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Overheard on CNN.com: Will Obama's same-sex marriage support help or hurt him?
Editor's note: This post is part of the Overheard on CNN.com series, a regular feature that examines interesting comments and thought-provoking conversations posted by the community.
President Barack Obama had said he was "evolving" in terms of his position on same-sex marriage, but then he said Wednesday that he in fact supports it. There was plenty of discussion on Tuesday as North Carolina headed to the polls, and the issue continued to gain steam. There are different views on the consequences of such a move. If you have an opinion, share your views via CNN iReport.
Writer Charles Kaiser asserts that Obama has made an important statement.
Gay marriage support: Obama's most courageous move
We've received a number of iReport video responses to this development.
These readers said there could be political consequences, but applauded Obama nonetheless.
dinydave: "Courageous move, definitely. I hope like crazy it doesn't come back to bite him, though. Nothing loses votes like riling up your reactionary opponents, and nothing riles up reactionary 'phobes like the opportunity to deny someone else equality. Witness North Carolina. Courageous move, and Obama is showing just how much more of a LEADER he is than any of the pandering, pansy-arsed regressive Republican field of this year could dream of being. All this, while there's another article fawning over the slowly growing number of Republicans who are finally getting it and going on record as in favor of marriage equality."
Duke Smith: "Courageous, but stupid. Can you envision the TV ads now?"
Some said calling the move "courageous" is a bit much.
sirm777: "How is this courageous? I support gay marriage. There, I must be courageous. No, in Afghanistan facing gunfire is courageous. This here at home is just politics, get real Kaiser."
And this reader said Obama will not be getting her vote.
talicia: "Well he certainly won't be getting my vote this time. I'll abstain rather than vote for him. He's not courageous at all, he's following the liberal lockstep. Gay marriage is being voted down because black people don't support. A huge percent of us believe in God and the Bible. Homosexuality is immoral and unnatural and we're offended that's its constantly being compared to civil rights. All sex is a choice and same sex is wrong. I can't support anyone who doesn't believe in that basic moral principle."
But then again, writer Timothy Stanley opined that if the vote in North Carolina was any indication, same-sex marriage may be too much for now.
Is same-sex marriage too radical for America?
These readers debated the future of same-sex marriage.
macphile11: "I am Christian. I support gay marriage. I support the separation of church and state. This country has had a very confusing time of it because while there's no official religion and the government is supposed to be effectively secular, most politicians are religious–specifically, Christian. So our country, which was founded on ideas like freedom of speech and religion, is ultimately a religious country, with decisions based on religious ideologies. And you know, even Jesus suggested that man's law and God's law are two different animals. I suspect that in the end of the day, gay marriage will win. Even if it's never a federally protected right, most states will legalize it. The few that don't will be just like the outliers now–and in fact, will probably be the exact same states–doing their own thing but mercilessly mocked in pop culture. That's the American way!"
Pofo: "The national average doesn't agree with you, time after time when put to the vote, gay marriage loses. The Average Joe doesn't feel two men can get married, that's just the way it is. Someday when morality is completely gone, and there are no rules, then yes, the gays will have their marriage. ... Sounds weird, but same-sex marriage wasn't even a concept in the '80s. Where will we be in 20 years?"
Some of the commenters said it can't come soon enough.
Feste Plague: "As American citizens, we want equality under the law. My partner/spouse and I have been together for 12 years, married in California four years ago and yet the federal and state governments treat us as if we are strangers. How is that the American way?"
Do as the Canadians do?
GeorgeToronto: "Canada already opened the floodgates to gay marriage and equal taxation and benefits, whatnot ... and life as we know it did not end."
And then, there were some that have no problem with other people's relations but would rather that marriage was just between men and women.
parentof6: "Guys, this is silly. I don't hate gay people. I try to live my life by the teachings of Jesus and that dictates that I disagree with the view that marriage is anything except between a man and a woman. That said, the decision to let people have a piece of paper that recognizes them by the government as a married couple is exactly that ... the government making that distinction. I can't agree that it's OK because of my beliefs but as a follower of Jesus, I'm not condemning you to hell or calling people names like whats going to happen to me when I hit the post button."
What do you think? Share your opinion in the comments area below and in the latest stories on CNN.com. Or put yourself on video via CNN iReport.
Compiled by the CNN.com moderation staff. Some comments edited for length or clarity.
@ mickey13 you might want to pull that race card on obama. he supports the occupy movement. the occupy movement supports socialism. the socialists in greece are jew bashing and promoting aryan supremacy(white supremacy). the very word nazi is defined as NATIONAL SOCIALIST WORKERS PARTY. obama is half white and supports the nazi party. if you dont believe me take a look at whats happening in greece with the socialists.
