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Obama affirms “same-sex couples should be able to get married.”

Today President Barak Obama came forward to affirm marriage equality for Gay and Lesbian Couples!  Thank you.  I know that in a heated race for President this was not an easy one (although LGBT activists have wanted you to affirm this for many years!).  But as you ran on Hope and Change as your themes in 2008, I am glad to see that you have the ability to change and grow.  I know the Republican leadership will try and discredit you-more than they have already done so-because at the core of their party are Christian right wing supporters who really don’t see gay men and lesbians as full human beings or full citizens.  

Our public policy has made marriage a cornerstone.   If you deny access to that institution then you deny access to the full rights and responsibilities of citizenship.  If someone chooses not to get married that is again their personal choice (more people are doing just that-not marrying), but for those couples who want to -it ought to be available.  Marriage is a civil right.  If any church or synagogue believes differently they can deny their wedding sacraments to anyone who crosses their threshold.  But the local county registrar may not. 

Thank you again Mr. President and Mr. Vice-President for “evolving” and growing on this issue and showing that it is possible to learn and change one’s mind with a sense of integrity.

OBAMA: I have to tell you that over the course of several years as I have talked to friends and family and neighbors when I think about members of my own staff who are in incredibly committed monogamous relationships, same-sex relationships, who are raising kids together, when I think about those soldiers or airmen or marines or sailors who are out there fighting on my behalf and yet feel constrained, even now that Don’t Ask Don’t Tell is gone, because they are not able to commit themselves in a marriage, at a certain point I’ve just concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same sex couples should be able to get married.