The ‘Obama current’

J. Michael Sharman
Published: March 18, 2008

His candidacy for president has brought about profound change

My family usually vacations down at the Outer Banks at the time of year when the sea change occurs: one day the water is frigid, gray and inhospitable, and the next day the Gulf Stream comes in and the water immediately turns warm, green and inviting.

Barack Obama has brought about such a sea change in our American political life, and regardless of our political persuasion, we all ought to acknowledge his historic contribution.

Before Obama's candidacy, the presidential waters were frigid, gray and inhospitable to African-American candidates. Now, because of his demonstrated ability to come out of nowhere and out-poll and out-maneuver Hillary Clinton, he has brought candidates of color fully into the mainstream.

The sea change of the "Obama Current" has brought about a permanent shift in the presidential waters. In every subsequent election those waters will be just as warm, green and inviting for candidates of color as they have been for the all-white slates of the past.

Unfortunately, many, if not all, of Obama's political views are not even close to being in the mainstream of American voters.
An ABC News poll found that 63 percent of Americans are opposed to homosexual "marriages." Consistent with that finding, a poll by the Pew Research Center found only 32 percent favor legalizing homosexual marriages, and a mere 11 percent believe it is good for a child to have same-sex parents.
Obama, however, has declared it to be "a moral imperative" to pass federal legislation mandating states to permit same-sex civil unions as well as same-sex adoptions.

In an open letter to the lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender community published on his Web site,  Obama asked them: "for your support in this election so that together we can bring about real change for all LGBT Americans."

His idea for real change for homosexuals is this: "Equality is a moral imperative. That's why throughout my career, I have fought to eliminate discrimination against LGBT Americans."
Sen. Obama says he has worked - and will continue to work - to normalize the homosexual lifestyle. Here is what he proposes:

-In the U.S. Senate, I have co-sponsored bills that would equalize tax treatment for same-sex couples and provide benefits to domestic partners of federal employees.

-I will place the weight of my administration behind the enactment of the Matthew Shepard Act to outlaw hate crimes and a fully inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act to outlaw workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

-As your president, I will use the bully pulpit to urge states to treat same-sex couples with full equality in their family and adoption laws.

-I support the complete repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act.
nI have worked to improve the Uniting American Families Act so we can afford same-sex couples the same rights and obligations as married couples in our immigration system.

-I will never compromise on my commitment to equal rights for all LGBT Americans.

Many people completely agree with his vehement support of the LGBT community. In fact, we saw that the polls reveal that basically one-third of Americans agree with his homosexual rights agenda.

But the mainstream, the bulk of the people, strongly disagree that it is good for America or good for our children and grandchildren to rip away the social fabric of family which from time immemorial has woven people tightly together.

It will be good for us to remember Barrck Obama as the charismatic candidate who removed the color barrier from presidential politics. We would, however, be placing an awful epitaph on his life and our his-tory if we were to give him the capacity to be recalled as the president who swept in the tidal wave of social change that forever destroyed the institution of marriage and the identity of the family.

J. Michael Sharman is an independent columnist who practices law in Culpeper. His column appears Tuesday in the Star-Exponent.