Obama: Same-Sex Couples Deserve Same Rights, Right? Right.

In a major turnabout, President Obama announced yesterday that he’s going to stop defending the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which bars federal recognition of same-sex marriages. Why? Because it’s unconstitutional.

This is a very, very big deal. Here are the top three reasons why Obama’s legal change of heart will matter in the long term, according to Huffington Post blogger Emma Ruby-Sachs:

1. The President’s admission that DOMA is no longer constitutionally defensible lends huge weight to arguments in court that DOMA should be struck down.

2. DOMA now will only be defended by right wing intervenors, revealing the legislation for what it is: an instrument of hate and exclusion supported by bigots.

3. Right wing groups will have to spend money to defend DOMA — draining their pockets which evens the score (previously, equality groups paid big money to bring constitutional challenges while the government paid for the defense of DOMA)

Bonus reason: Our tax dollars will no longer be funding (this particular kind of) homophobic discrimination.

Photo Credit: BrainChildVN on Flickr

Found by Alicia on The Huffington Post.

Image found on Flickr via BrainChildVN.


This entry was posted in LGBTQ Equality, Shocking, Text and tagged , . Bookmark the permalink.

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  • Anonymous

    Awesome. Let the Republicans spend a bunch of their own money in order to defend a completely asinine bill like DOMA.nnSheesh. Next, they’ll be outlawing worship of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

  • Anonymous

    Thank God Adam was not gay! Thank God we are here to balance the population. Get past your ignorance. Donu2019t throw the u2018appleu2019 out there as your defense.

  • Anonymous

    Gays can get married. They can even marry other gays! They just can’t be the same sex. How is that unconstitutional?

  • Brittany

    Gay or not, people are people and they deserve rights just like everyone else living here in America. Get your head out of your ignorant ass.

  • Brittany

    Gay or not, people are people. They deserve the same rights you and I have because they live in America too. Love is love. Get your head out of your ignorant ass.

  • Anonymous

    Obama is a coward. First, he sues Arizona for attempting to enforce immigration laws now this. He is a man without morals, whimsical, on shaky ground.

  • Anonymous

    Your religious beliefs have no place in the government or legal system of my free country. Damned bible thumpers. Would you let some death cult dictate what you can and can’t do. I don’t think so.

  • Anonymous

    Religious views have no place in the government or legal system of my free country. Damned bible thumpers. Would they let some death cult (besides other christians) dictate what they can and can’t do. I don’t think so!

  • Anonymous

    Throw God out of your constitution and all the junky morals will come flooding in demanding legilasation and rights; prostitution, gay-ism, abortions, divorce – just think what will happen to our children generations from now who will be suffocating coz they can’t sustain a healthy, balanced family!!!

  • Anonymous

    Throw God out of your constitution and all the junky morals will come flooding in demanding legilasation and rights; prostitution, gay-ism, abortions, divorce – just think what will happen to our children generations from now who will be suffocating coz they can’t sustain a healthy, balanced family!!!

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002126518590 Taotao Mohna

    NO, IT WAS NEVER UP TO THE PRESIDENT AS MUCH AS YOU WOULD LIKE TO BELIEVE. IT IS UP TO THE EVOLVING CONSCIENCE OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE FINALLY BELIEVING THAT LIFE, LIBERTY, AND PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS IS FOR ALL HUMANITY. I’VE FORGIVEN HUMANITY A LONG TIME AGO. SO I INVITE U TO GROW AND DEVELOP IN YOUR THINKING AND GET ON THE TRAIN. MAYBE TRY THINKNG LIKE A CHILD.nn”CHILDREN ARE BUT CIVILIZED ADULTS.nADULTS ARE BUT DAMAGED CHILDREN.”

  • Anonymous

    ???Death cult? What on earth are you talking about? Jesus Christ is the Saviour. There is nobody greater! No one who compares and certainly not satan who was created by God the Father. Anyway, what is your moral stance? Or do you just follow the whims of this world. If you don’t stand for truth you will be tossed around like a rag doll by other people who think like you do.

