Bans on Same-Sex Marriage"
Posted on 03/01/2013 2:10:56 PM PST by SeekAndFind
In an impromptu White House press conference on Friday, President Barack Obama spoke on his administration's recent decision to file an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to strike down Proposition 8, saying there is "no good reason" for a ban on same-sex marriage. He was responding to a reporter who asked the president why he doesn't "just argue that marriage is a right that should be available to all people of this country."
Obama responded by saying: "What we've said is that same-sex couples are a group, a class that deserves heightened scrutiny. The Supreme Court needs to ask the state why it's doing it, and if the state doesn't have a good reason, it should be struck down. That's the core principle, as applied to this case.
"Now, what the court may decide that if it doesn't apply in this case, it probably can't apply in any case. There's no good reason for it. If I were on the court, that would probably be the view that I would put forward. But I'm not a judge, I'm the president."
He continued, "The basic principle, though, is let's treat everybody fairly, let's treat everybody equally, and – and I think that the brief that's been presented accurately reflects our views."
Obama also told reporters at Friday's press conference that he felt it was important for his administration to become involved in the Proposition 8 case because he found the amendment that was passed by voters in 2008 to be unconstitutional. The amendment defines marriage as between a man and a woman.
"... when the Supreme Court asks, do you think that the California law, which doesn't provide any rationale for discriminating against same-sex couples other than just the notion that, well, they're same-sex couples, if the Supreme Court asks me or my Attorney General or Solicitor General, do we think that meets constitutional muster, I felt it was important for us to answer that question honestly – and the answer is no," Obama told reporters. The Obama administration filed its amicus brief late Thursday, the last day for briefs to be filed in the Supreme Court case.
"The exclusion of gay and lesbian couples from marriage does not substantially further any important governmental interest. Proposition 8 thus violates equal protection," wrote Solicitor General Donald B. Verrilli Jr. in the brief favoring the overturning of Proposition 8 in California.
Obama, who initially took office supporting civil unions but not same-sex marriage, came out in support of its legalization last year.
Many critics note Obama has previously stated that he does not believe in federal intervention regarding same-sex marriage, and that it is an issue which should be left to state jurisdiction.
In a statement to ABC News, Andy Pugno, general counsel for ProtectMarriage.com, a proponent of Proposition 8, called Obama's brief "unprecedented" and "hardly surprising, but nevertheless disturbing."
"In his first term as president, Obama clearly stated that Americans can choose a special designation of marriage between man and woman, and that supporters of traditional marriage can hold that position without animus," the statement on behalf of Protectmarriage.com read, according to ABC News.
"He later remarked that it would be a 'mistake' to make the debate over redefining marriage into a federal issue," the statement continued.
"Yet today, by stating that the traditional definition of marriage is rooted only in irrational prejudice, the president has impugned the motives and actions of millions of Californians and turned his back on society's long-standing interest in both mothers and fathers raising the next generation."
Opening arguments for the Supreme Court Proposition 8 case will be heard March 26.
During this term, the Supreme Court will also be hearing a case challenging the Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage as being between one man and one woman on a federal level.
Christianity
Constitution
Capitalism
These are the things Obama hates.
Isn’t it great to be a dictator? Just do any old thing you want whenever.
I thought he said he wasn’t a dictator.
He is using racial discrimination law terminology for gays. This would go way beyond just affording them “equal rights” and will lead to all kinds of special rights, affirmative action, etc.
What a filthy liar Obama is, previously claiming he opposed gay marriage and suddenly he became a gay rights activist.
When is he going to say out loud he is a homosexual?
Another recent article posted on gay militants in general (not just the marriage issue) identified the problem: gays want equal treatment, not equal opportunity/protection. The two are very different and the former is guaranteed to nobody.
Obama’s quote “the basic principle, though, is let’s treat everybody fairly, let’s treat everybody equally,” reveals that he believes the opposite even though equal treatment automatically obliges individuals to behave in a certain way. That is not liberty. That is not freedom. That is not equality before the law. That is the law being made subservient to yet another protected class. No sale.
And all those good church going black folks voted for him. The ones I know can’t stand the thought of gay marriage.
have you ever seen a President so openly dream of dictatorship?
RE: And all those good church going black folks voted for him. The ones I know can’t stand the thought of gay marriage.
For the vast majority of these church going black folks... the following trumps morality (including marriage and the family and God’s laws ):
1) Government goodies
2) Skin color
They have little fear of God’s judgment.
He thinks he can tell the Supreme Court how to do their jobs.
HE AIN'T THE BOSS OF THE JUDGES AND HE AIN'T THE BOSS OF "WE THE PEOPLE"!!
Oh. You mean how you give 0bamacare WAIVERS to all of YOUR friends, and you tell Christian organizations like Hobby Lobby to pound sand.
“I’m the President” seems to be his answer to everything. What a shame.
As Jimmeh Cahtah, th' peenut fahmah packed his own chute (IMO) by writing and getting passed the CRA (Community Re-investment Act) that (again, IMO) brought down the housing industry in 2008 ...
(Remember, the CRA helped get loans for people with little or no credit to build their own homes through Habitat for Humanity .. Jimmeh Cahtah, CEO sort'a ... (post presidency)
Mayhaps zero's intent to see queers have all they can be has a simular motivation ...
?
Just sayin'
Yeah, he said that too. Every couple seconds he feels compelled to remind everyone that he's the president.
Obama has such little regard for the sanctity of marriage because he is illigitimate. His parents weren’t married, personally I think his marriage to Michelle may be a sham.
That said, the illigitimacy part isn’t his fault naturally. But I do think that it affects a person’s perception about marriage and relationships and trust....and even themselves too. It used to be that being illigitimate was nothing to celebrate. Now, an illigitimate person is POTUS. Just sayin’....
Should we be surprised that Obama lied?
When doesn’t he lie?
He already argued that he did not lie... His opinions on gay marriage “evolved” after he got elected.
This is another one of those escape hatches politicians can use if they really want to hide their agenda during the campaign and then change it after being elected.
For example : Why did you raise taxes when you said during your campaign that you were against raising them?
Answer: My opinion on taxes “evolved”.
Just replace taxes above with X, where X is any issue you can think of.
That’s his schtick now.
They are trying to establish something in law that does not and will never exist in reality. And force the rest of us to treat it as real.
Most people are pretty tolerant on a personal level. Do what you want. If two males or two females cohabitate, its not my business if you don’t make it my business. But don’t expect me to pretend that it is a marriage.
O has elevated this non-issue to the highest importance. One has to assume that he has personal reasons for making this the centerpiece of his presidency.
As we often say: The problem isn’t the whack-job we elected president. The problem is that half the country thinks he’s the cat’s meow. Half the country at least fails to recognize disfunction and empty incompetence when its staring them in the face.
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