Obama Supports Same-Sex Marriage

Brian and several other people I knew posted a video on Facebook called "It Could Happen to You," and I must admit that I never felt the urge to click on it.  I didn't know what it was about.  It wasn't until Brian's mom urged me to watch it that I did.  It's about ten minutes long and it tells the story of a loving gay couple.  When one man dies, however, the story turns horribly sad as his partner is left with absolutely no legal ties to the one he loved.  It's a personal story that highlights the importance of gay marriage.



Brian's mom said, "Hope you and Brian know how much I love you both.  [The video] touched me and I just wanted to make sure you both know for sure of my love for you!"

I recognize that I am very blessed to have found Brian and together we are very happy.  I'm also blessed in that both my family and his family love and support us with all they have.  I'm grateful that I am always welcome in the Kesler home.  In fact, his family has gone so far as to say that if there were ever a family function (such as a reunion or dinner) where I were not invited, then they wouldn't attend either.  While that sentiment sometimes makes me feel guilty, I am indeed deeply touched that I am that important in their lives.  I love being a part of Brian's family.

And it's that love for family that motivates me, a gay man, to fight for my right to marry the one I love.  Brian and I love each other, support each other, live together, share a banking account, long to adopt children someday and even wear rings... but we are not married.  Only 6 states in the U.S. allow for gay marriage, and Utah is definitely not one of them.  With North Carolina recently becoming the 30th state to amend the constitution in a way that bars gays from marriage, the future doesn't look so good.

However, President Obama just yesterday made a statement in favor of gay marriage, becoming the first sitting president to ever do so.  He said, "I have hesitated on gay marriage in part because I thought that civil unions would be sufficient.  I was sensitive to the fact that for a lot of people the word `marriage' was something that evokes very powerful traditions, religious beliefs and so forth.  But it is important for me personally to go ahead and affirm that same-sex couples should be able to get married." 

He added, "In the end, the values that I care most deeply about and [first lady Michelle Obama] cares most deeply about is how we treat other people.  That's what we try to impart to our kids and that's what motivates me as president and I figure the most consistent I can be in being true to those precepts, the better I'll be as a dad and a husband and hopefully the better I'll be as president."