President Obama Endorses Same-Sex Marriage

For the full effect imagine every S and hard C being whistled.

From a moral perspective, bravo. From a political perspective, I don't know. No matter what your beliefs are, you have to acknowledge that this could bite him in the ass a bit in November. The gay vote is going to overwhelmingly go to him anyway, so there's not much to gain there except a little boost in mobilization. Social conservatives will already go to Romney, despite all the back and forth in the primaries, and it may actually work against Obama here by giving the holdouts who doubt Romney's evangelical appeal a reason to come out. And it may hurt with women a bit, the probable swing vote this year. A lot of women voters are turned off by all the primary talk about women's rights, but that may not necessarily translate into support for gay marriage. Despite the polls showing 50 percent of Americans supporting it, it's still a divisive, hot button issue. He's been right to avoid it, from a strategic perspective.

@Jay444111 said:

@SeriouslyNow said:

@Jay444111 said:

@SeriouslyNow said:

@Jay444111 said:

Oh, another thing... now I am not a homophobe or anything, but think about 2000 years ago when their still wasn't that many people around, they kinda HAD to populate as much as possible in order to get as many humans out there as possible, Being gay though makes that impossible so I think there is resentment over that...

I could be UNBELIEVABLY wrong but it does make sense. I mean, hell, back then a freaking sliver can kill a man so going at it like bunny rabbits and producing as many children as possible and not encouraging homosexual stuff kinda makes sense. Nowadays it doesn't and with how we are able to live compared to back then. I don't see the need for these now insane traditions which only seek to hate people for any little thing about them. Who cares if it two dudes or two girls? WHO CARES? Let them be happy together then!

The Ancient Greeks, the Ancient Romans, the Egyptians, the Sumerians, the Chinese, Japanese and Indians all had famous/legendary homosexual characters in their cultures. Homosexuality is part of our history. You are, as always, unbelievably wrong.

oh... sorry then! No need to be a jerk about this whole thing. Your almost as bad as Alexwood sometimes.

Maybe stop making wild offensive claims which have no basis in reality. How about that eh? That would be nice.

Dude... people died by slivers 2000 years ago. I am not joking, that was insanely common and getting to age 20 was being INSANELY lucky. Thus families and men and women HAD to produce in order to keep humanity going! Hell, technically we are all inbreed due to how few humans there once was. However, about the homosexual thing.

Man with Man does not equal babies. Female with Female has no babies unless... using certain tools... but anyways... Back then the bible was most likely written. There most likely was a thing with the writers that humanity had to continue and that anti gay thing in it was one of the ways such as thou shalt not kill and such. Most of the bible is mainly made for the sane fact that it gives hope to the poor and weak.

I can go deeper into this. But if it wasn't for going at it like bunnies back then. You and I most likely would never have existed.

Not to sound anti homosexual or anything. I proudly support those guys/gals. Just saying that back then... without the bible and that stuff... a lot more humans may have been killed/not existed and we wouldn't be here like we are today without it. Sure holy wars and all that are horrible. But those are the power hungry jackasses in power. Hell... they would've still been in power even if the bible never existed.

Just saying. I don't mean to offend anyone, you just got to look at the past and see the results of what transpired and see the effects. Much like a scientist.

The Crusades. Open a history book sometime and READ IT (try avoiding the need to tell us how poor the author(s) might be). 'Back then' isn't just some catch all term you can use to justify your ignorance and push forward more of your offensively uneducated claims. You have no context for Back Then.

I really should avoid talking to you. You;re most clearly a troll account.

Political maneuvering? You don't say!
 
Now let's just watch as -
 a) He does nothing about it ever 
 b) Conservative nutters go so insane in rage that regular people say "what the fuck? these people are craaazy" and shift support away from them
 
Don't even have to lift a finger. Just let the ultra religious, chest thumping, flag wearing crazies destroy themselves.

Is it worrying that the first thing I can think of when Obama announced this is that he might get assassinated by some religious nut over his stance?

@SeriouslyNow: Okay. I am pretty damn convinced that even if I wrote a award winning post about all that stuff I bet you would still complain so lets agree to disagree because of your pettiness and unability to actually respect others.

