File under: “Curious and Revealing”

But not under "Surprising or Unexpected"

The world’s most famous opponent (and the word is used very loosely) of that so-called, non-existent institution, “gay marriage”, recently spent time soliciting donations at the home of a “married” lesbian couple, as reported by ABCNews.com:

President Obama, who has opposed same-sex marriage but is said to be “evolving” on the issue, this evening is attending a fundraiser at the home of a lesbian couple whose 2008 Chicago nuptials were described in a local paper as the “wedding of the season.”

Obama will collect an estimated $1.4 million for his re-election campaign from an intimate group of around 40 gay and lesbian supporters at the home of Karen Dixon and Dr. Nan Schaffer in Washington, D.C., according to a campaign official.

Dixon and Schaffer, transplants from Chicago, held a wedding ceremony in July 2008 with hundreds of guests attending from all across the country, according to an account in the Windy City Times. …

Obama has remained mum on his view on whether couples such as Dixon and Schaffer should be able to legally wed in states across the country, preferring instead to let each state decide for itself.

“I think it’s important for us to work through these issues because each community is going to be different, each state is going to be different,” he said in June after New York became the sixth and largest state to legalize same-sex marriage. Washington state this week became the seventh.

The position — a new twist for Obama, who appeared to support legalizing the unions in 1996, later opposed them and most recently said his views are “evolving” — has rankled advocates who say the president is making a calculated political decision with an eye toward 2012.

Jonah Goldberg observes, “… we also know that [Obama’s] position has been ‘evolving.’ Heck it’s been mutating. The president of the United States now officially refuses to defend the constitutionality of a law his administration enforces.” Recall that in a June 29, 2009 speech, the President said the following at a “LGBT Pride Month Reception” at the White House: “I’ve called on Congress to repeal the so-called Defense of Marriage Act to help end discrimination — (applause) — to help end discrimination against same-sex couples in this country.  Now, I want to add we have a duty to uphold existing law, but I believe we must do so in a way that does not exacerbate old divides.  And fulfilling this duty in upholding the law in no way lessens my commitment to reversing this law.” As I wrote on the following day, the event and Obama’s speech were “not about basic rights, but about the complete acceptance and support of the beliefs of those who, not satisfied with being left alone, want affirmation for their actions and validation of their lifestyle, however contrary to commonsense, natural law, and basic decency it might be.”

As with the life issues, it’s best to read the President’s words closely and to follow the money. Otherwise you might be surprised if and when there is an attempt to force the Catholic Church to recognize (or even perform) “gay marriages”.


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About Carl E. Olson 1229 Articles
Carl E. Olson is editor of Catholic World Report and Ignatius Insight. He is the author of Did Jesus Really Rise from the Dead?, Will Catholics Be "Left Behind"?, co-editor/contributor to Called To Be the Children of God, co-author of The Da Vinci Hoax (Ignatius), and author of the "Catholicism" and "Priest Prophet King" Study Guides for Bishop Robert Barron/Word on Fire. His recent books on Lent and Advent—Praying the Our Father in Lent (2021) and Prepare the Way of the Lord (2021)—are published by Catholic Truth Society. He is also a contributor to "Our Sunday Visitor" newspaper, "The Catholic Answer" magazine, "The Imaginative Conservative", "The Catholic Herald", "National Catholic Register", "Chronicles", and other publications. Follow him on Twitter @carleolson.