  • Anonymous

    What really gets my goat are the jokers who call normal people homophobics. They don’t recognize their own failure to recognize an illness that prevents them from accepting the fact they are doing the biggest part of the hating. nIt’s kind of like watching someone throw up to see this go on, nauseating, attempting to pull you into throwing up too. nIt’s not a phobia, it’s a disgrace to the person and their family just as a murderer would be. They refuse to seek help, change so they can become a real family with children to fill their family tree for future generations. It’s a negative condition of their mind that has become stuck in a rut of un-natural behavior patterns. nHow is it that these individuals sent out hate and name calling to those who find their lifestyle repulsive? It’s against nature it’self. If everyone became homosexual all life would cease to exist. If their parents were homosexual they would have never been born. So…why don’t they acknowledge this logic? I can only feel sorry for their lack of knowledge to understand themselves and their feelings, they don’t realize just how ill they are. The only thing that will change is they will all die without children, without knowledge if they keep struggling to stay what they have become.

  • Anonymous

    Marriage is and has always been between a man and woman. Not woman and woman or man and man as the marriage bond is to give a name to the children they will bare together. nIt is not homophobic to realize a sickness, a plague upon the nation in the mental illness of the same sex of people lusting after one another. It’s not natural, it’s against the very laws of nature. No family tree, no children, nothing but mental confusion and demented lifestyle. nA murderer could be classified as the same as a homosexual because they destroy life just as the homosexual does. It indeed is a mental illness that should be treated so these people can live a normal life and have a future in stead of a black out in their family tree as if they had died. There is no life in such behavior, none at all.

  • Anonymous

    Why not marry your pet???

  • Anonymous

    I don’t know any gay people that want to marry their pets.

  • Anonymous

    There is a difference between what a religion acknowledges as marriage and what the government acknowledges as marriage. Religion should have no part in government, so it really does not matter that Christianity only recognizes marriage between a man and a woman.nnComparing homosexuals to murderers, calling them mentally ill? You are the ill ones. Your logic is skewed.

  • Anonymous

    While I understand that people having different opinions and are entitled to believe whatever they like, I would ask that we use only facts. It’s untrue that homosexuality is unnatural. It occurs in other species as well, albatross, monkies, dolphins. Over 450 species, in fact. Species that, it could be argued, are incapable of thought, and therefore capable only of following instincts.nSo, do I argue that the Bible condemns gay sex? No. Do I argue that it’s natural? Yes. But do I feel that homosexuality is a sickness? No!nI would also propose that our constitution does not specify that a marriage is,between a man and a woman, but that it DOES specify that the church is seperated from the state. So perhaps the answer is as simple as legalize it, and churches can decide for themselves wether they would conduct a same-sex ceremony.nAnd, to take that a step further, legalize it and if you disagree with it, pray you don’t have a gay child, and then make the choice not to marry someone of the same sex.nDon’t let your prejudice, your fear, and your ignorance bar rights from someone else.nHomosexuality hurts no one. Except the people that are hurt by homo-hating heterosexuals. nIn fact, our species is so overpopulated that homosexuality could be a good thing. We CAN’T reproduce with each other, so we rarely contribute to overpopulation. We actually help by offering homes to adoptable children. Loving, stable homes, that result in succesful, well rounded children.nSo, for everyone that disagrees, please, continue, but don’t refuse someone a consitutional right because you’re afraid and ignorant.

