? I think it is unfair you are speaking for the entire black community as I am black and completely disagree with your comment. What other ppl do in their lives doesnt dictate how someone else lives their life. And kids should be taught through parenting and not by following the crowd. What's sad is that ppl want to say it's because of religion but correct me if I'm wrong. Doesnt the bible state, "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone" or is that only in select religions? Who is anyone to judge someone else's lifestyle?
silence is never the best thing Tommie, if you have something to say. I say teach your children what you feel is right. But remember this, They are their own individual and the final decision will be theirs to make regardless of the morals and values we as parents instill in them. I say love them anyway no matter whom they choose to love and marry. If we continually beat up on people for their beliefs our nation will never prosper in love and equality. I love you Tommie. Have a rainbow day.