Photo: Copenhagen
Last night, as marriage equality in New York State was held hostage by Republicans in Albany, President Obama addressed gay donors in New York City. He told them:
"Under the leadership of Governor [Andrew] Cuomo, with the support of Democrats and Republicans, New York is doing exactly what democracies are supposed to do. There is debate and deliberation about what it means here in New York to treat people fairly in the eyes of the law. That is the power of our democratic system.”
No, Mr. President, you are wrong. Democracies are not supposed to debate the basic human rights of minorities. Democracies have constitutions that guarantee basic rights to all citizens including members of minorities, rights not subject to debate. And democracies have leaders, Mr. President, who are supposed to protect and defend the constitution by exercising firm leadership, by articulating the values enshrined therein. What you should have said was that full marriage equality is merely a component of our democratic system, guaranteed by our constitution, and that New York State should institute marriage equality now. You had the opportunity to be presidential, to lead, to defend the constitution’s guarantee of equal rights for all. But you failed. You failed us, your gay and lesbian constituents. But worse, you failed in your duty as president. History will not be kind to you nor should it. You do not deserve to be re-elected.
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