Richard Kim, executive editor of The Nation, and Wayne Besen, founder and executive director of Truth Wins Out, join “Viewpoint” host Eliot Spitzer to analyze President Obama’s comments supporting gay marriage during an interview with ABC’s Robin Roberts, excerpts of which were published online today.
Kim argues that Obama’s comments won’t directly impact legislation: “In terms of the policy now, changing what actually happens on the ground, this doesn’t do anything really … There’s a long road ahead to getting rid of the Defense of Marriage Act and to overturning these 30 state constitutional bans on same-sex marriage.” Besen counters Kim by noting how important Obama’s remarks will be in shaping public opinion. “It’s going to snowball, others are going to follow suit, and that’s where the huge change is going to occur,” he says. “You have to start with the public opinion before the policy’s changed, and this was a wonderful step in that direction.”
Hey Wayne. That was awesome! As a Canadian, I applaud all efforts to achieve marriage equality and GLBT human rights.
Wayne, I only moved back to my childhood home in NC a couple of years ago and couldn’t believe how little things have changed. Every day I’ve felt more isolated, so you can imagine how dire it felt after the vote on Amendment One. The President’s statement was like a new spotlight shining down to reveal the ignorance and wrong that had just been done to us. And of course that has been your life’s work. The day after the election I was wearing my “Thank god you can’t pray away the gay” t-shirt. Again… Thank you.
I think the context-setting of Obama’s statement is huge and should be applauded. He is the leader of our perception of the Western world and the advocate of what we all universally understand as freedom. As a Irish man living in Europe in a civil partnership in what are turbulent economic times when gay rights and other issues such as this are being relegated to the policy dungeon, I think we in the gay community are witnessing a turning point in our sense of citizenship across the globe.
The Emancipation Proclamation was the historical precedent for this this type of change. It did not end slavery, but it lead to legislation (13-15 amendments) that did. in 150 years I believe people will look back on this in similar fashion and know this is a person, of extreme importance, that has had a moment of clarity and wants what is fair for his people, and that all men(people) are created equal! Thank you Mr President for making me proud, yet again, to be an American!