Mosque vs. Gay Marriage on Courage-O-Meter

I said Mosque and Gay Marriage instead of Community Center and Same-Sex Marriage because we only get but so many letters in the thread title.

The President is willing to take a political beating when the cause is just, even a gratuitous, voluntary political beating on a matter not before the federal executive branch at all.

But right is right. The anti financial district Muslim center protests are obscene.

Same-sex marriage is also right. It is, however, considered a third rail.

But same-sex marriage polls better than the Muslim community center. (As does single-payer.)

Question:

Would saying in a speech to some group, "I have come to believe that gay marriage is a human right," have been more damaging than siding with the equally radioactive (only politically radioactive... so far) Muslims?

I think that as a political question we have to be talking about the reaction of independents.

(Most Dems would find a way to go along with either. Most pugs are never going to vote for us anyway.)

And I have no doubt that same-sex marriage is more popular with independents than being a mosque-lover.

Yet I would have to say gay-marriage would be more damaging, though I am not even sure exactly how or why.

I guess because it would be a flip-flop rather than a consistent statement of the unpopular but obvious.

It seems to me that his position is to just let it happen as the social attitudes towards gay people in this country become more and more accepting. I also think if Congress put a repeal of DOMA on his desk, he would sign it in a second.

As for the OP, I think it takes courage just to get out of bed and remind people that you are still among the living, if you are Barack Obama.

all it does is remove a law baring the federal government* from recognizing them it does not make it so the Federal Government recognizes marriage equality. Even if DOMA is repealed a law must then be passed to recognize marriage equality or it still must be won via the courts.

Obama is not asking that DOMA be repealed and a law be enacted that grants marriage equality - those are two different things. I wish he would however insist both take place at the same time.

*Section three of DOMA - section two is in regards to states recognizing marriages from other states (and its not compulsory either - currently a few states recognize marriages from other states even thought hey don't have marriage equality, if DOMA is repealed it does not change this until a court case forces it.)

He has said so quite a few times. Being against it is opposing it.

they were "sneer quotes"

I saw Skinner use the phrase "scare quotes" in that thread and it was new to me.

I double quoted the word opposition because I don't believe the opposition is actually real. Of course, most people would realize that because its a fairly normal use of double quotes.

this is based partially on anecdotal evidence BTW.

the community center is already completely legal, the protest is coming from extremist looney toons and was brought about by a perceived lack of sensitivity. the looney toons have no legal recourse in this situation and the non-looney toons might have a legitimate beef with the sensitivity issue but still have no legal recourse. the only question here really is if the property owner can be persuaded to go elsewhere, because they can't legally be forced to.

there's still a lot of legal muck to wade through with gay marriage. and based on the opinions of my friends and family, even the more liberal ones, were still a long way from convincing enough people that you're born gay let alone getting support for marriage. i'm 36 and i know only 2 people in my real 3-d life older than me who actually support the rights of gay people to get married. both are friends, one of whom is gay. that also includes family, of whom one is also openly gay. she's accepted by family, but religious beliefs preclude them from supporting her right to marry. i don't know that any of them actually believe that being gay isn't a choice you make.

it's been my experience that it's going to be about 20 more years of attrition before being gay truly becomes normalized. what that says about obama's options i'm not sure.

...but it is funny that gay marriage polls better than the community center.

and i'd hazard a guess that the looney toons can't have two concurrent thoughts.