@Jay444111 said:

@SeriouslyNow: Okay. I am pretty damn convinced that even if I wrote a award winning post about all that stuff I bet you would still complain so lets agree to disagree because of your pettiness and unability to actually respect others.

lmao please try to write an award winning post about all that stuff

In an election year!? No way! Way to pander for votes prez. If you think that the endorsement and the fact that it's a voting year are mutually exclusive things, you are wrong. Period. Also, you should be upset that he waited til an election year to do this. I for one don't care as it's a non issue to me.

@Jayzilla said:

In an election year!? No way! Way to pander for votes prez. If you think that the endorsement and the fact that it's a voting year are mutually exclusive things, you are wrong. Period. Also, you should be upset that he waited til an election year to do this. I for one don't care as it's a non issue to me.

Well it's clearly an issue for many other people. NC just voted about it.

@Jay444111 said:

@SeriouslyNow: Okay. I am pretty damn convinced that even if I wrote a award winning post about all that stuff I bet you would still complain so lets agree to disagree because of your pettiness and unability to actually respect others.

Jay, please write an award winning post 'about that stuff'. It would be great. When you're done we the audience will tell you the awards you've won.

well that is good news. i don't have a problem with gays getting married.

@Spankmealotus said:

I wish we could stop talking about this. There are bigger issues. Let anybody marry anybody they want under the law. It's such a huge waste of time to even debate this as it has no actual impact on anything other than taking up time. We have real problems that should be getting discussed.

People can do whatever they want with their lives.

@Jay444111 said:

@SeriouslyNow: Okay. I am pretty damn convinced that even if I wrote a award winning post about all that stuff I bet you would still complain so lets agree to disagree because of your pettiness and unability to actually respect others.

I seriously doubt your ability to write an award winning post.

I'm just saying! Alright everyone! No need to jump down any ones throats tonight!

His use of the word 'affirm' means it was already law in his mind, and in some of the other minds around him. However, I don't know if this is the best time to make statements like this. I believe he would have got the majority of the LGBT vote, as are that group going to honestly rely on a republican to make that law?! He's good guy Obama.

In more important news.. good to hear an Avengers 2 is confirmed.

@CL60, it is time for one of your posts. Get on it!

he only turned around on it to secure votes from the gay community. it's pretty obvious to me. he says one thing. i'm guessing he'll put a typical move that politicians do and double back on what he had said.

There could be no more vivid demonstration of that than the vote in North Carolina on Tuesday, in which an uncompromising measure banning not just marriage but also civil unions passed by a 61 to 39 per cent margin.
All the so-called "Bible Belt" states in the south-eastern US have now taken similar steps; 29 US states have passed constitutional amendments barring same-sex marriage.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/obama-defies-bible-belt-with-support-for-gay-marriage-7729226.html

Wow, I underestimated how hardline that end of America is when it comes to that sort of thing. Repulsive.

@rjayb89 said:

I don't think Ryan will want to be on this planet anymore.

Too soon.

@Unilad said:

His use of the word 'affirm' means it was already law in his mind, and in some of the other minds around him. However, I don't know if this is the best time to make statements like this. I believe he would have got the majority of the LGBT vote, as are that group going to honestly rely on a republican to make that law?! He's good guy Obama.

In more important news.. good to hear an Avengers 2 is confirmed.

No...

As his reelection campaign fires up he has been looking like a pussy his entire first term. To get the youth vote like he did last time he needs to come out and start saying shit that needs to be said.

First Term was all promises, now it's time he shows people that he's a rational human being and make the republican conservative party looks like monsters. That's what will get him reelected.

@SpikeSpiegel said:

@CL60, it is time for one of your posts. Get on it!

Finnally!

@frankfartmouth said:

From a moral perspective, bravo. From a political perspective, I don't know. No matter what your beliefs are, you have to acknowledge that this could bite him in the ass a bit in November. The gay vote is going to overwhelmingly go to him anyway, so there's not much to gain there except a little boost in mobilization. Social conservatives will already go to Romney, despite all the back and forth in the primaries, and it may actually work against Obama here by giving the holdouts who doubt Romney's evangelical appeal a reason to come out. And it may hurt with women a bit, the probable swing vote this year. A lot of women voters are turned off by all the primary talk about women's rights, but that may not necessarily translate into support for gay marriage. Despite the polls showing 50 percent of Americans supporting it, it's still a divisive, hot button issue. He's been right to avoid it, from a strategic perspective.

