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White House denounces NC’s anti-gay amendment

Post on September 14, 2011 by 5 Comments »

President Barack Obama stayed “on message” Wednesday while in Raleigh focusing on passage of the American Jobs Act. But the White House did issue a statement denouncing the proposed anti-gay marriage amendment that passed the Republican-led General Assembly this week, and will be on the North Carolina ballot next May.

According to the Washington Blade, White House spokesman Shin Inouye issued this response:

“The President has long believed that gay and lesbian couples deserve the same rights and legal protections as straight couples. That’s why he has called for repeal of the so-called ‘Defense of Marriage Act’ and determined that his Administration would no longer defend the constitutionality of DOMA in the courts. He has also said that the states should determine for themselves how best to uphold the rights of their own citizens.

 

“While the President does not weigh in on every single action taken by legislative bodies in our country, the record is clear that the President has long opposed divisive and discriminatory efforts to deny rights and benefits to same sex couples. The President believes strongly in stopping laws designed to take rights away.”

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Comments (Closed):5

  1. Disaffected DEM
    September 14, 2011 at 2:59 pm

    did he actually say he supported legalization of same sex marriage?

  2. HunterC
    September 14, 2011 at 3:01 pm

    WTF? This isn’t a statement denouncing NC’s civil unions-banning amendment.

    This is a state’s right comment clear out of the 1950s and a repeat of Obama’s California “God’s in the mix” mumbo-jumbo instead of coming right out and opposing Prop 8.

    It’s the same thing here.

    Just freakin’ say “VOTE NO ON THE AMENDMENT”

    It’s not that hard.

    Attention all supposedly-gay friendly Democratic politicians:
    If you don’t outright oppose this civil-unions banning, benefit-stripping amendment, you will be met with the same contempt as the Stams and Forresters of the world.

    It’s not just this politically watchful gay citizen speaking on this count. Trust me. People look for leaders to lead.

    So, go talk to your consultants. Look at the polling on civil unions and benefits. Gather your courage, and speak clearly.

    You will be rewarded in the present political climate and in the history books.

    Middling nonsense like this stuff Obama is spewing has lost him allies and volunteers and donors in the LGBT community. Don’t repeat his mistakes.

  3. g_whiz
    September 14, 2011 at 3:03 pm

    I find the problem here that suggesting the State has the right to dictate terms on marital equality makes it much more difficult to say outright that banning it on the state’s constitutional level is wrong. In my mind, it means that the only way to liberate the people who live in states that consider their relationships both separate and unequal is to adjust for it on the federal level…which it seems many are reluctant to do. Hence further limbo for the couples and families hanging in the balance.

  4. Mendacity of Hope
    September 14, 2011 at 3:05 pm

    middling nonsense from the President has lost him a lot of support among anti-war activists too.

  5. Frances Jenkins
    September 15, 2011 at 5:03 am

    Has Governor Perdue made any comment one way or another about the gay marriage amendment? What is her position?