Analyzing the Democrats' Platform

Whenever I ask one of my roommates who she is voting for in the upcoming presidential election, she screams, “Obama. He loves the gays.”

Then we all laugh, self aware of this pretty reductive look at the presidential race.
I had a related encounter with my parents a couple of weekends ago.

We were discussing politics, a little wine drunk, and subjects that don’t necessarily occur too often were beginning to crop up.

My father sheepishly added to the conversation that he would vote for Obama for “a very selfish reason,” along with his other feelings.

The selfish reason is that he worries about the civil rights that would be granted to his son with a Romney administration.

Ever since Obama spoke the words, “It is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same-sex couples should be able to get married” in May, he has become quite a champion of gay rights.

Adding the topic to the official Democratic platform, it became clear Obama really does love the gays.

Is this a reductive way to look at politics?

Definitely.

It’s taking one aspect of the platform and putting it above the rest. But we all do our own reducing, anyway.

Not a single soul will go to the polls believing and knowing every aspect of the Democratic or Republican platform equally.

We all have certain biases and interests that lead us to some aspects of the platform more than others.

Even if this thought process may be reductive, Obama’s choice is much more important than it might seem.

Supporting same-sex marriage is very telling of Obama’s character.

Maybe it’s not so much about the idea, but more about what the man embodies by letting this highly controversial view out into the world with as much confidence as he has.

Obama told the world he is standing for what he and a hefty sum of Americans believe to be inherent civil rights.

He did so just before entering his peak campaign push.

He had the courage to openly display his feelings about this subject knowing quite well that it might cost him votes in a few months.

He took a courageous risk concerning something that he thought was right.

Isn’t that just as important as his stance on same-sex marriage?

Obama’s stance about same-sex marriage is a step in the right direction for the American people and the values that we all keep close.

Even those who aren’t directly affected by this legislation can take something away from his position.

Maybe it’s not so selfish to want a president that will vehemently stand for the civil rights they believe are fair and just.

­— sjostrow@indiana.edu