The main problem, which is something we saw in California, is that even though half of (or more than half of) Americans support gay marriage or are indifferent, aside from homosexuals themselves, the people that oppose gay marriage are much more passionate in their beliefs.

Even though I think most Americans are okay with gay marriage, the opponents are much more motivated to vote against it, whereas a lot of tacit supporters can't be assed with going to the voting booth. I actually feel that way about a lot of elections and votes: the liberals aren't as staunchly defensive of their position, so the conservative minority get to run the country.

@MattyFTM said:

@AlexW00d said:

@CitizenKane said:

the most powerful person in the world

lol

Who is more powerful, then?

@Jayzilla said:

In an election year!? No way! Way to pander for votes prez. If you think that the endorsement and the fact that it's a voting year are mutually exclusive things, you are wrong. Period. Also, you should be upset that he waited til an election year to do this. I for one don't care as it's a non issue to me.

He has clearly been on the fence from the get go, the beginning of this answer back in 2010 shows that.

OBAMA ADMITS TO BEING A GAY COMMUNIST MUSLIM - IS THIS THE KIND OF PERSON YOU WANT RUNNING YOUR COUNTRY?

@Three0neFive said:

OBAMA ADMITS TO BEING A GAY COMMUNIST MUSLIM - IS THIS THE KIND OF PERSON YOU WANT RUNNING YOUR COUNTRY?

I do hope that's an attempt at humour.

As Jeff would say, "Soon your parents will be dead." Then we can move past this even being a question.

@SeriouslyNow said:

@Three0neFive said:

OBAMA ADMITS TO BEING A GAY COMMUNIST MUSLIM - IS THIS THE KIND OF PERSON YOU WANT RUNNING YOUR COUNTRY?

I do hope that's an attempt at humour.

ALSO HE'S BLACK

I don't think Obama had to say anything. I think he knew he had to do the right thing. This may be detrimental to his campaign, but the point is, in 2012, the POTUS endorsed marriage equality. This was a risky move, but he had to make it, and that's brave.

@Three0neFive said:

@SeriouslyNow said:

@Three0neFive said:

OBAMA ADMITS TO BEING A GAY COMMUNIST MUSLIM - IS THIS THE KIND OF PERSON YOU WANT RUNNING YOUR COUNTRY?

I do hope that's an attempt at humour.

ALSO HE'S BLACK

Is he?! Quick, call the police!

@Sweep said:

@Three0neFive said:

@SeriouslyNow said:

@Three0neFive said:

OBAMA ADMITS TO BEING A GAY COMMUNIST MUSLIM - IS THIS THE KIND OF PERSON YOU WANT RUNNING YOUR COUNTRY?

I do hope that's an attempt at humour.

ALSO HE'S BLACK

Is he?! Quick, call the police!

Guys, I'm on the phone with the police, but I'm pretty sure the cop I'm talking to is also black.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THIS COUNTRY!?!!

@Wrighteous86 said:

The main problem, which is something we saw in California, is that even though half of (or more than half of) Americans support gay marriage or are indifferent, aside from homosexuals themselves, the people that oppose gay marriage are much more passionate in their beliefs.

Even though I think most Americans are okay with gay marriage, the opponents are much more motivated to vote against it, whereas a lot of tacit supporters can't be assed with going to the voting booth. I actually feel that way about a lot of elections and votes: the liberals aren't as staunchly defensive of their position, so the conservative minority get to run the country.

Nail on the head, dude. It's the exact problem that social progression faces when fighting conservatives. And it's the reason why the GOP has been so much more successful in mobilizing their base over the past many years, because they have such an easy, hot button issue to fall back on to get people fired up about. "They're trying to destroy God!" inherently gets a lot more people going than "I think we should all be fair and reasonable and allow this minority group of people the same marriage rights that the rest of us enjoy." Sure, sounds good, but it doesn't have the same ominous, us or them, get them before they get you, everybody freak out quality that the GOP can muster with their pandering to stark religious sensibilities. Liberals used to do it with unions, and by pitting the little man against the corporate monster, but that's not as effective as it used to be. There are some really passionate representatives of liberalism out there though. Bernie Sanders is one. Dude gets me fired up.

