It seemed to me to be truly unfortunate that I was on as self-imposed Twitter ban as the media storm broke around Obama’s support for same-sex marriage. For I would have used those 140 characters to say some choice words on the matter.
I was, for lack of a better expression, ‘pissed off’ with Obama. For if there’s one thing I hate, it’s politicians using popular movements to simply to win the vote.
Call me naïve, idealistic, or even stupid but I honestly don’t understand it. If Obama was so for same-sex marriages then why didn’t anything appear in December 2010 when the congressional bill to repeal Don’t –Ask-Don’t-Tell (DADT) was enacted? Why now, with less than seven months until America votes, has chosen to take a stance?
Most people give credit to the argument that the Obama spin machine had to go into overdrive after VP Biden let it slip. Fair enough. However Biden is a well-known loose cannon in the political spectrum and the Obama team have always seemed, if not happy, able to deal with it.
Why then would Obama use such an obvious political tactic? Someone correct me but this seems just to be a sound bite based on the successful New York state legislation, a way to score some points from Romney, and to gain another one-man-up-ship, after first repealing DADT, on a certain ex-President Clinton , the last Democratic President before Obama. Not to mention the small relief it provided from the continual pessimistic splurge of news about the budget and economy.
I have been for many years embarrassingly pro-Obama. I am in fact so pro-Obama that I very nearly donated to a campaign of a President, from a country that I have no links to whatsoever. Mock me as you will. I understand the civic importance of this occasion, welcome it in fact, yet it grieves me that a President who plays on people’s ideology is really using it cynically after all. Is it odd that I would rather a politician come out and state that they have conflicting feelings on the issue? Though I loathe it, as it goes against everything I believe in, as least Bush Jr’s DOMA (Defence of the Marriage Act) was driven by what he believes in. Rather than what Obama believes he should.
I support the right for same-sex couples to marry. I realise that for a politician there never will be an ideal way of going about it. It just frustrates me that the LGBT community is not being championed in this case, but rather they have been objectified and categorised as a vote to win. Nice use of the human touch, Obama.
Whilst well argued, I think this article has overdosed a bit on the touch of healthy cynicism we should have when politicians make bold moves like this.
This move was a brave one for Obama and a massive risk. As someone who has followed him, or so claims to have, you would know he has genuinely battled with his viewpoints on the issue of gay marriage – this is the final evolution in his acceptance of its moral merits.
Whilst I’ve no doubt that there were political motives behind his announcement and the timing of it, the move is not what I would call a ‘vote grabber’. The vast majority of homosexuals vote for Democrat candidates anyway, and ‘gay marriage’ isn’t a particularly strong buzz issue for independents or those of the centre ground that ultimately often decide close elections like this one.
In fact, I would say Obama’s move will only serve to solidify the Christian right in America – which has until now been lukewarm towards Romney, hurting his election chances – around the 2012 Republican candidate, thus perhaps eliminating one of the key positives Obama had going for him coming up to the election.
I think it is about time people gave Obama credit where credit is due; he has not held up to every expectation of him, but if we judge the every move politicians make with the cynical perception of it as ‘point scoring’, and don’t allow them to change their mind even if for the better or to do what they think is morally right, then we are not fairly considering them the normal fallible humans they are. Obama had a right to change his mind, and I think he did so for genuine reasons.
I actually think what is more likely is that Obama has been pro-legalising same sex marriage for some time, but it’s only been politically expediant to say so now. I understand your concerns, but I think on balance if some ambiguity about your views on sensitive topics is helpful for getting you elected then that’s okay. I should say this is mostly only my mentality about US elections, where I think I would back any Democrat over any Republican; The GOP are so terrible we must be much more prepared to eat some populism once in a while if it helps the Democrats.
p.s.
“I very nearly donated to a campaign of a President, from a country that I have no links to whatsoever”
Fairly sure that’s not legal anyway.
“Bush Jr’s DOMA (Defence of the Marriage Act)”
The Defence of Marriage Act was signed by Clinton in 1996, it has nothing to do with Bush. Although why let a simple thing like facts and get in the way of some Bush Bashing?
From looking at his work over the years, it seems Obama has been in support for some time, it is just not a subject that is likely to be beneficial for him to shout loudly about until now, meaning that the Southern states are a larger majority than the Gay/Bi ect. group.
He is of course doing this to gain votes however, and no matter what his supporters are trying to say, he is not putting on such a campaign simply because ‘now is the time’, but so what? If it gets him votes so be it, people vote for who they like and who they feel would best represent them. If it means that Mitt Romney stays out of office even better.
The realisation that it is a 2 party system needs to be addressed, would you rather have a person that is there for people and willing to defend them no matter what? Or someone who openly bullied a gay boy at school (which he is now trying to back track on) and now seems to have those same tactics to get into office, instead of saying how good he is, making videos of how ‘Obama has let down the people’ where people say that they lost their jobs in the last 4 years.
Also to say that you supported Bush, even though you didn’t agree with his stand point is ridiculous! On that basis BNP or even combat 18 deserve to win every election as they are willing to kick people’s heads in for what they believe in.