Schram: Obama dilutes his endorsement of gay marriage
»Play Video
President Obama is basking in the accolades and applause after having declared his support for same sex marriage.
He deserves it.
It took no small amount of political courage for him to speak out so directly in favor of marriage equality, even if nudged into the moment by the vice president pushing the issue forward first.
Still, the president's personal support does nothing to change the laws in more than three dozen states that stipulate marriage is a union between a man and a woman.
In fact, I think the president diluted the impact of his support by saying that he still holds that marriage equality is an issue best decided by the states individually.
Is it also a state's right to determine if schools should be racially segregated?
Is it a state's right to decide that a person's religion can be a factor of employment?
States don't get to devise an arbitrary litmus test in respect to which citizens get to vote, and states should not have ultimate authority when it comes to imposing laws that restrict same-sex couples from getting married.
I appreciate what the president has done ... so far.
But the accolades and the applause will have more genuine meaning when he finishes what he has now started.
-----
Have something to say to Ken? Login or signup below to post a comment. Just be sure to read the rules and keep things civil. You can also e-mail him at kenschram@komo4news.com. You can also hook up with Ken on Facebook.
He deserves it.
It took no small amount of political courage for him to speak out so directly in favor of marriage equality, even if nudged into the moment by the vice president pushing the issue forward first.
Still, the president's personal support does nothing to change the laws in more than three dozen states that stipulate marriage is a union between a man and a woman.
In fact, I think the president diluted the impact of his support by saying that he still holds that marriage equality is an issue best decided by the states individually.
Is it also a state's right to determine if schools should be racially segregated?
Is it a state's right to decide that a person's religion can be a factor of employment?
States don't get to devise an arbitrary litmus test in respect to which citizens get to vote, and states should not have ultimate authority when it comes to imposing laws that restrict same-sex couples from getting married.
I appreciate what the president has done ... so far.
But the accolades and the applause will have more genuine meaning when he finishes what he has now started.
-----
Have something to say to Ken? Login or signup below to post a comment. Just be sure to read the rules and keep things civil. You can also e-mail him at kenschram@komo4news.com. You can also hook up with Ken on Facebook.
