Morning Music - Linkin Park - Burn It Down

Good Tuesday morning!  I hope everyone had a very pleasant Memorial Day weekend.  The weather was very pleasant here in Phoenix for the last few days, allowing for windows and the deck door to be open during the night.  A rarity this late in the year.  This morning I bring to you Burn It Down by Linkin Park.  Please enjoy.

Morning Music - Depeche Mode - Personal Jesus

Good Friday morning!  This morning I bring to you the very classic Personal Jesus by Depeche Mode.  Please enjoy.

Morning Music - Lostprophets - Bring 'Em Down

Good Thursday morning!  This morning I bring to you Bring 'Em Down by Lostprophets.  Please enjoy!

Morning Music - Matt Fishel - The First Time

Good Tuesday morning!  Do you remember your first time?   Truly remember it or have you filtered it to make it more/less than it was.  Feel free to share your first time experiences in the comments below and enjoy The First Time by Matt Fishel.

Morning Music - Bee Gees - Stayin' Alive

Good Monday morning!  This morning we mark the passing of Robin Gibb.  Rest in peace, Robin.  This morning, in honor of Robin, I bring to you Stayin' Alive by the Bee Gees.

Morning Music - White Lies - Holy Ghost

Good Sunday morning!  I know its been awhile since I last did Morning Music and I apologize.  This morning I bring to you Holy Ghost by White Lies.  Please enjoy.

The Milquetoast Evolution

The day after voters of North Carolina approved an amendment (Amendment 1) which bans same sex marriage, civil unions and some protections for single mothers, the headlines blasted that President Obama supports gay marriage.  My fellow gays, lesbians and our allies cheered with gleeful abandon.  Conservatives had a conniption fit.  All but a few on both sides act as if President Obama came out in full, unequivocal support of marriage equality.

But, in true Milquetoast President fashion, President Obama gave only qualified support for same sex marriage.  Instead of saying, “I personally support the right of same sex couples to marry and I believe the U.S. Constitution does as well”, he said this:

“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. Now-- I have to tell you that part of my hesitation on this has also been I didn't want to nationalize the issue.

… And I continue to believe that this is an issue that is gonna be worked out at the local level, because historically, this has not been a federal issue, what's recognized as a marriage.”

In other words, our Milquetoast President has evolved enough to support same sex marriage, but thinks it is a state’s rights issue and not a civil rights issue.  He doesn’t think that this should be a national issue, but a local and state issue.  This is how the President operates.  He can’t be for something 100%, he has to try and split his support to try and appease everyone.  He could have come out in support of gay marriage before the voters of North Carolina went to the polls, but he didn’t, he waited until the day after and the results were negative.  That’s not leadership, that’s cowardice.

I understand that as President, one has to make compromises on some issues, such as the budget, national security and such.  When it comes to civil rights though, compromise is not an option.  You are either for or against.  There is no fence sitting, as President Obama was previously doing, and there is no attempt to create “separate but equal” constructs such as “civil unions” which leaves a segment of the population as second class citizens.

I understand the desire by my fellow gays and lesbians around the nation and our allies to stand and cheer the President’s “support” of gay marriage.  It’s the desire to believe that the most powerful man in the world supports our equality.  That desire, though, blinds them to the realities of our Milquetoast President and one of those realities is that President Obama will pander just as much as Mr. Romney in order to be reelected.

I thank the President for his evolution in regards to same marriage equality, I just wish it wasn’t such a milquetoast evolution.

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The full transcript and video of President Obama’s interview can be found here.

For further reading, please check out Lyle Denniston’s write up on SCOTUSBlog.

Morning Music - Cosmo Jarvis - Gay Pirates (Extended)

Good Monday morning!  Time for a little fun this morning as I bring to you Gay Pirates by Cosmo Jarvis.  Please enjoy!

Morning Music - Scorpions - Rock You Like A Hurricane

Good Tuesday morning!  It's Justin B's 80s Rock Week here at Morning Music and he has chosen Rock You Like A Hurricane by Scorpions as this morning's music selection.  Here is a fun fact: Did you know that the Scorpions were first formed in 1965 and have been together ever since?

Morning Music - Britny Fox - Girlschool

Good Monday morning!  My friend, Justin B (and no, not THAT Justin B) is a big fan of 80's rock, but then again, who isn't?  So, I am letting Justin B take over Morning Music this week!  May the old gods help us!  Justin B's selection this morning is Girlschool by Britny Fox.  Please help us.