President Obama Comes Out: He Supports Gay Marriage

For the first time ever, the American President affirms the rights of same-sex partners to marry.

Thank you Mr. President! (What took you so long?)


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• Obama’s gay marriage support brings change in attitudes among African-Americans | TPM2012 http://bit.ly/LNwLfx:  
• "An endorsement of same-sex marriage was long considered risky for President Obama because of the expected backlash from the African-American community. Few seemed to consider the alternative, which polling suggests is playing out instead: Rather than changing their minds about the president, some black voters are reconsidering gay marriage. "

{see above!!} There is much being said about the endemic homophobia in the black community, and how this may or may not cost Obama votes in the fall. How about some uplift?:

‏

Gays get married. Get over it.

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click to embiggen it!
from: What Your Argument Against Gay Marriage Says About You (Infographic)

The Culture Wars

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(i'm copying / moving a lot of contraception/abortion stuff into the Acornification thread - check there)


Maddow has been excellent on this topic, so a category just for  her

• Maddow and Michael Steele on whether culture war still exists (Jan 28 2011)

Resurrecting Abortion Restrictions

• Irked by abortion bill, Va. senator adds rectal exams for men | HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com (1/30/2012) 
• Big gov! Red tape! Bureaucratic nightmares!
• For abortion providers, sonogram law a complication | Emily Ramshaw - TheMonitor.com (1/29/2012)  
• New Restrictions On Abortion Almost Tied Record Last Year : Shots - Health Blog : NPR (1/19/2012)
• Mainstreaming Anti Contraception, Economist, 3/2011 
• "Will Women Fight Back?" Bos Phoenix, 3/2011
• Limiting rape exceptions for abortion ONLY for "Forcible Rape" (MoJo on Republican legislation intro'd Jan 2011)
• (by the way, the New England Journal of Medicine has a new report (Jan 2011) saying abortions do not cause mental health risks. Duh)
• (Update: that "forcible rape" language has been taken out after intense public pressure)
• Another update: 2/9: language still in there! 
• "the Protect Life Act" would allow Doctors to refuse to save mother's life if it'll kill the fetus (Alternet, 2/2011)
• Mother Jones 2/8/2011
• "Senate Showdown Over Abortion" 2/9/2011 Motherjones

[ More  "Keeping Track of the 112th Congress" in separate blog entry]
Big Government / Libertarians and Abortion

• Gunfire Deaths in Children vs Pro-Life: A Political Double Standard « Art on Issues (1/31/2012)
• Rand Paul: I Have Less Choice In Toilets Than Women Have In Abortions (VIDEO) | TPMDC (3/2011)

Feb 8, 2011 (on Teaparty blocking vote 1 on Patriot act extension):

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Women, Mothers, Motherhood, Contraception

• Legal or Not, Abortion Rates Compare - NYTimes.com (2007)- http://goo.gl/3rb2r -- Worldwide abortion rates same, regardless of prohibitions.
• A comprehensive global study of abortion has concluded that abortion rates are similar in countries where it is legal and those where it is not, suggesting that outlawing the procedure does little to deter women seeking it.
• Moreover, the researchers found that abortion was safe in countries where it was legal, but dangerous in countries where it was outlawed and performed clandestinely. Globally, abortion accounts for 13 percent of women’s deaths during pregnancy and childbirth, and there are 31 abortions for every 100 live births, the study said.
• Just the Facts: Churches and the Contraceptive Coverage Mandate | Truthout (2/2/2012) 
• Why New Birth Control Benefits are the Right Choice and Why Religious Conservatives Have it Wrong | Sex & Relationships (1/29/2012) | AlterNet 
• Facts on Unintended Pregnancy in the United States (Jan. 2012) - Guttmacher Institute 
• Law Fuels Contraception Controversy on Catholic Campuses - NYTimes.com (1/28/2012) 
• Mother Jones Graph: Abortion rates tend to be lower in subregions that have liberal abortion laws (1/23/2012) 
• The Rev. Chuck Currie: "Observe the Roe v. Wade Anniversary by Staying Vigilant and Taking Action" (1/22/2012) 
• Who gets abortions in the US? (YouTube/it's not who you think), Guttmacher Inst., May 2011
• Teen Moms Look for Support, But Find Only Shame - COLORLINES 5/2011
• Gail Collins, Behind the Abortion Wars (= war on contraception), Apr 2011 

RELIGION

• Catholic Church: Eaten Alive by Hypocrisy « Tales of the Imperium - Alternet - (3/9/2010) 
• Contraceptive Use Is the Norm Among Religious Women (4/13/2012) (98% of Catholic women use non-rhythmmethod contraception)
• Blahblahblah... First, They Came for the Catholics -  Michelle Malkin - Townhall Conservative (2/1/2012) 
• VM -- The Religious Exemption to Mandated Insurance Coverage of Contraception, Feb 2012 ... Virtual Mentor - American Medical Association - 
• Catholic Leaders Challenge Gingrich and Santorum on Divisive Rhetoric Around Race and Poverty | Faith in Public Life (1/19/2012) 

'FAMILY VALUES'

• Truly interesting piece because it comes from conservative/"small gov"-er Ross Douthat: The Cratchit Tax Credit - NYTimes.com (12/24/2011)

"Sanctity of Marriage"

• What Gingrich's Open Marriage Debate Hissy Fit Says About GOP Family Values - Politicus (1/20/2012)
• Congrats to Rush Limbaugh on his fourth traditional marriage - Salon.com (1/20/2012)