Obama Supports Marriage Equality - What's Next?

In case you missed it, the big news from yesterday was Barack Obama coming out in support same-sex marriage.  Regardless of how you personally feel about the president or even about the issue overall, it is hard to deny the significance of a sitting president declaring his support for a historic expansion of civil rights.  I for one, feel similar to how I felt when Don't Ask, Don't Tell finally got repealed: truly proud to be an American, and not only because this is a watershed moment for liberals.  Proud because any time our country does itself one better in terms of actually living up to our lofty ideals, it should be something to celebrate.

 

Of course, the president's backing won't actually extend full marriage rights to any one single person currently lacking them.  It is merely a statement of support.  And it will be interesting to see what actions might follow this announcement.  Obama tempered his words by noting that while he supports gay marriage personally, he continues to believe that states should decide the issue.  And with the GOP in control of the House, any legislative activity will indeed have to come from the ground up, as it has since Massachusetts became the first state to legalize same-sex marriage in 2004. 

Still, it matters what presidents say.  This one just set the tone for his entire administration, the entire federal government, and the future platform of his political party by coming down on the side of the civil rights pioneers.