Wash Post Op-Ed by Eugene Robinson, writer

Hi all - Whether or not you agree with equal rights and gay marriage or not- and of course we do because we deserve it. Just like everyone else. Anyway, an Op-Ed in the Washington Post newspaper is a good follow-up to Tom's blog of yesterday. I edited it for brevity's sake, but you can read the whole thing at the link provided. And the Eugene Robinson isn't the gay pastor, he's a columnist who writes for the Post regularly.

WASHINGTON POST OP-ED by Eugene Robinson Friday, May 8, 2009
Believe it or not, often I can see the other side of an argument. I know that tough gun control laws save lives and make our communities safer, for example, but I also see clarity in the Second Amendment. I support affirmative action, but I realize that providing opportunity to some worthy individuals can mean denying opportunity to others. Thinking about some issues involves discerning among subtly graded shades of gray.
On some issues, though, I really don't see anything but black and white. Among them is the "question" of granting full equal rights to gay and lesbian Americans, which really isn't a question at all. It's a long-overdue imperative, one that the nation is finally beginning to acknowledge... (***THERE ARE MORE PARAGRAPHS, I EDITED IT TO JUST GIVE THE IDEA OF IT***)
Does Obama's stance in favor of repeal mean that he believes the federal government should recognize same-sex marriages? Does he also believe that, say, the state of Alabama should recognize a gay marriage performed in Iowa? If so, what is the practical difference between this position and just saying in plain language that gay marriages ought to be legal and recognized in all 50 states?
I'm not being unrealistic. I know that public acceptance of homosexuality in this country is still far from universal. But attitudes have changed dramatically -- more than enough for a popular, progressive president to speak loudly and clearly about a matter of fundamental human and civil rights. FULL OP-ED: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/07/AR2009050703055.html?wpisrc=newsletter&wpisrc=newsletter