  • Anonymous

    while I understand that people having different opinions and are entitled to believe whatever they like, I would ask that we use only facts. It’s untrue that homosexuality is unnatural. It occurs in other species as well, albatross, monkies, dolphins. Over 450 species, in fact. Species that, it could be argued, are incapable of thought, and therefore capable only of following instincts.nSo, do I argue that the Bible condemns gay sex? No. Do I argue that it’s natural? Yes. Do I believe that homosexuality is a sickness? NO! I agree with the rest of the scientific community.nI would also propose that our constitution does not specify that a marriage is,between a man and a woman, but that it DOES specify that the church is seperated from the state. So perhaps the answer is as simple as legalize it, and churches can decide for themselves wether they would conduct a same-sex ceremony.nAnd, to take that a step further, legalize it and if you disagree with it, pray you don’t have a gay child, and then make the choice not to marry someone of the same sex.nDon’t let your prejudice, your fear, and your ignorance bar rights from someone else.nHomosexuality hurts no one. Except the people that are hurt by homo-hating heterosexuals. nIn fact, our species is so overpopulated that homosexuality could be a good thing. We CAN’T reproduce with each other, so we rarely contribute to overpopulation. We actually help by offering homes to adoptable children. Loving, stable homes, that result in succesful, well rounded children.nSo, for everyone that disagrees, please, continue, but don’t refuse someone a consitutional right because you’re afraid and ignorant.

  • Anonymous

    I’m curious to know what you think of heterosexual couples who choose not to have children. nnIn any event, the issue here is not a philosophical or psychological discussion of why people love who they love, but the legal issue of giving extra rights and benefits to one pair of permanently co-habitating, consenting adults, and not another pair. Since our constitution was written, we have been amending it, because we find discrimination in it that our founding fathers, being human and therefore imperfect, did not consider at the time. That was, in fact, the very reason they established a means by which we can change it.nnOur legal system has to do everything it can to treat all people the same, without regard to their religious beliefs, sex, race, or mental condition. Otherwise how could you be sure it would treat you fairly if ever you found yourself in court? nnChurches can allow or deny people marriage as they see fit; marriage is really a religious institution anyway. The problem is that our government got involved with it, and now it is a government institution as well, with different consideration given to “married” couples. So, to be fair, either everyone wishing to declare themselves together should get those rights and responsibilities, or our government needs to no longer have any part in the institution of marriage.nnI leave the social and legal ramifications of that course of action to your imagination, but the fact of the matter is you can’t have it both ways. Even mentally ill people have rights, and can get married, and are protected by our government in their pursuit of happiness.

  • Anonymous

    This is one of the most ignorant things I have ever read. It makes me physically sick.

  • Anonymous

    We are all the same species, gay or straight. Have empathy and compassion for those who are different than you. Do you really care what others do behind closed doors? Two consenting adults should be free to do what they wish without anyone’s censure. Mind your own business people.

  • Anonymous

    Where is gay marriage prohibited in the constitution?

  • http://www.facebook.com/joelro Joel Osterman

    It’s funny you mention prostitution… Legal in some states. “Gay-ism”. It’s legal to be gay. Abortions… legal. Divorce… Legal… how about you actually give some good evidence to backup these “junky morals”?nnYou fucking make me sick.

  • http://www.facebook.com/joelro Joel Osterman

    The only reason we’re classified as murderers is because we want to murder the ignorant pricks like you in this country. If anything gay people are SAVING life and saving the world population. If EVERYONE had a child, everyone would be dead by now because there would be no more resources to live in this world. nnYou also mention a “blackout” in the family tree. My straight cousin both decided to not have children. Does that mean they’re living with mental confusion and a demented lifestyle?

  • http://www.facebook.com/joelro Joel Osterman

    And you really think that gay people are animals? Yea, that makes real sense. Get a life.

  • Brittany

    You are so fucking delusional. Pets are not consenting creatures. Human beings are. Stop trying to be a smart-ass and look at it from a different perspective other than behind some fucking fictional book written hundreds of years ago. Idiot.

  • Brittany

    Obviously he does stand for truth. For the rights of people in America regardless of whether they are gay or not. I don’t think truth is defined as believing in a higher power. You seriously have no idea what you are talking about. People can believe in Jesus Christ and the Bible and whatnot, but that shit shouldn’t be represented in our government whatsoever, end of argument.

