Blog #5 Down With DOMA

Amani Wright
2/23/11
5:46 pm

As of today, President Obama is deeming DOMA, or the Defense of Marriage Act, unconstitutional, and federal law can no longer ban the recognition of same-sex marriage.

Our president is on the fence regarding his personal views on gay marriage. At a news conference in December, he described that his views on gay marriage were “constantly evolving,” and that he supported civil unions of gay couples, at least for now. His views on DOMA, however, are clear. He feels it is “unnecessary and unfair.”

Attorney General Eric Holder says that President Obama came to the conclusion that DOMA “fails to meet a rigorous standard under which courts view with suspicion any laws targeting minority groups who have suffered a history of discrimination.” Attorney General Holder also explains how, during the initial passage of DOMA, President Obama explains that the act blatantly reflects exactly the discriminant and stereotypical views against gays and lesbians that the Equal Protection Clause of our nation’s constitution exists protect Americans from.

In my opinion, I feel that our president is doing some major evolution here. I don’t know what his original views on gay rights were, but they seem to becoming increasingly liberal. We also recently had the repealing of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, during the process of which President Obama expressed that he felt the repeal would “strengthen our national security” (npr, para. 13).

This shows a tremendous amount of bravery and diplomacy in our president to recognize that he SPEAKS FOR THE PEOPLE, not for himself, and his family alone, and to act on it.

Obama: DOMA Unconstitutional, DOJ Should Stop Defending In Court