The White House (Blade file photo by Michael Key)
The White House today responded to efforts in the North Carolina Legislature to ban same-sex marriage via constitutional amendment, saying that President Obama opposes laws “designed to take rights away.”
Shin Inouye, a White House spokesperson, issued the following statement in response to the Washington Blade’s inquiry as to whether President Obama opposes the North Carolina amendment banning same-sex marriage, which will come before state voters in May 2012:
“The President has long believed that gay and lesbian couples deserve the same rights and legal protections as straight couples,” Inouye said. “That’s why he has called for repeal of the so-called ‘Defense of Marriage Act’ and determined that his Administration would no longer defend the constitutionality of DOMA in the courts. He has also said that the states should determine for themselves how best to uphold the rights of their own citizens.
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Inouye continued, “While the President does not weigh in on every single action taken by legislative bodies in our country, the record is clear that the President has long opposed divisive and discriminatory efforts to deny rights and benefits to same sex couples. The President believes strongly in stopping laws designed to take rights away.”
I was impressed with one of the legislators who stood up and spoke against the amendment to the state’s constitution. His comment was that hate written into the constitution is there forever. No matter that the 13th,14th and 15th amendments, the constitution still says some citizens are only three fifths of a human being. Those words can never be erased .
He fully understood and I’m sure he’s totally aware that once the words are uttered they can and will be used to harm others.