Dare we dream: DOMA down?

Well, no. Not yet. But at least now there is a glimmer of hope that at the National level one day DOMA indeed could go down as a "was" instead of a present reality hindering equality as law of the land.

It's no longer too far fetched to dream that one day in America LGBT adults may actually have the same privilege of being married across State lines to their chosen partner. Here are just some of the 1138 reasons why marriage equality matters.

Now, for the news from yesterday. The Obama administration said it will no longer defend the constitutionality of a federal law banning recognition of same-sex marriage: DOMA. To make that point, the White House instructed the Department of Justice to stop defending DOMA in court. Of course, this doesn't mean that the DOMA battle is over. But this signals that perhaps now the defeat of DOMA can begin in earnest.

Marriage & Relationship Recognition

same sex marriage

same-sex-relationships

lgbt

Legalization Is 'Inevitable'

The subject title of this post is based on a recent quote by Vice President Biden, who declared same-sex marriage "all but inevitable in the U.S." (a claim that may be news to President Obama).

"I think the country's evolving and I think there's an inevitability for a national consensus on gay marriage," he said in comments also reported by the New York Daily News. 

Read more about this here where you'll also see a brief clip of George Stephanopoulos' interview with the Vice President.

Well, hope springs eternal, but this may be a tall order with DOMA in place and only 2 years left in the Obama/Biden administration.
Time will tell. I wish our leaders would evolve already on some of these human rights issues!

continue to wrestle

Today President Obama signed into law the repeal of "Don't Ask Don't tell." This was a huge day in LGBT history!  Hours after signing the bill that will allow out gays and lesbians to serve in the military, President Barack Obama indicated he is open to fostering a dialogue on marriage equality in the U.S. 

"I think this is something that we're going to continue to debate and I personally am going to continue to wrestle with going forward."

That is movement since that last time he went on record on the topic of same-sex marriage.

Back in June of 2009 Brian Williams asked President Obama in his interview on NBC tonight “Inside the White House”: “do gay and lesbian couples who wish to marry in this country have a friend in the White House?”

 

If I hear President Obama (or any other politician) answer the question regarding whether they support same sex marriage for gays and lesbians with: “I have consistently supported civil unions–making sure they have the ability to visit each other in the hospital…” [and then the cop out] “I don’t think it makes sense for the Federal Government to get into the business of determining what marriage is…” I am going to blow the little top right off the lid of my good old-fashioned pressure cooker! I am sorry… that is just not enough. 

With Obama’s signing the repeal of DADT today (and Q.U. below reminded me that he signed the "hate crimes statute" also), he moves up from an "F" to a "C" on the LGBT score card. Here is hoping he will be able to achieve a "B" in the second half of his term!

President Obama skates on the thin ice of skirting the above LGBT issues. I am still hoping we will continue to see our "fierce advocate."

Can President Obama have it both ways? Can that be enough for the LGBT community? It’s not enough for me. I want more than a "visit to the hospital."

Marriage & Relationship Recognition

same sex marriage

same-sex-relationships

lgbt