Scanning the Heavens

President Obama has finally got off the fence, and come out of the White House closet in support of Gay Marriage.   As the New York Times reports:

President Obamadeclared for the first time on Wednesday that he supportssame-sex marriage, putting the moral power of his presidency behind a social issue that continues to divide the country.

“At a certain point,” Mr. Obama said in an interview in the Cabinet Room at the White House with ABC’s Robin Roberts, “I’ve just concluded that for me personally, it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same-sex couples should be able to get married.”

The president has framed the issue as a personal one for himself, as a christian.  He said

 you know, we are both practicing Christians and obviously this position may be considered to put us at odds with the views of others but, you know, when we think about our faith, the thing at root that we think about is, not only Christ sacrificing himself on our behalf, but it’s also the Golden Rule, you know, treat others the way you would want to be treated. And I think that’s what we try to impart to our kids and that’s what motivates me as president and I figure the most consistent I can be in being true to those precepts, the better I’ll be as a as a dad and a husband and hopefully the better I’ll be as president.”

Yes, it is divisive.  Yes, it is risky.  But it is the right thing to do.  The time for “evolving” thoughts is over.   

The President’s hand may have been forced by the Vice-President’s comments on Sunday about gay marriage, but in light of the travesty of the North Carolina “Amendment 1” vote yesterday, it is important to put this issue out front, and tackle it head-on.  It will mobilize the base, it will win back some of the support from many progressives disappointed with the president over the past three plus years.   It will also mobilize his opponents, and send the religious right into a frenzy, but I am thinking that is ok too.    It is not like the right wing doesn’t hate him already.  

Equality now.  For all.  Thank you Mr. President.