President Obama Supports Marriage Equality

May 10, 2012 | pwsbuilder | News

This is a historic moment in the life of our country and world. More Light Presbyterians gives thanks for President Barack Obama’s public statement of support for marriage equality today on ABC News in a special interview with Robin Roberts. With this statement of support, President Obama stands on the side of love and the right side of history.

The full interview with the President is set to air on Thursday’s “Good Morning America.” Obama’s remarks follow Vice President Biden’s remarks on Sunday’s Meet the Press.

Cameron Tolle at Freedom to Marry writes, “Moments ago, we learned the President Barack Obama has joined to the growing number of Americans who support the freedom to marry for gay and lesbian couples. President Obama becomes the first sitting President to stand with the majority of Americans whose hearts have opened and minds have changed in favor of the freedom to marry. In short, today is a turning point in the movement to win marriage nationwide.”

From Freedom to Marry Founder and President Evan Wolfson:

“Today, President Obama added his voice to the growing chorus of Americans who believe that all loving and committed couples should share equally in the freedom to marry. Like so many others who have made this journey – from Bill Clinton to Laura Bush, most recently Vice President Biden, and a majority of the American people – President Obama has come to know loving and committed gay couples. Through thought and conversation about these families and their dreams and challenges, President Obama has reflected on his own values of fairness and respect for others, and completed his journey to support for the freedom to marry. He now becomes the first sitting President to join the majority of Americans whose hearts have opened and minds have changed in favor of the freedom to marry.

“The President’s support marks a historic turning point for the freedom to marry movement. Yet there is much left to be done. Forty-four states continue to exclude same-sex couples from marriage and because of the federal so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), the civil marriages of thousands of same-sex couples are not respected by the federal government, thus depriving families of a crucial safety-net of federal protections and responsibilities. It is time to repeal discriminatory laws that hurt families and help no one and speed passage of freedom to marry laws throughout the country.

“Government has no business putting obstacles in the path of loving and committed couples and their families who simply seek to care for one another and for whom marriage matters. We call on the President, members of Congress, and state legislators from both sides of the aisle, to act together to bring an end to marriage discrimination and put government at every level on the side of families, fairness, and freedom.”

Watch ABC News report: