…By becoming the first U.S. President to come out in support of same-sex marriage, President Obama has boldly illuminated bone-deep and often ugly differences of opinion dividing Americans, and exposed them to open civil discussion. Comparisons to Abraham Lincoln and his stand on slavery a century and a half ago are ample and inescapable.
Both presidents, incumbents from Illinois facing difficult reelections, were forced to confront a crisis cleaving the nation along uncomfortably similar political and geographic boundaries: North vs. South, federal vs. state, equal vs. unequal. Harsh, often brutal and vulgar criticism, often having little to do with issues, was heaped upon both heads, with vicious lies and distortions about their private lives and beliefs running rampant. Photo
Both men, from all accounts pensive by nature, apparently agonized over the slow, difficult conclusions they came to -- decisions overdue to many and rash to others, unwelcome to an unyielding third constituency and inconsequential only to a benumbed, indifferent fourth. President Obama described his position as "evolving" toward espousing same-sex marriage, while allowing, "I've always been adamant that gay and lesbian Americans should be treated fairly and equally." Lincoln stated his decision was part of a "personal wish that all men everywhere could be free."…
As landmark civil rights proceedings go, the two historic drafted documents, the Declaration of Independence and the Emancipation Proclamation, made the third, unwritten one, President Obama's endorsement of same-sex marriage, possible. The president has in effect "edited" and enhanced Jefferson's classic dictum to avow, unequivocally, all men and women are created equal. As such, his pronouncement may be the last major civil rights action of our time. Photo
Ray Errol Fox is an Oscar-nominated documentarian and journalist/writer. He regularly posts on his on his wide-ranging blog, SON OF THE CUCUMBER KING.
Jacopo della Quercia is a history writer researching the Lincoln and Taft presidencies for an upcoming book.
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President Barack Obama's acceptance speech on Thursday night drew the largest television audience of this year's political conventions and ranked as the biggest political moment ever on social media site Twitter – 9/07/12
Transcript: President Obama's Convention Speech – 9/06/12
GAY MARRIAGE – OBAMA’s Support - Courageous Openness & Moral Leadership for Simple Fairness & Human Yearning for Love | BENEDICT XVI’s Opposition - Secrecy & Cover-ups - Corruption & Sandals – Using Power to Settle & Silence Questions of Truth --- Related News Media & Research
Amistad Africans – Supreme Court Trial 1841 - President John Quincy Adam - “The truth, in truth, has been driven from this case like a SLAVE, flogged from court to court, wretched and destitute…a ‘keen mind of the SOUTH,’ … asserts that: ‘There has never existed a civilized society in which one segment did not thrive upon the labor of another. As far back as one chooses to look – to ancient times, to BIBLICAL times – history bears this out. In Eden, where only two were created, even there, one was pronounced subordinate to the other. SLAVERY has always been with us and is neither sinful nor immoral… SLAVERY, as NATURAL as it is inevitable.’ ’ …I must say I DIFFER with the keen minds of the SOUTH…offering that the NATURAL STATE OF MANKIND is, instead – and I know this is a controversial idea – IS FREEDOM, is freedom. And the proof is the length to which a man, woman, or child will go to regain it, once taken. He will break loose his chains. He will decimate his enemies. He will try and try and try AGAINST ALL ODDS, against all prejudices, to get home…Yet, if the SOUTH is right, what are we to do with that embarrassing, annoying document, The DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE? What of its conceits? ‘ALL MEN…CREATED EQUAL,’ ‘INALIENABLE RIGHTS,’ ‘LIFE,’ ‘LIBERTY,’ and so on and so forth? …We desperately need your strength and wisdom to triumph over our fears, our prejudices, ourselves. Give us the courage to do what is right. And if it means civil war, then let it come. And when it does, may it be, finally, the last battle of the American Revolution. [Patrick Henry, American Revolution “GIVE ME LIBERTY OR GIVE ME DEATH”] - AMISTAD - 1997 movie, Spielberg Photo
Amistad Case 1839 - Library of Congress
Obama’s embrace of Gay Marriage makes for a spiritual Mother’s Day – 51112
Obama's family influenced his gay marriage shift – 51012
Obama: ‘I Think Same-Sex Couples Should Be Able to Get Married’- 50912 ABC
Nancy Pelosi praised Obama’s support of GAY MARRIAGE - for advancing civil rights…“quite historic” that “spoke to the values of our families, the values of our faith and the values of our country.” Pelosi said her Catholicism “compels” her “to be against discrimination of any kind in our country…” – 51012 ABC
Do Most Catholic Theologians Support Same-Sex Marriage? – 51112
Catholic coalition pleased with Obama's stance on marriage equality – 51012 NCR
US VP Joe Biden - a devout Catholic - OK with equal rights for married gay couples – 50612 AP http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5igiUGJUdPGOUJv2PXniX6JMzxGeA?docId=4baf9ffeb3904d08a6c261eb8aa71bb8
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