@AlexW00d said:

@CitizenKane said:

the most powerful person in the world

lol

You write that a lot, huh? Not a very constructive way to contribute to a conversation.

@CitizenKane said:

@Unknown_Pleasures said:

About time.

Yeah, it has made me mad about him knowing that he has always favored it, but secluding it to try to not damage his first campaign for President. Better late than never, though.

Seems like a real vote grab. I mean I'm glad he's finally got off the freakin' fence and took a side but... total vote grab.

He's just saying it to get your vote. He will do nothing to help legalize gay marriage in states that don't have it. Don't get suckered. I'm still voting for Romney.

Romney apologizes after bullying incidents in high school revealed

A Washington Post investigation into Mitt Romney’s years at the Cranbrook School in Michigan, which included a disturbing account of Romney bullying a student who later turned out to be gay, earned an unusual apology from the presumptive GOP presidential nominee Thursday morning...
 
...Five classmates described to the Washington Post on record an incident in which Romney, then a high school senior, teased and ultimately assaulted a student, John Lauber. According to their account, Romney mocked the student’s long blond hair, recalling that he once said, “He can’t look like that. That’s wrong. Just look at him!” before joining classmates in chasing him, pinning him to the ground and cutting his hair as Lauber screamed for help.

“I certainly don’t believe that I thought the fellow was homosexual,” Romney told Kilmeade. “That was the furthest thing from our minds back in the 1960s.”
While other students who were involved told the Post they’ve been haunted by Lauber’s abuse decades after the fact, Romney told Kilmeade, “I don’t remember that incident.” One of Romney’s classmates told the Post he met Lauber years later and apologized for not stopping the bullying, prompting Lauber to respond that it was “horrible” and “something I have thought about a lot since then.” Lauber died in 2004.

To be fair to the people who were called bigots for opposing gay marriage. There is also the chance that it was due to idiocy. Most people oppose same-sex marriage because of bigotry towards gay people, but they could have simply been fooled by one of the factual baseless arguments used by opponents of same-sex marriage.

The seem to be the only available options to me since in nearly a decade of debating this topic I have never found an argument against same-sex marriage that actually holds up to scrutiny.

Good, on Obama for doing this. He's still a kind of shitty president.

This is just pure politics to get the gay vote and get the donor money, don't let words fool you.

@Sweep said:

@Three0neFive said:

@SeriouslyNow said:

@Three0neFive said:

OBAMA ADMITS TO BEING A GAY COMMUNIST MUSLIM - IS THIS THE KIND OF PERSON YOU WANT RUNNING YOUR COUNTRY?

I do hope that's an attempt at humour.

ALSO HE'S BLACK

Is he?! Quick, call the police!

No cause for alarm. He's not wearing a hoodie, nor is he holding skittles and tea.

Fascinating. Now let's move on to the real issues!

I wouldn't hold your breathe though. Lets wait and see how long it take for something to actually get done. I may look like a sign of support, but it carries no weight until someone writes a bill. If he really wanted to do something he could have the bill written up and in front of congress within weeks. However, I would be willing to bet anyone a million dollars that nothing happens before election.

Let gays and lesbians have marital problems too much like straight couples! YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!

Joke aside, well that's cool the president sides with it unless it's the times influencing public image. Wow I just said some blabber at the end of the sentence.

@BraveToaster said:

@forkboy said:

@BraveToaster said:

@forkboy said:

@gamefreak9 said:

@BraveToaster said:

Trying to secure that gay vote...

the truth is here!

I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not here fellas so I'm just going to assume the worst of ya, as is the way with the internet (everyone is dumb as sin but me, valuable rule to live by).

A Democratic candidate for president is going to get "the gay vote" even without endorsing gay marriage by virtue of not being the party that attracts wingnuts who supports 19th century policies like throwing gays in jail.

I didn't know being gay made you a Democrat. Can you tell me, an uninformed straight guy, more?

Nah. It doesn't. But it's little coincedence that a large proportion of homosexuals vote for more socially liberal parties than socially conservative parties, due to socially conservative parties often opposing equal rights for homosexuals. It's pretty straight forward

And don't you think this announcement will secure any votes from gay people who were previously on the fence about Obama? I'm sure there is a large portion of gays out there who believe that Obama's an idiot and would much rather have someone else run the country.

