Obama quotes on gay rights

[Levgreee]

Q: Do you believe that it is something that you are born gay or that you can change your behavior?

A: I do not believe being gay or lesbian is a choice.

Source: Meet the Press: 2007 "Meet the Candidates" series Nov 11, 2007

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Q: Last year some parents of second graders in Lexington, Massachusetts, were outraged to learn their children's teacher had read a story about same-sex marriage, about a prince who marries another prince. Would you be comfortable having this story read to your children as part of their school curriculum?

A: My 9-year-old and my 6-year-old are already aware that there are same-sex couples. And my wife and I have talked about it. And one of the things I want to communicate to my children is not to be afraid of people who are different, and because there have been times in our history where I was considered different. And one of the things I think the next president has to do is to stop fanning people's fears.

Q: Have you sat down with your daughters to talk about same-sex marriage?

A: My wife has. (I know some of you will blast him for this)

Source: 2007 Democratic primary debate at Dartmouth College Sep 6, 2007

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It is my strong belief that the government has to treat all citizens equally. I come from that in part out of personal experience. When you're a black guy named Barack Obama, you know what it's like to be on the outside. And so my concern is continually to make sure that the rights that are conferred by the state are equal for all people.

That's why I opposed DOMA in 2006 when I ran for the Senate. That's why I am a strong supporter not of a weak version of civil unions, but of a strong version, in which the rights that are conferred at the federal level to persons who are part of the same sex union are compatible.

When it comes to federal rights, the over 1,100 rights that right now are not being given to same sex couples, I think that's unacceptable, and as president of the United States, I am going to fight hard to make sure that those rights are available.
Source: 2007 HRC/LOGO debate on gay issues Aug 9, 2007

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Q: You have said in previous debates that it is up to individual religious denominations to decide whether or not to recognize same-sex marriage. What place does the church have in government-sanctioned civil marriages?

A: It is my strong belief that the government has to treat all citizens equally. I don't think that the church should be making these determinations when it comes to legal rights conferred by the state. I do think that individual denominations have the right to make their own decisions as to whether they recognize same sex couples. My denomination, United Church of Christ, does. Other denominations may make a decision, and obviously, part of keeping a separation of churches and state is also to make sure that churches have the right to exercise their freedom of religion.
Source: 2007 HRC/LOGO debate on gay issues Aug 9, 2007

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Q: If you were back in the Illinois legislature where you served and the issue of civil marriage came before you, how would you have voted on that?

A: My view is that we should try to disentangle what has historically been the issue of the word "marriage," which has religious connotations to some people, from the civil rights that are given to couples, in terms of hospital visitation, in terms of whether or not they can transfer property or Social Security benefits and so forth. So it depends on how the bill would've come up. I would've supported and would continue to support a civil union that provides all the benefits that are available for a legally sanctioned marriage. And it is then, as I said, up to religious denominations to make a determination as to whether they want to recognize that as marriage or not.


Source: 2007 HRC/LOGO debate on gay issues Aug 9, 2007

[Maddy McCall]

1. Homophobama's Anti-gay Gamble.

Senator Barack Obama has enrolled a trio of notorious anti-gay bigots to campaign for him in the South - and when a blogosphere firestorm erupted over the move, Obama compounded his betrayal of the gay community by refusing to dump the homohaters.

This past weekend, the Illinois Democratic senator's presidential campaign announced a three-day, gospel music campaign tour through South Carolina it billed as "Embrace the Courage" featuring four singers - Reverend Donnie McClurkin, Mary Mary (a sister act duo), and Reverend Hezekiah Walker, all prominent in the gospel world. The tour was designed to mark the final days of Obama's "40 Days of Faith and Family" campaign in South Carolina, a critical early primary state.

McClurkin, an evangelical minister and a Grammy Award-winner, has told the Washington Post that he's in "a war" against what he calls "the curse of homosexuality."

Moreover, McClurkin is the poster boy for the African-American "ex-gay" movement. He claims that he became homosexual after having been molested by relatives when he was eight and 13, but was "cured" by religion.

As McClurkin explained it to Religion and Ethics Newsweekly: "There was a big 20-year gap of sexual ambiguity where after the rape my desires were toward men, and I had to fight those things because I knew that it wasn't what we were taught in church was right. And the older I got, the more that became a problem, because those were the first two sexual relationships that I had. Eight years old and 13 years old. So that's what I was molded into. And I fought that. When I tell you from eight to 28, that was my fight - in the church. And you were in an environment where there were hidden, you know, vultures I call them, that are hidden behind frocks and behind collars and behind - you know, reverends and the deacons, and it becomes a preying ground, a place where the prey is hunted, and that was what it was like."

