OBAMA - "SAME SEX COUPLES SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET MARRIED"

Once Joe Biden made his announcement, I did not think Barack Obama would be far behind.  I doubt that Obama will lose votes because of the announcement.  The great majority of the folks who will be upset, would not have voted for the president anyway.  

 “I have to tell you that over the course of several years as I have talked to friends and family and neighbors, when I think about members of my own staff who are in incredibly committed monogamous relationships, same-sex relationships, who are raising kids together; when I think about those soldiers or airmen or marines or sailors who are out there fighting on my behalf and yet feel constrained, even now that ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ is gone, because they are not able to commit themselves in a marriage, at a certain point I’ve just concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same sex couples should be able to get married,” Obama told Roberts in an interview to appear on ABC's "Good Morning America" Thursday.

PRESIDENT OBAMA AT EASTER PRAYER BREAKFAST

 

Remarks by the President at Easter Prayer Breakfast

THE PRESIDENT:  Good morning, everybody.  (Applause.)  Please, have a seat.  Have a seat.  Well, welcome to the White House.  It is a pleasure to be with all of you this morning.

In less than a week, this house will be overrun by thousands of kids at the Easter Egg Roll.  (Laughter.)  So I wanted to get together with you for a little prayer and reflection -- some calm before the storm.  (Laughter.)

It is wonderful to see so many good friends here today.  To all the faith leaders from all across the country -- from churches and congregations large and small; from different denominations and different backgrounds -- thank you for coming to our third annual Easter prayer breakfast.  And I’m grateful that you’re here.

I’m even more grateful for the work that you do every day of the year -- the compassion and the kindness that so many of you express through your various ministries.  I know that some of you have joined with our Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships.  I’ve seen firsthand some of the outstanding work that you are doing in your respective communities, and it’s an incredible expression of your faith.  And I know that all of us who have an opportunity to work with you draw inspiration from the work that you do.

Finally, I want to just express appreciation for your prayers.  Every time I travel around the country, somebody is going around saying, we’re praying for you.  (Laughter.)  We got a prayer circle going.  Don’t worry, keep the faith.  We’re praying.  (Laughter.)  Michelle gets the same stuff.  And that means a lot to us.  It especially means a lot to us when we hear from folks who we know probably didn’t vote for me -- (laughter) -- and yet, expressing extraordinary sincerity about their prayers.  And it’s a reminder not only of what binds us together as a nation, but also what binds us together as children of God.

Now, I have to be careful, I am not going to stand up here and give a sermon.  It’s always a bad idea to give a sermon in front of professionals.  (Laughter.)  But in a few short days, all of us will experience the wonder of Easter morning.   And we will know, in the words of the Apostle Paul, “Christ Jesus...and Him crucified.”

It’s an opportunity for us to reflect on the triumph of the resurrection, and to give thanks for the all-important gift of grace.  And for me, and I’m sure for some of you, it’s also a chance to remember the tremendous sacrifice that led up to that day, and all that Christ endured -- not just as a Son of God, but as a human being.

For like us, Jesus knew doubt.  Like us, Jesus knew fear.  In the garden of Gethsemane, with attackers closing in around him, Jesus told His disciples, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.”  He fell to his knees, pleading with His Father, saying, “If it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.”  And yet, in the end, He confronted His fear with words of humble surrender, saying, “If it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”

So it is only because Jesus conquered His own anguish, conquered His fear, that we’re able to celebrate the resurrection.  It’s only because He endured unimaginable pain that wracked His body and bore the sins of the world that He burdened -- that burdened His soul that we are able to proclaim, “He is Risen!”

So the struggle to fathom that unfathomable sacrifice makes Easter all the more meaningful to all of us.  It helps us to provide an eternal perspective to whatever temporal challenges we face.  It puts in perspective our small problems relative to the big problems He was dealing with.  And it gives us courage and it gives us hope.

We all have experiences that shake our faith.  There are times where we have questions for God’s plan relative to us -- (laughter) -- but that’s precisely when we should remember Christ’s own doubts and eventually his own triumph.  Jesus told us as much in the book of John, when He said, “In this world you will have trouble.”  I heard an amen.  (Laughter.)  Let me repeat.  “In this world, you will have trouble.”

AUDIENCE:  Amen!

THE PRESIDENT:  “But take heart!”  (Laughter.)  “I have overcome the world.”  (Applause.)  We are here today to celebrate that glorious overcoming, the sacrifice of a risen savior who died so that we might live.  And I hope that our time together this morning will strengthen us individually, as believers, and as a nation.

In his remarks, the president does not come across like a person reading a speech written by someone else to which he has given little thought.  I have my differences with Obama, but I believe he is a man of faith.

H/T to Torey Lightcap at The Lead.

WHO HAS THE BETTER VIEW?

Two American presidents visit the DMZ in Korea.

Thanks to Doug.

HAPPY 90TH BIRTHDAY BETTY WHITE!

Thanks to Crooks and Liars.

A DAY FOR REJOICING - 'DADT IS DEAD'!

From The Advocate:

The military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, one described in 1993 by President Bill Clinton as “an honorable compromise” that eventually destroyed thousands of careers, ended Tuesday at 12:01 a.m., nine months after Congress repealed the law.

Though September 20, 2011 may be remembered as much as a nonevent for the nation’s armed forces as it is a landmark day for equality, an official military memorandum on the end of DADT distributed Monday is striking nonetheless:

“From this day forward, gay and lesbian Soldiers may serve in our Army with the dignity and respect they deserve,” Secretary of the Army John M. McHugh and Army officials wrote (see a PDF of the letter here). “For over 236 years, the U.S. Army has been an extraordinary force for good in the world. Our Soldiers are the most agile, adaptable and capable warriors in history — and we are ready for this change.”

The announcement is long overdue but welcome nevertheless. Lest we diss President Obama and the Democrats in Congress unduly, this announcement would not have come under the presidency of John McCain.

According to ABCNews, when the repeal of DADT passed in the US Senate in December of 2010, McCain made the following statement:

“I hope that when we pass this legislation that we will understand that we are doing great damage,” he said.

“Today is a very sad day,” McCain sighed later.

No, Sen. McCain, you are wrong; today is a day for rejoicing. Gays and lesbians have long served bravely and honorably, and you well know the truth, but now they can be honest and forthright without fear of being thrown out of the military.

And, President Clinton, it was never 'an honorable compromise.' How could the policy that 'destroyed thousands of careers' of faithful service members ever be called honorable?