Hillary Clinton NOW support Marriage Equality! It Took long Enough!
Via HuffPo: Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced her support for gay marriage Monday, putting her in line with other potential Democratic presidential candidates on a social issue that is rapidly gaining public approval.
Clinton made the announcement in an online video released Monday morning by the gay rights advocacy group Human Rights Campaign. She says in the six-minute video that gays and lesbians are "full and equal citizens and deserve the rights of citizenship."
"That includes marriage," she says, adding that she backs gay marriage both "personally and as a matter of policy and law."
Clinton's announcement is certain to further fuel the already rampant speculation that she is considering another run for president in 2016. Other possible Democratic contenders – including Vice President Joe Biden, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley – all back the right of same-sex couples to marry.
Polls show that public opinion on gay marriage has shifted perhaps more rapidly than on any other major issue in recent times. In Gallup polling last November, 53 percent of adult Americans said same-sex marriages should be granted the same status as traditional marriages, while 46 percent felt they should not be valid.
In 1996, when Gallup first asked about gay marriages, 27 percent felt they should be valid.
The shift among the major political parties has been equally swift. During the 2008 presidential campaign, Clinton and rival Barack Obama both backed civil unions for gay couples, but not same-sex marriage. In the lead-up to the 2012 election, Obama announced his support for gay marriage and Democrats backed the right of same-sex couples to wed in their party's official platform.
The White House welcomed Clinton's announcement, saying it meant Clinton's views on the issue were now in line with Obama's.
"The president believes that anytime a public official of stature steps forward to embrace a commitment that he shares to equality, he thinks it's a good thing," said White House spokesman Jay Carney.
The GOP officially opposes gay marriage, though several high profile Republicans have publicly backed the right of same-sex couples to wed. On Friday, Ohio Sen. Rob Portman became the first Republican senator to announce his support for gay marriage, saying he had a change of heart after learning that his son is gay.
More than 100 Republicans also submitted a "friend of the court" brief to the Supreme Court asking the justices to overturn California's ban on same-sex marriage. The court will hear oral arguments on California's Proposition 8 measure next week.
Justices will also hear arguments in a related case concerning the constitutionality of a provision in the Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage as between one man and one woman. President Bill Clinton signed the act into law in 1996, but said earlier this month that he now believes it is unconstitutional and should be overturned.
Despite holding back in supporting same-sex marriage, Hillary Clinton was a strong support of gay rights, both in the U.S. and abroad, during her tenure at the State Department. Under her watch, the U.S. government made it official policy to promote gay rights around the world.
I’m sure you are wondering why my Title says “It Took long Enough!” Well it has and even though she gave a great speech in Geneva Switzerland for the rights of all. Lets not forget something. While she was still Sec of State she granted an interview with The Advocate’s Kerry Eleved that was interesting.
From The Advocate:
Clinton soon after declaring that “human rights are gay rights, and gay rights are human rights, once and for all” at the State Department’s pride celebration, Clinton began clarifying the department’s LGBT human rights policy to U.S. embassies around the globe. “There is this rising global tide of violence against the LGBT community around the world,” Clinton says, “and we are taking the lead in confronting the dangers of the lives and the livelihood of LGBT people as they go about their daily lives.” Still, Secretary Clinton remains unchanged on the issue of full marriage equality. Clinton, recently caught off guard during a recent inquiry on the topic during a visit to Australia, supports civil unions but not full marriage equality. Despite her husband’s recent announcement that he supports full marriage equality, having many committed gay couples among his friends, Clinton says, “Well, I share his experience because we obviously share a lot of the same friends, but I have not changed my position.” Nevertheless, Clinton aims to stomp out inequities in her own federal agency and worldwide. “I just really have a strong negative reaction to prejudice, discrimination, hatred, violence–anything that tried to delegitimize or marginalize any of our fellow citizens,” she notes. “So it fits into my long-term and personally felt commitment to expanding the circle of human rights for everyone.”
As for that Australia trip and her comments about Civil Unions over Marriage watch below at the 2:45 mark and HEAR it for yourself.
The LGBTQ Community (in general) has always been a supporter of her in spite of her not believing in Marriage Equality. Whereas they cast ALL HELL at President Obama over his support for Civil Unions and not Marriage via The LGBTQ Blogs they called this man everything but President Obama and vociferously talked about The African American Community while she (Hillary) still did not support it but yet they “overlooked” that. And must we not forget Dan Savage telling President Obama to SHUT THE F*CK UP! Do you think Dan would tell Bill or Hillary that?
From the bottom of my heart Hillary I truly say THANK YOU for endorsing FULL EQUALITY and keeping the discourse on HUMAN RIGHTS, including the rights of LGBTQ humans, on the forefront and will surely support you in 2016!
But STILL it took long enough!