I think it will attract as many people as it drives away. Equal rights for gays is a pretty divisive issue. I tend to share the view with Scott Rasmussen from Rasmussen Reports, the US polling company, who thinks this will be more or less vote-neutral.

@forkboy said:

@BraveToaster said:

@forkboy said:

@BraveToaster said:

@forkboy said:

@gamefreak9 said:

@BraveToaster said:

Trying to secure that gay vote...

the truth is here!

I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not here fellas so I'm just going to assume the worst of ya, as is the way with the internet (everyone is dumb as sin but me, valuable rule to live by).

A Democratic candidate for president is going to get "the gay vote" even without endorsing gay marriage by virtue of not being the party that attracts wingnuts who supports 19th century policies like throwing gays in jail.

I didn't know being gay made you a Democrat. Can you tell me, an uninformed straight guy, more?

Nah. It doesn't. But it's little coincedence that a large proportion of homosexuals vote for more socially liberal parties than socially conservative parties, due to socially conservative parties often opposing equal rights for homosexuals. It's pretty straight forward

And don't you think this announcement will secure any votes from gay people who were previously on the fence about Obama? I'm sure there is a large portion of gays out there who believe that Obama's an idiot and would much rather have someone else run the country.

I think it will attract as many people as it drives away. Equal rights for gays is a pretty divisive issue. I tend to share the view with Scott Rasmussen from Rasmussen Reports, the US polling company, who thinks this will be more or less vote-neutral.

What I want to know is why this little reply-fest here keeps showing up in my inbox....

It is a smart move for him to make politically. The same people who are incensed about Obama's endorsement of gay marriage are the same people who weren't going to vote for him anyway. What this announcement does is further mobilize and enthuse his already existing base as well as snatch up some of those mythical young people votes who would otherwise be apathetic because economics and shit are boring.

@CitizenKane said:

@robot4me said:

Everybody I talk to in the real world are pissed about Obama. I don't think Obama truly supports same-sex marriage He is a politician and needs votes this November so he now supports same-sex marriage. A gay / lesbian person who hates Obama might change their opinion after hearing he supports same-sex marriage.

He actually openly supported it back when was in the Illinois Senate, but later fuzzled his opinion when running for President. It is actually risky for him to openly support gay marriage, even nowadays.

As someone who lives in the bible belt, the notion that this is all a devious ploy for votes is infinitely hilarious to me. Supporting gay marriage is an instant no-no for so many people around here that it's hard to imagine it worth losing them for what he'd gain from pro-gay voters. Especially since practically all of them would be voting for him anyway.

Everyone in the political circus has such a short memory. He used to get all kinds of flak for being too 'pro-gay' and now they're acting as if he used to be a staunch defender of same-sex marriage.

In 1996 he was for it, on camera.

In 2004 he was against it, on camera

In 2008 he was against it, on camera

In 2009 he was against it, on camera

In 2010 he was against it, on camera

In 2011 he was against it, on camera

In 2012 he was against it until a couple days ago when the VP and other Democrats put him between a rock and a hard place and now he's for it.

Such a bold president. Don't forget he does still state that it is and SHOULD be a state's rights issue and up to the state to decide.

@Dany said:

@NTM said:

@Bourbon_Warrior said:

@NTM said:

Of course he does, he wants more votes. I say boo to him, thumbs down for that.

You gotta be kidding me. America has to be on of the most hobophobic countries outside the middle-east in the world.

Hobophobic? I won't correct you on that one.

Boo to him? The fuck do want want him to say? Its Election Season 2012, everything he and Romney says are to get more voters. You think he is in-genuine about his stance?

Yes, I do say boo to him. There's more percentage of people in the United States now that don't mind gay marriage, and it's as if he looked at the polls and said "OH! OK, well I guess I'm for it, the majority of those people will like me, and so I'll go with it." I don't think Romney is better or anything, I'm just saying I'd like to have an honest president, who wouldn't? To ask for such a thing isn't dumb, and saying "come on, let's be realistic", which is what I believe you're trying to say, is idiotic. Also, ingenuine is not a word. And to the other person who says America has to be one of the most homophobic countries in the world, that may be true, but it doesn't mean that the majority of us now believe gay marriage shouldn't happen. I think it's been changing, and it'll keep changing in the future. Obama realizes, and the rest of American's as well should realize already that it's changing.