Um... The NDSAP was socialist, but it also was a far right nationalist party based on a racial definition through blood of nationality. You think our multiracial President has anything to do with the Nazi Party? If so, you are not playing with a full deck, sir.
The *Full Deck* seems to elude many when it comes to Gay marriage JerseyJeff. Please refer to Gods version of Marriage, as he IS the one who insti tuted it. And yes the Bible IS the truth of God.
Look at it this way, Satan is obviously out and about and has been for a very long time.. the world being what it is today does Satan look like he's the best and rightful ruler? NOT!
@ Mary?
How do you expect anyone to consider your admonitions to capitalise God's name when you can't form the possessive of God's name, or don't bother to do so in your religiously induced altered state?
@Mary he already did his 2 terms and we don't want his party in again.
@ Joey Isotta-Fraschini ©™, Thank you. "God's word" ... is what it should have read.
@ Scottish Mama, You do realize that Obama has only done 1 term thus far. Please clarify what you meant?
@Mary -Bush
I have not read a post in which mickey1313 advocated Aryan supremacy. I may have missed something he posted, as I am frequently away from this board, but I have agreed with mickey1313's posts in the past.
@ Ted M.:
Congratulations on your beautifully written posts on this announcement by the President. I agree with you..
---
President Obama has bravely, if carefully, convinced me that he is strong, after beginning to convince me with some military actions, including the extermination of bin Laden, and his honourable dumping of the ridiculous DADT policy.
When Obama started, I thought that he was weak because he wasn't doing what he said that he would do.
He has evolved enormously.
I'm quite sure that most 2012 voters who will say that they didn't vote for Obama because of his gay-marriage stance would not have voted for him anyway, and many of those NC types would not have voted for him because he is black.
All progressive thinkers need to unite in this election.
I'm still unwilling to relinquish my half-century-old Republican identification: I hope that my party will become as evolved as I am.
When I talk about gay rights, people give me a then-you-must-be-gay look.
Funny: during the late 1950s, nobody gave me a then-you-must-be-black look.
baloney...and you are very full of baloney...wasn't obama was under the influence of a trans-gendered, cross-dresser as a child?
hiding behind innocent children, child adoption, and in vitro fertilization does not justify the predatory evils associated with being g-ay...it is a serious grave evil...
Yup... crossdressing tranny muslim nanny.
@ Mmmmm:
I am a product of in-vitro fertilisation, so that may be why I am so proudly opposed to those who use religion the way you do: if you had your way, I would not exist.
As for adoption, I cannot imagine a worse fate for an innocent child than being adopted by you.
sooo....you have been groomed from the petri dish to condone corrupt men and their immoral behavior...did you know that there is an abortive reduction process associated with artificial fertilization which killed your siblings and other poor children or worst yet condemn the to the existence in frozen cryogenic chambers for its cells to be torn and mutilated for research purposes...further it treats the child and life of the unborn as an commodity to be brought and sold or discarded like a pair of shoes...jif you should really refine your senses with the truths
obama has manifested his depravations and expects the world to agree with him...literature abounds regarding the grave impact of g-ay activity and our crimminal news and prisons and military are riddled reports of these molestations and the harm it has done...in the best interest of society the g-ay should live celibate lives
Obama HAS sold himself out to the powers that be mickey1313, and I am far from being racist, as I have a son who is half an half . 😉 Now what do you say. Some say this, not because of being racist, its you that want to shut people up who oppose you, therefore, you'll use the RACE card, my dear.
Obama flip flop on gay marriage makes him a liar. God has NEVER done such, therefore his WORD can be found true
I believe what President Obama said he thought civil unions would be enough and decide he needed to clarify and make a stance. A stance that may cost him the presidency. If you were to judge on gay rights then you are not for a president that does what he says. You are not a forgiving of friends and others who do not believe as you do. You were not going to vote for him anyway. He has won the gay vote and the young progressive vote. Next will be the hispanic, and then he will be supported by the SS guys and dolls, and the usual democratic vote. If he wins and we get the democratic house and senate the economy will change for the better. Just remember what Jesus is supposedly done and many were against him and finally killed him. Be accepting of everyone and love everyone, it is not our job to judge but to see the real man with the conviction to help the many.
Just like the the congress our country was founded on coming together on hard and uncoventional ways. We need to come to the middle and decide our country on life support is worth more than a religious military state.
Maybe it is the religions that cause armageddon, not the people who do not believe in God.
