On Gay Marriage, Abortion, and Obama

No.  Obama has not flip-flopped on gay marriage.  And it is naive to think that way.

Yesterday, Obama said this:

I have to tell you that over the course of several years as I have talked to friends and family and neighbors when I think about members of my own staff who are in incredibly committed monogamous relationships, same-sex relationships, who are raising kids together, when I think about those soldiers or airmen or marines or sailors who are out there fighting on my behalf and yet feel constrained, even now that Don't Ask Don't Tell is gone, because they are not able to commit themselves in a marriage, at a certain point I've just concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same sex couples should be able to get married.


This is something that, you know, [Michelle and I have] talked about over the years and she, you know, she feels the same way, she feels the same way that I do. And that is that, in the end the values that I care most deeply about and she cares most deeply about is how we treat other people and, you know, I, you know, we are both practicing Christians and obviously this position may be considered to put us at odds with the views of others but, you know, when we think about our faith, the thing at root that we think about is, not only Christ sacrificing himself on our behalf, but it’s also the Golden Rule, you know, treat others the way you would want to be treated…

No, this was not an "evolving" issue with Obama.  The self-imposed "don't ask, don't tell" position he has maintained on gay marriage was not as much "evolving" as it was "expedient."  I have no doubt that Obama is only saying what he has held for a long time:  he is in favor of gay marriage.  He has always been in favor of gay marriage.   Eurasia is our ally [1].

Why do I say this?  Because I find it hard to believe that Obama tossed and turned in his bed, fretting about whether it would be a violation of his Christian morality to support gay marriage back in the day ("As a Christian — he is a member of the United Church of Christ — Mr. Obama believes that marriage is a sacred union, a blessing from God, and one that is intended for a man and a woman exclusively, according to these supporters and Obama campaign advisers.") . . . and yet had no worries about when life began.

If you recall, as a candidate for the presidency, Obama was specifically asked that question - and dodged it by saying it was above his pay grade to decide.



Indeed, his voting record speaks for him:  when he voted in 2003 as an Illinois senator against the Born Alive Infants Protection Act that mandates a doctor provide medical care to an infant who somehow survives an abortion (yes, it is possible - ask Gianna Jessen).

So, if I were to accept what Obama is claiming, Christ led him to accept gay marriage - but hasn't talked to him yet on abortion.  Or life.

As one friend on Facebook said:  "For a President who has repeatedly said his administration is based on "science not ideology," Mr. Obama sure likes to use Jesus as his mascot a lot."

Footnotes

[1]  1984, by George Orwell.  The dystopian society (Oceania) of the protagonist, Winston Smith, is always at war with either Eastasia or Eurasia.  In the novel, the government "switches" enemies from Eurasia and states "We are at war with Eastasia.  We've always been at war with Eastasia.  Eurasia has always been our ally," a blatant contradiction that the masses accept without pause.