Obama is pressed to engage

GAY ISSUES ARISE

But now Obama — who has said he opposes same-sex marriage as a Christian but describes himself as a “fierce advocate of equality” for gay men and lesbians — is under pressure to engage on a variety of gay issues that are coming to the fore amid a dizzying pace of social, political, legal and legislative change.
Two of Obama’s potential Supreme Court nominees are openly gay; some advocates, irked that there are no gay men or lesbians in his cabinet, are mounting a campaign to influence his choice to replace Justice David H Souter, who is retiring. Same-sex marriage is advancing in states — the latest to allow it is Maine — and a new flare-up in the District of Columbia could ultimately put the controversy in the lap of the president.
Social issues like same-sex marriage bring together deeply held principles and flashpoint politics, and many gay activists, aware that Obama is also dealing with enormous challenges at home and overseas, have counselled patience.
But some are unsettled by what they see as the president’s cautious approach. Many are still seething over his choice of the Rick Warren, the evangelical pastor who opposes same-sex marriage, to deliver the invocation at his inaugural, and remain suspicious of Obama’s commitment to their cause.

Change inevitable

If he appoints a gay person to the Supreme Court, he would be viewed by social conservatives as putting a vote for same-sex marriage on the highest court in the land. Two gay women, Kathleen M Sullivan and Pamela S Karlan, both of Stanford Law School, have been suggested as potential nominees.
Some say change is inevitable, not only for Obama but also for other Democratic politicians who have embraced civil unions but rejected same-sex marriage.
Obama has chosen a number of openly gay people for prominent jobs, including Fred P Hochberg as chairman of the Export-Import Bank and John Berry to run the Office of Personnel Management. And he is the first president to set aside tickets for gay families to attend the White House Easter Egg Roll.
But on legislation, allies of Obama’s are not surprised that he is charting a careful course. In addition to calling for the repeal of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy in the military, Obama supports a legislative repeal of the Defence of Marriage Act, the 1996 law that said states need not recognise same-sex marriages performed in other states. Opponents of same-sex marriage say that is an inconsistency.