Obama endorsed NO on Prop. 8 -- in other words, YES to marriage equality in California

[liberalpragmatist]

Obama's letter in support of "NO on Prop. 8":

Dear Friends,

Thank you for the opportunity to welcome everyone to the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club's Pride Breakfast and to congratulate you on continuing a legacy of success, stretching back thirty-six years. As one of the oldest and most influential LGBT organizations in the country, you have continually rallied to support Democratic candidates and causes, and have fought tirelessly to secure equal rights and opportunities for LGBT Americans in California and throughout the country.

As the Democratic nominee for President, I am proud to join with and support the LGBT community in an effort to set our nation on a course that recognizes LGBT Americans with full equality under the law. That is why I support extending fully equal rights and benefits to same sex couples under both state and federal law. That is why I support repealing the Defense of Marriage Act and the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy, and the passage of laws to protect LGBT Americans from hate crimes and employment discrimination. And that is why I oppose the divisive and discriminatory efforts to amend the California Constitution, and similar efforts to amend the U.S. Constitution or those of other states.

For too long issues of LGBT rights have been exploited by those seeking to divide us. It's time to move beyond polarization and live up to our founding promise of equality by treating all our citizens with dignity and respect. This is no less than a core issue about who we are as Democrats and as Americans.

Finally, I want to congratulate all of you who have shown your love for each other by getting married these last few weeks. My thanks again to the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club for allowing me to be a part of today's celebration. I look forward to working with you in the coming months and years, and I wish you all continued success.

Sincerely,

Barack Obama

http://calitics.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=6307

[glowing]

1. Did the same with the one in Florida.. along with Hillary and a few other

FLorida Dems.

[bluestateguy]

2. Other blue states will legalize marriage equality in the next few years

nt

[trashcanistanista]

3. Excellent.

I don't think 8 has any chance in Cal of passing, but this will guarantee it won't.

[Kajsa]

4. Good for him! Yes!!

I'm so glad to see he came out and took a stand on Prop. 8!

:applause:

I've got my' NO On 8' bumper sticker on my car along with an
'Obama/ Biden' sticker.

It makes for interesting driving through Orange County,CA.

[kestrel91316]

5. Glad to see his strong opposition to this AWFUL measure!

[Hellataz]

6. I fear what will happen if it passes.

What happens to all those couples who got married? Are they invalid and how is that fair? When i read the info of prop 8 and discovered that over 60% voted against gay marriage, I was shocked. I was embarrassed for my state. I mean, damn it , we're a blue state, we progressive and compassionate and I'm sure we have a much larger concentration of gay and lesbian voters then most states...so why didn't it pass the first time and why is the appeal being attacked now? I just don't get it.

[ej510]

7. I'm definitely voting on 8.

Religious nuts need to leave gay people alone.

[FreeState]

10. If it passes prepare your self for a loss of marriage for all couples, gay or straight

because the supreme court ruling was that GLBT persons are a suspect class entitled to every right everyone else has and as such rather than take away the right to marriage from heterosexuals they extended it to everyone. If gay marriage is banned in the constitution then all marriages are banned. The religious right will have successfully fulfilled there own prophesies.

[terrya]

11. We all here know some people who will be affected if this passes

I'll throw out a name that ALL of us knows here on DU. ronnykmarshall.

Nobody knows what will happen if Prop 8 passes. My guess is that the marriages that have occured WILL be invalid. Retroactively. I'm thinking of another couple...Phyllis Lyon and the late Del Martin, an amazing lesbian couple who were together 50 years and were the first couple married in San Franscisco after the California Supreme Court decision. They were pioneers in the gay and lesbian rights movement.

As a gay man, I get so discouraged, so angry, when these marriage amendments are passed. To have people say "your relationship is so horrible, we must codify bigotry into our constitution". I don't know what to say to people who would discriminate against love.

[Cha]

8. Bless his

heart.

[terrya]

9. May I ask a favor of our nominee? If he's asked the "M" question during the next debates?

Could he PLEASE mention this, besides saying "I regard marriage as solely between a man and a woman" as I'm reasonably sure he'll say? Yes, I know it's political and he can't say otherwise. But can he PLEASE decry the attempts to codify bigotry into state/federal consitutions? Thanks.