Catholic World News

Obama: Defenders of traditional marriage ‘would enshrine discrimination into our Constitution’

October 12, 2009

Taking aim at supporters of a federal marriage amendment, President Barack Obama told the gay-activist Human Rights Campaign on October 10 that defenders of traditional marriage “would enshrine discrimination into our Constitution.” While the president granted that defenders of traditional marriage might be “good and decent people,” he charged that they “hold fast to outworn arguments and old attitudes,” “fail to see your families like their families,” and “would deny you the rights most Americans take for granted.”

Comparing the goals of the gay community to African-Americans’ struggle for equality, the president added:

My expectation is that when you look back on these years, you will see a time in which we put a stop to discrimination against gays and lesbians-- whether in the office or on the battlefield. You will see a time in which we as a nation finally recognize relationships between two men or two women as just as real and admirable as relationships between a man and a woman. You will see a nation that's valuing and cherishing these families as we build a more perfect union-- a union in which gay Americans are an important part. I am committed to these goals. And my administration will continue fighting to achieve them.

 


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  • Posted by: happycatholicmom8648 - Oct. 18, 2009 12:48 AM ET USA

    Unfortunately, the military is further gone than you think. Case in point: in 2006, West Point awarded "best senior thesis" to a paper arguing against "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." I think most will just go along with whatever the civilian authority over the military says to do and there have already been generals arguing for ignoring DADT until it is repealed. My husband is still in the Army, 22+ years, and not happy with the direction things are going, but most don't see it as a big deal.

  • Posted by: William F. Folger - Oct. 13, 2009 5:54 PM ET USA

    Cardinal George certainly missed the irony in his congratulatory Monday-letter to President Obama on receiving the Nobel Prize, to wit: "In our own country, the remarkable and historic achievement of his election has changed the relationships between men and women of all races." Indeed, on Saturday, Obama glowed with confidence that all the combinations of relationships between men and women HE will heartily fight for show that God was simply wrong about relationships, way back when! Remarkable!

  • Posted by: hartwood01 - Oct. 13, 2009 1:02 PM ET USA

    How tricky the Father of Lies is, putting forth a president who claimed to value the poor and be concerned for all, but is doing his work by attempting to dismantle the sacredness of marriage and abort the unwanted. We know the end of the story,but please Lord,do not tarry in delivering us from this newest form of evil!

  • Posted by: unum - Oct. 13, 2009 11:20 AM ET USA

    If you notice, the President always takes both sides of an argument, so as not to offend anyone. So, defenders of traditional marriage are “good and decent people”, but they “would deny you the rights most Americans take for granted.” These statements can't both be true, and they aren't because polls show that a majority of Americans don't favor homosexual marriage, so it is not a right "most Americans take for granted.” The Liar in Chief continues his assault on American values.

  • Posted by: Lahrye - Oct. 13, 2009 9:55 AM ET USA

    I find this hard to understand, that our President would make this type of stand! THe defination of Marriage is between a man and a woman for procreation through love!

  • Posted by: Bacolod11252174 - Oct. 13, 2009 7:21 AM ET USA

    Obama is a wolf in sheep's skin. It seems that he is accusing God of discrimination for creating only a man and a woman, instead of man and man, or woman and woman.

  • Posted by: extremeCatholic - Oct. 12, 2009 10:50 PM ET USA

    The problem is that while Obama calls supporters of traditional marriage "good", he is about to empower advocates of gay marriage to criminalize their support of traditional marriage made in the public square and force citizens to act contrary to their conscience.

  • Posted by: Defender - Oct. 12, 2009 8:47 PM ET USA

    What of the Sins that Cry to Heaven for Vengeance, too? Wonder what, if anything, L'Osservatore Romano will have to say? Having spent 14 years in the Army, I can say that this isn't going to go over big in the services - of course, Obama wasn't in the military either. As much as the gays gave him a lot of money for his campaign, he has lost any chance of a second term.

  • Posted by: wojo425627 - Oct. 12, 2009 12:36 PM ET USA

    I don't recall being homosexual or heterosexual as being a right. You don't have a "right" to be straight or Gay.

  • Posted by: New Sister - Oct. 12, 2009 11:58 AM ET USA

    Bishop Sheen aptly notes that when a civilization falls, the last thing to go is the military. I fear for United States Armed Forces under this administration and pray fervently Obama fails in forcing us to accept open homosexuality. Sainte Jeanne d'Arc, ora pro nobis!

  • Posted by: - Oct. 12, 2009 11:05 AM ET USA

    It is interesting that the president should regard conservative values about marriage as "outworn arguments and old attitudes" when they are based on natural law and commandments from God (re: 4th and 6th commandments). One of the attributes of God is His immutability and so goes His laws established in antiquity for man. Sigh..... God bless our president, but may his term be as short as his values.