I intended to be funny today about what happened yesterday in Indiana.
Something about never changing Dicks in the middle of a primary. I also wanted to write about the Republican filibuster against student loans because it seemed like such an obviously suicidal impulse on the part of octogenarian Republican senators.
But none of that matters now. Today is not a day for humor; it’s a day for joy.
For the first time in my life, the President of the United States, the leader of the free world declared that I am a full citizen of the country I love. The message he sent wasn’t just to me or you – it was to millions of kids, gay and straight, who will now grow up in a world knowing that there is no shame in being who you are and loving who you love.
In the movie “The American President,” fictional chief executive Andrew Shepherd said, “Being president of this country is entirely about character.” Today Barack Obama showed us his. This is what he said: “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.”
Character counts. And Mr. President, you can count on me.
Tune in to “Talking Liberally: The Stephanie Miller Show” weekday mornings at 9et/6pt on Current TV.