  • Brittany

    What an immature joke to pull out just to prove some idiotic point. Marriage is between a man and a woman according to the Bible. It’s called separation of church and state. Ever heard of it?

  • Brittany

    What the fuck are you even talking about? Homosexuality is not a “illness” in any sort of way. If homosexuality is, so is heterosexuality. When did you decide to become straight? Did you choose to like women or men when you were maturing? I don’t think so. You are attracted to who you are attracted to, it’s fucking simple. Don’t make it all complicated. There are plenty of straight people who never get married and have kids. Your viewpoint is so clouded by bullshit it is mind-blowing.

  • Brittany

    So you’d rather have a man and a woman raise a child in a completely shitty environment and have them grow up emotionally and mentally fucked up then have that child grow up with two moms or two dads and be perfectly fine? I’m not saying that is the case all the time, but every family has their upsides and downsides whether it is a homosexual parental relationship or a heterosexual one.

  • Anonymous

    Here’s the problem…the President and the DOJ has CHOSEN not to defend a law. They didn’t go through the process of appeal, the are just choosing not to enforce it. It IS a law. Since when can the DOJ just choose when or not to enforce them? What if the next election cycle, the new president decides NOT to enforce Social Security Contributions…not to enforce Obamacare…or any other law that he/she might not agree with. He cannot simply pick and choose what he will enforce. This guy is a fraud and a sham. He needs the boot.

  • Anonymous

    I like where you’re going with this…the government SHOULD have no benefit for marriage. No tax benefits, in fact, collect the same taxes regardless of your status. Just out of curiousity though……if the goverment stepped out of the marriages, then 1. where would gay people bet “married”, and 2. would they care to do it? Liberals and progressives just want your vote, that’s it. nThe seperation of church and state has been manipulated to such a degree that look where we’ve come. Homosexuality is a sin in the church. Marriage is derived from the church….get the point?

  • Anonymous

    Seperation of church and state was written as to prevent a federal level religion and to block a monarchy from developing. It does NOT imply that church CANNOT be a part of state. Look at all the historic references to church in our government. They are slowing going away due to progressives, but the fact of the matter is that religion was a very important part of our foundation.

  • Anonymous

    Same sex “couples” is one thing. But the ceremony of marriage is derived from religion. If your church denounces your membership based on you’re desire to be with someone of the same sex…why would you want to be a part of it anyways. I believe that homosexuals just want the world to pet the tops of their heads and say “it’s ok”. People of church believe that it is a sin and therefore don’t understand why a homosexual would want a part of it. Is it the tax benefits, acceptance of your lifestyle? Can’t homosexuals just be happy to be together, you have to have a ceremony that was originated from the belief in christ? Leave gay marriage alone and just be happy.

  • Anonymous

    That “shit” not being represented in our gov’t is exactly why you have so much immorality that prevals across our country today. It’s funny how you don’t what to see people behave morally but you also have no answer to immorality as it exists in our country today.

  • Brittany

    You can have morals without the presence of the Bible and religion in our government. Knowing right from wrong doesn’t directly correlate to the Bible at all. Yes, the Bible does teach those things but it is also the reason for this hatred towards homosexuals. So to imply that homosexuality and their ability to marry is somehow affecting our country’s morality, is an ignorant statement.

  • Brittany

    Well I think we should go as far as to say we shouldn’t have religion in our government at all. If it is doing things like blocking people from having rights that everyone else has then it is a detriment to our society.

  • Brittany

    You are talking about two very different things. Obama not supporting DOMA doesn’t mean he is going to turn around and not enforce Social Security Contributions, that is just an insane statement to make just so you can “prove a point”. You are comparing two things that aren’t even relevant to eachother.

