May 9, 2012

Column #1,602

Obama’s Support of Gay Marriage Is Self-Destructive

By Mike McManus

            Obama has just made himself a one-term President by telling ABC, “I think that same-sex couples should be able to get married.”

            Up till now, he was politically savvy, saying his position was “evolving.”  But in repealing the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, sophisticates knew where he stood.  Another clear signal was Obama’s refusal to allow the Justice Department to defend in court the Defense of Marriage Act defining marriage as “a legal union between one man and one woman.” 

Congress feared the U.S. government would pay Social Security survivors benefits to “husbands” of men dying of AIDS. DOMA passed in 1996 by 342-67 in the House and by 85-14 in the Senate.  Even Joe Biden voted for it.

            By not saying he favored gay marriage, Obama clearly hoped to avoid galvanizing conservatives in such states as North Carolina, voting this week on whether to pass a constitutional amendment to limit marriage to unions of one man and one woman.

            Vice President Joe Biden “outed” the President by saying on Meet the Press, “I am absolutely comfortable with the fact that men marrying men, women marrying women and heterosexual men and women marrying are entitled to the same exact rights.” A day later Education Secretary Arne Duncan said he favored same-sex marriage.

            Obama’s appointees created an unexpected pressure on him to declare his support openly, but on Monday his press spokesman would only say the President’s position is “evolving.” For three years?

That was no longer a tenable position. He had to state his support, as he once did in running for the Illinois Senate.

But at what cost?

North Carolina became the 32^nd state on Tuesday to vote against same-sex marriage. The public has been given a voice 32 times, and voted it down every time.

Obama knew this fact on Wednesday in declaring his backing. 

Some said he was courageous. Perhaps, but I conclude he signed his death certificate.

North Carolina is a state he won narrowly in 2008.  But it voted 61-39 in favor of traditional marriage.  Will it forget Obama thumbed his nose at their vote the next day?

Maine’s Legislature voted for same-sex marriage in 2009.  But the public overturned it in a referendum in 2010, and voted out dozens of legislators who supported it.

Maryland’s Legislature voted for same-sex marriage by one vote, but Catholic and black churches are gathering signatures for a November ballot, where I predict it will be overturned.

Consider California which gave Obama a 24 point margin over McCain in 2008 but at the same time it approved “Proposition 8” to put “one man, one woman” into the constitution by 52-48.

That was not an easy victory. An early poll in the liberal state opposed Prop 8 by 54 to 40.  Thousands of evangelical and Catholic churches got involved and raised millions to make a case for Prop 8.

One TV ad stated,  “Children in public schools will have to be taught that same-sex marriage is just as good as traditional marriage.” 

The supporters of gay marriage were horrified and raised millions for ads of California’s Superintendent of Schools charging that Prop 8 had nothing to do with the schools, adding that same-sex marriage would not be taught in public schools.

            Counter ads proved him wrong, noting California’s schools have to teach “respect for marriage and committed relationships.”     

            The battle then turned nasty.  Tens of thousands of “Yes on 8" signs were  stolen, or

vandalized with a swastika or with the word BIGOT. Organizers of Prop 8 found their

own property defaced, such as spray- painting a car rear window: BIGOTS LIVE  HERE, with an

arrow pointed toward the house

                              A church was spray-painted NO ON 8 - EQUAL RIGHTS.

            A new round of ads supporting Prop 8 ads began with a man’s calm voice saying “The restoration of traditional marriage is something that millions have supported. Marriage between a man and a woman is hardly controversial. It binds men and women to create a loving environment for the raising up of children.”

  It then depicted how supporters of Prop 8 “have been excoriated, vilified, harassed,

called bigots. Property has been destroyed by roaming vandals, churches have been defaced, donors to our campaign have been beaten and hospitalized.”

            Another ad warned that if Prop 8 failed, that adoption agencies would be forced to place children with same-sex couples.  Hollywood and gays raised $32 million for pro-gay ads. Churches raised $38 million, winning over blacks who voted for Obama, but for Prop 8. 

© Copyright 2002 Michael J. McManus