And, McClurkin, who leads a congregation in Freeport, Long Island, told the Post, "I've been through this and have experienced God's power to change my lifestyle... I am delivered and I know God can deliver others, too."

"The gloves are off and if there's going to be a war, there's going to be a war. But it is a war with a purpose," he said on Pat Robertson's "700 Club," according to a 2004 post on John Arovosis' Americablog.com. "I'm not in the mood to play with those who are trying to kill our children."

But it's not only McClurkin whose star presence on the Obama campaign tour is repulsive. Walker, another Grammy Award-winner who is the Pentecostal pastor of a Brooklyn mega-church, the Love Fellowship Tabernacle, has been described as "disturbingly and publicly anti-gay" by "hip-hop intellectual" Professor Mark Lamont Hill of Temple University. (Walker likes to call himself the "hip-hop pastor" for having recorded with Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs, a member of his church.)

And the Mary Mary sisters compare gays to murderers and prostitutes. In an interview with Vibe magazine, one of the singers said, "They have issues and need somebody to encourage them like everybody else - just like the murderer, just like the one full of pride, just like the prostitute."

Some of the strongest denunciations of these musical bigots headlining Obama's campaign tour have come from African Americans.

And oh so much more here: http://gaycitynews.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18956221&BRD=2729&PAG=461&dept_id=568864&rfi=6

[Maddy McCall]

2. And here's a photo of Obama with Gavin Newsom.

[gmudem]

13. About Newsom

Didn't he cheat on his wife with his chief of staff's wife?

What a guy.

[Maddy McCall]

14. Politically, he did more for gay couples than any of his contemporaries.

He ordered that marriage licenses be issued to gay couples in his city.

Or didn't you know that?

(If you only pay attention to the salacious crap, the important stuff slips by you.)

[mckeown1128]

22. Because Obama not being in a picture win Newsom is the..

..really important stuff. :eyes:

[Baby Snooks]

3. And do you really think Hillary Clinton would be better?

The Clintons have always been a "two-fer" and so I will ask just what it is you believe Bill Clinton offered in the way of equal rights under the law beyond "don't ask, don't tell." Name one thing.

[Maddy McCall]

4. Yep.

I do think she'll be better.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=5439615&mesg_id=5439615

[Levgreee]

5. ah, seems all you can do is ignore the quotes and push guilt by association

at least it shows how one-track your dislike is

[Maddy McCall]

8. He's all hat, no cattle.

When it comes down action, Obama's a big zero on gay rights.

[pointsoflight]

9. So what is it you don't like about Obama's positions?

You're trying to saddle Obama with the positions of other people he has worked with. But what about OBAMA's positions, what Obama himself says and believes?

[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

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[MercutioATC]

6. Thanks for posting. That last quote is close to what I've seen as the "solution" all along

"Marriage" is a religious issue and is governed by whatever organization one chooses to belong to. Religions are free to recognize or not recognize same-sex marriages. "Marriage" has absolutely zero legal standing.

"Unions" (pick your term) are available to ALL couples. Unions convey the same legal rights/responsibilities to all couples regardless of sexual orientation. Religions are, obviously, free to refuse to recognize unions if they choose.


Hetero couples effectively have this system now. A legal document (marriage license) is necessary before a religious "marriage" is legally recognized (yes, I'm omitting common-law statutes, but they don't effectively influence this issue). The transition would be essentially transparent for hetero couples.

Gay couples would have one step that they don't have now...they'd have to get the same legal document that hetero couples do (today's "marriage license").


Seems simple enough to me.

[Catherina]

7. Bookmarked. Thank you! n/t

[cboy4]

11. How about:

Q: Would you ever allow someone who refers to homosexuality as a curse to perform at one of your campaign events, despite the pleas of the gay community, because you feel it's politically advantageous?

A: Yes, of course. I did so.

[Moloch]

15. Thank you for clarifying that.

To read some of the posts here, you would think Obama wanted to put gays in concentration camps. Of course, the Clinton crowd is aware of its impending defeat and really bitter about it.

[Levgreee]

16. bump

[sniffa]

17. Thanks for posting

K&R

[DarienComp]

18. He also scores an 89 out of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign's congressional scorecard.

But of course, what really matters to us is that he won't personally sit down with every local gay newspaper in the country.

[peoli]

19. he's said all these things before.

[peoli]

20. dupe

[IndianaJones]

21. "And I was reminded that it is my obligation, not only as an elected official...

in a pluralistic society but also as a Christian, to remain open to the possibility that my unwillingness to support gay marriage is misguided.."

Obama

[Levgreee]

23. bump