@momma what more do you want the obama man to do...he has issued policies, compromised the integrity of govt offices and positions in critical areas for the sole purpose to promote g-ay agenda of LGTB...there's nothin else for him to do except hump a man in public or leave michelle for another man....there is no need for clarification this has been his position all the long...
To make an issue during an election year of whether or not 5% of the population can get married is ludicrous! Who, if anyone, is running Obama's election campaign? They just gave the opposition a lot of horse fodder to throw!
@ portland tony he he he he ha ha ha!!@jiffer mickey had a post yesterday where I went after him told him that I had hoped he was a troll!
Ahhh...now we see the Real hatred's "coming out."
The following is a rhetorical question:
Why–why–is it all right for us to discuss so many political issues during this election year, but one issue, equal rights for gays, is to be postponed until "sometime later," even according to many "progressive" activists?
Think about it.
What is the bottom line of this desire to delay the discussion of gay rights until every other problem in the world has been solved?
Hmmmmm?
The absolute-bottom line?
The Presidential election will not solve any gay issues. ie.. North Carolina's amendment. The economy is the main issue and shouldn't ' be sidetracked by social or religious problems that cannot be legislated into the social conscious!
@Portland- I think Biden kinda pushed the ball in the Presidents lap.
@ veteran:
Good morning. I'm rushed today. I missed some exchanges yesterday.
Not hate... just disagreement. Hate is too much of a buzz word these days. Its what people claim, when they get shot.
I personally think that a marriage should be between a male and a female.. However when looking at the candidates I will still choose Obama over the little rich boy who never knew the meaning of sweating it out in a JOB. Plus he wants women to roll over and play dead when it comes to their beliefs or their body. Surely there is someone better than Mitt. But this is America and the one with the most money always wins.
Two thoughts:
When the POTUS was a Senator of Illinois, he voiced his opinion then on the subject of gay marriage.
Therefore, it isn't some sudden epiphany; that has been his stance all along.
He was struggling with letting that opinion be known to the Nation.
I do not think this will hurt him any more that Romney's being a Mormon will hurt HIM.
ABC News’ Teddy Davis, Sunlen Miller, Tahman Bradley, and Rigel Anderson report: Barack Obama’s nuanced position on same-s@x marriage is on full display in an MTV interview which is set to air on Monday.
Obama told MTV he believes marriage is "between a man and a woman" and that he is "not in favor of gay marriage."
This was taken from an ABC News article from November 2, 2008
Sorry banasy, but I can't let your post stand as truth when It is obviously not.
And yes, Obama was flip/flopping back in his senatorial days. If one can't a stance and stick with it... how are we suppose to trust that individual?
He fails on all counts with me.
A lawyer should be well versed in LAW, not opinions...or what one considers to be a truth.
That still falls under the heading of opinion.
Philosophy? Not law, either.
I would hire a lawyer based on how well versed in law s/he is, not based on his opinion of law.
Banz. Are you living under a rock? We have states constantly (just yesterday!) passing bills to keep marriage between a man and a woman. and this is not going to hurt him??? It already has! Otherwise we wouldn't even be having this discussion!
Jj. I was speaking about lawyers.
Where th HELL did you see me saying anything about the marriage topic in the above post?
No, I have NOT been living under a rock, but does living in Arizona make you see words in a post that aren't there?
It is also well known on these boards that you did not/will not vote for Obama anyway, Jj...therefore, why the discussion at all?
lol...banasy does live under a rock Jj...further "bani" does not understand the fundamental basis for educating and becoming an attorney...
I would rather live under a rock than your version of the civilized world, Mmmmm, where hatred rules, and Havershams are the norm.
It would also be helful if one has a grasp of the written word before one writes the satanic verses of hate.
Speaking is parables didn't work very well two thousand years ago, and it doesn't now.
To Mmmm: You have no understanding of law and what it takes to be an attorney. Further, although philosphy may have been used somewhat in the creation of law, only law can be used in court. Just ask any philosophy major; they are not attorneys, and cannot practice as such. It would be against the law.
@terry your arguments are juvenile and baseless...the first requirement of any law that it has moral integrity anything less than that would make it an illicit law...also your definition of "fair" is also corrupt...there is nothing fair about condoning evil and the harm it imposes...lastly civic laws are not the standard for determining what is good or evil...
@ scottish mama your answer to all that deregulation stuff is on the thread about f 22 airplanes and the thread about the naval green fleet. the answer why you dont want obama and his socialist agenda is on the socialist greece thread. apparantly you have a lot to learn. the left wing neo nazis are running wild in greece bashing the jews and promoting aryan supremacy. the very word nazi is defined as NATIONAL SOCIALIST WORKERS PARTY.
Science baaaaaaaaaaad. Right.