On ABCnews.com's blog “Political Punch,” [1] Yunji de Nies reported on the first celebration of gay pride month held in the White House by President Obama.
“President Obama told the group he is committed to equality for their community,” she reported, continuing on to quote Obama himself: “'This struggle continues today, for even as we face extraordinary challenges as a nation, we cannot and will not put aside issues of basic equality,' he said, 'We seek an America in which no one feels the pain of discrimination based on who you are or who you love.'”
De Nies noted the gay community's disappointment in a president they had hoped would actively promote their agenda: “Many gay and lesbians believe the President has been slow to act on major issues like the military's Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy, and the Defense of Marriage Act,” she wrote, neglecting to report on Obama's personal belief that marriage should be between a man and a woman [2], or his administration's recent defense [3] of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).
An article on advocate.com [4] also neglected to admit Obama's personal belief, but did quote Richard Socarides, a former LGBT advisor to President Bill Clinton, as saying, “No one ever questioned whether President Obama's heart was in the right place, but now we have the beginning of some action …”
Obama has clearly forwarded the cause of the gay community with “his recently signed memorandum, guaranteeing benefits to same sex partners of federal workers,” and his support of a domestic partners law, de Nies wrote. And no doubt, he will continue to undermine traditional marriage. However, the media and the gay community often forget that the president's own beliefs coincide with 57 percent of Americans [5] who do not think gay marriage should be legal.
So why is Obama straying from his own values and convictions, and those of the majority of Americans, to embrace this cause?