  • Anonymous

    Well I come from the old school, when I was young Gay People meant happy people, So let us call it the way it is, They are Queers and Lesbians, I am not going to sugar coat for you!! And yes you are write they have rights just like anyone else!!! Bye the way I am a Christian, and God loves them just as much as anyone else, and the God I serve commands Me to love them also.. Do I like Obama no I don’t, but again God commands me to love him also, Obama is also one of them!! But they have the same right as anyone else, get down on there knees and confess to God that they are a sinner and accept Jesus into there heart, His Blood is Sufficient to cover all sins.. People I am a Christian, if your a Christian, don’t speak or say religious, religion is budda, muslim, etc.. Christianity is a way of life!! If this offends anyone I do not care.. This once great nation was founded on Christian Principals… Christian people it is about time, we the people spoke and call on the name of God, and it is time for us to tell the world, that there is only one God!!! I think we have been quite long enough, I am professing the name of the Almighty God..nIt is time we took a stand for Jesus!! They took prayer out of schools, and now they are trying to take the Great Red White and Blue out of the United States!!! People I am going to tell it like it is, if they don’t like our FLAG, if they don’t like us as Christians, the way I see it they are now trying to shove there stupid islam religion down our throats!!! So if they hate our God and our Country that bad, I have a solution to there problem!!! GET THE HELL OUT OF OUR COUNTRY AND TAKE THERE STUPID religion WITH THEM TAKE THERE STUPID FLAGS, AND IF Obama DON’T LIKE IT THEY CAN TAKE THAT MUSLIM BACK TO KENYA WITH THEM!!! God BLESS THE USA!!!nnWell Your Going To Think Some Fictional Book, And You Will Find Out One Day, If You Don’t Repent Of Your Ways And Accept Jesus Into Your Heart And Life!!!nI Have Did What God Requires Me To Do That Is To Witness To You, But You Have To Make That Choice, There Is Only Two Heaven Or Hell, No Middle Ground!!!

  • Anonymous

    n Leviticus 20:13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood [shall be] upon them. nnnLeviticus 18:22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it [is] abomination. nnIf You Can’t Understand The Living Word Of God, Then My Advice To You Is, You Don’t Have Very Long, If I Were You I Would Be Praying For Jesus To Come In To My Life And To Cover Those Sins With His Blood!! In Other Words Repent!!nnOne Day Soon You All Will Be Saying, I Just Thought Those Old Christians Were Crazy And Did’nt Know What They Were Talking About, I Sure Know Better Now!!nAnd Know This God Loves You, As Much As Anyone Else!!!

  • Anonymous

    Leviticus 20:16 And if a woman approach unto any beast, and lie down thereto, thou shalt kill the woman, and the beast: they shall surely be put to death; their blood [shall be] upon them. nnExodus 22:19 Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death. nnnnIf You Can’t Understand The Living Word Of God, Then My Advice To You Is, You Don’t Have Very Long, If I Were You I Would Be Praying For Jesus To Come In To My Life And To Cover Those nSins With His Blood!! In Other Words Repent!!nnOne Day Soon You All Will Be Saying, I Just Thought Those Old Christians Were Crazy And Did’nt Know What They Were Talking About, I Sure Know Better Now!!nAnd Know This God Loves You, As Much As Anyone Else!!!nOne Other Thing In Case No One Has Ever Told You, But Man Is The Only Species, That God Gave A Soul, Animals Don’t Have Souls!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Brittany

    What the fuck, seriously. What did I even just read? You and your delusional christian bullshit need to stay away from the government and our society, what you just said was so ignorant and crazy. You are so uneducated it hurts. Please read a book other than the Bible, you are making this country look like it is filled with mentally unstable people like yourself. I have no words to reply to what you just said because the stupidity of it blew my mind. Wow.

