Obama Makes Father's Day Nod To 2-Dad Families

[Ed Barrow]

Source: NPR

President Barack Obama's second Father's Day proclamation has a notable difference from his first. It openly acknowledges gay parents, noting that some kids have two dads.

An excerpt:

Nurturing families come in many forms, and children may be raised by a father and mother, a single father, two fathers, a stepfather, a grandfather, or caring guardian. We owe a special debt of gratitude for those parents serving in the United States Armed Forces and their families, whose sacrifices protect the lives and liberties of all American children. For the character they build, the doors they open, and the love they provide over our life times, all our fathers deserve our unending appreciation and admiration.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of theUnited States of America, in accordance with a joint resolution of the Congress approved April 24, 1972, as amended (36 U.S.C.109), do hereby proclaim June 20, 2010, as Father's Day... IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.


Read more: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2010/06/18/127941640/obama-makes-father-s-day-nod-to-2-dad-families

[salguine]

1. Here's your nod, now get back under the bus.

[TomCADem]

2. Not Sure Why A Liberal Would Criticize Obama Acknowledging Gay Fathers

I think it is a good thing that President Obama does not simply push the Ozzie and Harriet family stereotype.

[Chipper Chat]

3. I get your point, but

Ozzie and Harriett was a pretty stealth progressive show for the 50s. Letting Ricky perform "that evil rock and roll music" on the show was daring and broke new ground for TV. David and Harriett were a little stodigy and conservative but Ozzie and Ricky were definitely lib. (I used to listen to their old radio show in the early 50s).

[Zhade]

7. Because he talks pretty while stabbing us in the back?

I'm a gay dad, and I don't give a FUCK about his flowery prose. I DO care that he thinks it's immoral for me to marry someone I love because they happen to have the same plumbing.

[davidinalameda]

16. pretty much

didn't realize you had kids

didn't realize you were male either-for some reason I always thought you were female

:loveya:

[Politicub]

19. So you criticize him for doing something good?

It makes no sense to me when people on DU do that. Progress is progress, and I don't believe any president before President Obama acknowledged gay fathers on Father's day.

But whatever floats your boat.

[dencol]

8. Since when is acknowledgement enough?

Acknowledgement is accepting reality for what it is. I don't understand why a liberal would be so grateful for so little, when Obama has made it clear he does not support equality for gays.

[SkyDaddy7]

10. You must have not got the memo...

It is "COOL" to hate everything Obama does until he magically snaps his finger and does everything we progressives want.

Trying to do what he can with the votes he has is not good enough.

[salguine]

11. Stop being deliberately dense. I'm so, so weary of people being deliberately dense...

[Gormy Cuss]

12. The memo that said any criticism of Obama makes one a bad Democrat/liberal/progressive?

Gee, I thought that the "my president, right or wrong" crowd left the building with W.

[Smashcut]

13. He can magically "snap his fingers" and change his discriminatory positions

That would be pretty COOL.

Until then, the "shout-out" method of supporting gay rights has gotten a little stale.

[Fearless]

4. Still waiting for DADT and DOMA.... The rest is a pittance.

[awoke_in_2003]

5. I applaud this...

all types of families in this world. I happen to be of the stepfather variety, but fully support any type of family that provides love and support for children.

[Zhade]

6. But you can't serve, Dads! Oh, and you're not allowed to get married.

Cheap talk is worthless.

[onpatrol98]

9. I didn't believe the president believed in same sex marriage.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6K9dS9wl7U

I thought Barack Obama said that he believed marriage is the union between a man and woman and he believed in civil unions.

I think he said he'd have DADT repealed...but, I don't remember him saying he'd do anything about same sex marriage while he was running that implied that he was a supporter. But, I could be wrong.

[Unvanguard]

15. His official view is that he opposes same-sex marriage on religious grounds

but he has denied thinking that homosexuality is immoral, he supports full federal rights for same-sex couples, and he opposed Prop. 8.

His private view, almost certainly, is supportive of same-sex marriage. There are statements from him to that effect before he entered the national political scene, and there are very few educated, politically-active liberals who don't support same-sex marriage--especially in academia.

[Unvanguard]

14. Good, but oh so very far from good enough. n/t

[Politicub]

17. Good on him

Let's give credit where credit is due.

[TexasObserver]

18. recommend

[fishwax]

20. it's important to acknowledge such families

It's also important to continue to push for legislation that will end the discrimination they face.