I never thought it would come so soon. President Barack Obama just came out in support of same-sex marriage. The President has always claimed that his views on same-sex marriage were “evolving” and we all knew that evolution would eventually lead to this day. Make no mistake, the main reason he is making this declaration is because he feels it is politically tenable. The President believes that he can still win the election this November as a supporter of same-sex marriage. Unfortunately, President Obama has very little power when it comes to substantively changing the marriage laws. He can fight for Congress to Repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, and he already saw to the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. Yet his support is a powerful beacon, and should not be discounted due to its lack of policy implications. As someone who has been very critical of the President for his centrist governing over the past three years, today’s declaration reminded me that, this November, there are things worth fighting for. Recent polls show that our generation is far less enthusiastic about this election than we were four years ago. If that trend holds, the President will be in trouble come November. It is our duty to make it clear to the rest of the country that we support the President’s announcement of support. There are many people still out there who oppose granting same-sex couples the same rights as all other Americans. We cannot allow our apathy toward the President to amplify their voices. We must stand with the President and drown them out.
Original Author: Noah Karr-Kaitin