  • Anonymous

    Brittany To Start With It Sounds To Me Like Your, Mother and Father Did Not Take A Belt And Tear Your Rear End Up Enough. Sounds Like College Is Not Teaching You Anything, But No Respect For Others, And How To Be Stupid!!nYour Only 20 Years Old, So You Don’t Know AnyThing, About What This Country Was Founded On, Well I Will Tell You The Princepals Of God!!nLet Me Tell You One Thing, Instead Of Trying To Tell Me To Read Other Books Beside’s The Bible, I Think You Need To Read The Bible, Instead Of Those Stupid Books You Are Reading!!nThere Is Only One Book, It Is The Living Word Of God, It’s Called The Bible!! nYour Mother Need’s To Wash Your Mouth Out With Soap, And Teach You Some Manners!!nYou Don’t Have A Clue What You Are Talking About, Why Don’t You Listen, Shut Up And Learn Something!!nNo I Don’t Need To Stay Away From Government And Society, I Am A Taxpayer And Also Vote!!nBut Do You Do Either One??nnOne Day And It Want Be Long, When You Stand In Front Of Jesus On Judgement Day, And He Say’s Depart From Me I Never New You, Then When You Are Cast Into The Lake Of Fire!!nThen You Will Say I Guess Those Crazy Christians, Was Right About That Book Called The Bible!!!nI Am Telling You The Way It Is, I Am Trying To Wittness To You And Keep Your Soul Out Of Hell!nThe Choice Is Your’s Jesus Or satan, Heaven Or Hell!!!nThat ‘s Up To You, I Can’t Make That Choice For You!!nnBut Know This God Still Loves You, I Hope You Will Make The Right Choice And Invite Jesus To Come Into Your Heart!!nnGod Loves You!!!

  • Brittany

    Since I can’t for some reason reply to your most recent comment: nThat is hilarious that you are attacking me for my age and saying that I “don’t know anything about what this country was founded on”. If I hadn’t put my age on my profile, you would have no idea how old I was, and there wouldn’t even be a question of how old I am. It’s funny that my age can make you assume things about me when you don’t even fucking know me at all. How old are you? Seeing as you can’t even spell or use grammar correctly. Also, how in the world do you know the books I’m reading are “stupid”? I have read the Bible, so I know what kind of things it says in there. I grew up in a household where there was no religion, my mother told us to find our own way in life and if religion was part of that, that was okay too. I chose to become an atheist on my own terms. I honestly could give a shit if people are religious, but once you start shoving that down other peoples’ throats and preaching that Christianity is the only way of life, then I call bullshit. I am 20 years old, I don’t need my mouth “washed out” by my mother and father, I am of legal age and have freedom of speech. I can say all the fucks and shits I want, so don’t treat me like a child. You’re talking about how I need to learn manners and then you tell me to shut up? You are so hypocritical it blows my mind. Another point, I work a full-time job so yes, I pay taxes like any other American. And yes I vote, but even if I didn’t that wouldn’t mean anything. nI don’t believe in Jesus, God or the Bible so when the day comes that I die I am perfectly okay with nothing happening after that. You are just another mindless slave of the church. Believe what you want, but don’t preach to me.

  • Anonymous

    nRevelation 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.nnRevelation 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.nnLuke 6:22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you [from their company], and shall reproach [you], and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.nnHebrews 2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard [him]; nnMatthew 23:33 [Ye] serpents, [ye] generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? nnI’m Not A Slave Of The Church, I Am A Servent , For The Lord!!nnYou May Not Believe Now But You Will Soon, You Will Find Out, That Something Does Happen After You Die!!nnAnd Again It IS Your Choice Heaven Or Hell!!nGod Loves You Remember That!nI Will Pray For You To Accept Jesus, And Yes I Love You To, It Is A Command From God!!!nn

  • Brittany

    I didn’t even read what you just wrote. Don’t quote the Bible to me, I could give two shits, honestly. I know what happens when I die. My body decays. So you can believe in whatever you want, but don’t preach to me. Seriously. I won’t listen and you can’t use your fucking scare tactics about Hell and whatever else into making me believe in God. So please be quiet now, nobody cares.

  • Anonymous

    Brittany Your Choice Not Mine!!

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