D.C. Gay Marriage Legislation Might Force Obama Off the Fence

By Bonnie Erbe, Thomas Jefferson Street blog

President Obama is being forced, by D.C. legislation on gay marriage that may provoke congressional legislation on the same topic, and by gay rights activists, to get off the fence and come out four-square in favor of marriage for the LGBT community.

According to Boston's EDGE:

A May 6 New York Times article also questioned Obama's lack of outspokenness on recent gains and pending legislation affecting gay and lesbian Americans.

The article noted, "Two of Mr. Obama's potential Supreme Court nominees are openly gay; some advocates, irked that there are no gay men or lesbians in his cabinet, are mounting a campaign to influence his choice to replace Justice David H. Souter, who is retiring."

The article also made note of the fact that Washington, D.C. had adopted a policy of recognizing marriages for gays and lesbians granted in places where marriage equality is legal, even though the district itself does not provide marriage equality.

All I can say is, good luck getting the president to take a stand on this most controversial of issues when he's in the midst of a budget battle with Congress. Mr. Obama has proven himself to be a fence-sitter extraordinaire when he and his image team decide taking a stand on a controversial issue is a battle not worth fighting.

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