The Day the 'verse went right

Mark this day down.  It's an important one.

Today marked the day that a sitting President, who is able to do many things from his position - acknowledged that gays and lesbians deserve the same rights as their heterosexual counterparts.  Today marked the first time this President went on record - into the camera and said: "...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."

Kudos Sir.  Kudos.

But while the universe finally smiled on something positive for a change ... I caution that now is not the time to break out the streamers and noise makers.

The hard part is going to be approaching ... very .... quickly.


I know Gay and lesbians have been frustrated with this President's stance on gay marriage.  Understandably so.  I can draw the same inferences of a black man - who has ridden against the same bigotry waves towards his ascension to the White House.  Many feel that the President should be more empathetic towards gays and lesbians - as they draw the same bigotry lines that have plagued this country when it the issue was racial equality or giving the women the right to vote.

Again - I understand.

The country's opinion towards same-sex marriage is changing faster than the Republicans who are trying to throw up laws and roadblocks ostensibly to push their own societal agenda contrary to the 70% who are in favor of domestic unions of some kind.  But the reality is that this is a political hot potato and in an election cycle and it's a hot potato that neither candidate can control.  Not when they are trying to do the things they need to win and be the leader for the next four years.

I understand the President's plight.

I also understand the frustration by gays and lesbians who see their window of opportunity fading with the growing masses on the right.  While my political side-kick will disagree with the potential outlook for this upcoming election cycle, there is a possibility that President Obama will be a one-termer ... the topic of gay marriage only bumps up the political temperature a few more degrees.

This will now become an active torpedo in the water for his re-election bid.  The Republicans have been begging Obama to take up the measure so that they can run their ads confirming everyone's fear that he is single-handedly destroying America.  That's the message.  Fox confirmed that on their website tonight.  That's the platform and that's the reason why he has been tentative about going all in even though he knows it's the right thing to do ... but this position alone could swing some Democrats to stay home because they themselves don't believe in that rights should be extended to gays and lesbians.

I know that's a hard pill to swallow - because as a liberal - I would hope that my democratic brethren would be open-minded to the concept of gay marriage. Instead - I find some democrats fearful about the direction the platform would take the country.  I understand the fear - but I consider it an irrational one.  This issue isn't going to be the tear in the fabric of society that's going to bring civilization to a halt.  It's not that grandiose as the Republican message machine says about it.

The movement is about doing what's right.  Just as women's suffrage was in the 1920's or the civil rights movement of the 50's and 60's.

This country is founded on momentum ... and there finally is enough to start pushing outward and onward.

So while I want to take a moment and be happy for so many friends ... I'm looking forward ... and I see problems.  This can only work if the country can unite behind the idea that no group - no matter your background - deserves any kind of maltreatment, bigotry and condemnation by those who believe in their own self-anointed morality.

The simple truth is people deserve to be treated as people - and that's exactly what happened today.