Obama and Homosexual Marriage Part II

Ok, I got some feedback through my wife that my previous post was confusing. Just where did I stand? And I admit that I probably did not state my position clearly enough. One, homosexual marriage is a divisive, touchy issue, there are strong, probably irreconcilable differences that exist between the extremes on both sides.

But let me reiterate the point I was trying to make:

The Stake President said two basic things (in my interpretation) on Sunday.

1) Vote yes on the proposition to amend the Arizona Constitution to limit the legal definition of marriage between one male and one female.

2) Show an increase in love and tolerance for all people including the homosexual community.

Obviously, point one was emphasized on Sunday, but point two was just as, if not more important than point one. In fact what are the two great commandments anyway? To love: love God and love our neighbors.

The primary point of my first post was that Barack Obama more than anyone one on the Republican ticket supports the spirit of both points in this way:

1) He supports limiting the legal definition of marriage between a man and a woman. I heard him make this exact point in the primary debates hosted by the Gay and Lesbian community. I am not sure he would go so far as supporting a constitutional amendment, but he supports the underlying issue all the same.

2) He supports any action that will enhance equal opportunity for all people which include allowing gay couples to enjoy some of the same legal benefits that married people receive. I am not sure what the specifics are, but he laid out two specific points in his acceptance speech, that gay couples should be allowed hospital rights for their partner, and that they should be able to live lives free of discrimination. I support both of these positions.

But in my view, those two points essentially follow the basic points made by the Stake President.

I think Barak Obama and Joe Biden are by far the better alternatives in this presidential election. And this issue is just one example.

The extreme right of the political party, which in many symbolic ways Sarah Palin represents (and by the way, all Sarah Palin is to anyone right now is a symbol, since nobody really knows anything substantive about her), have adopted a marginally (and not so marginal) hateful politics toward the homosexual community.

The Republican party has exploited that by getting votes for this and other "moral" issues, then proceed to run the government without lifting a finger to really move the law in any significant ways to address these issues, but then are given a virtual free pass by this same Republican base to run a largely corrupt government where the interests of the few are catered to at the expense of the many.

Quite simply, the Republican part has been in power too long, it has done too much damage, and change is needed. And I'm sorry, but John McCain is not change. Sarah Palin is definitely not change.

Regarding my view on this issue. Quite simply, I will vote yes for proposition 102 and I will cast an emphatic vote for Barack Obama and Joe Biden for president. I encourage you to do the same.