Unhitched! White House scrubs marriage promiseObama's pledge to homosexuals disappears from official agendaMay 12, 20099:26 pm Eastern
By Chelsea Schilling
© 2009 WorldNetDaily
The White House has scrubbed President Obama's central pledge to the homosexual community from its website – his promise to quash the federal Defense of Marriage Act.
The president unveiled his pro-homosexual agenda on the White House website on Inauguration Day. Under the "Civil Rights" section, he called for the repeal of the act signed by President Bill Clinton in 1996 after an overwhelming bipartisan vote in Congress (342-67 and 85-14).
The Defense of Marriage Act provides that federal laws must be interpreted in accord with the traditional definition of marriage as the union of husband and wife.
The following is the original language posted on the White House website as Obama took office:
Oppose a Constitutional Ban on Same-Sex Marriage: President Obama voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment in 2006 which would have defined marriage as between a man and a woman and prevented judicial extension of marriage-like rights to same-sex or other unmarried couples.
Support Full Civil Unions and Federal Rights for LGBT Couples: President Obama supports full civil unions that give same-sex couples legal rights and privileges equal to those of married couples. Obama also believes we need to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and enact legislation that would ensure that the 1,100+ federal legal rights and benefits currently provided on the basis of marital status are extended to same-sex couples in civil unions and other legally-recognized unions. These rights and benefits include the right to assist a loved one in times of emergency, the right to equal health insurance and other employment benefits, and property rights. (emphasis added)
The White House has removed the president's goal to repeal the act. The website now states the following:
President Obama also continues to support the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and believes that our anti-discrimination employment laws should be expanded to include sexual orientation and gender identity. He supports full civil unions and federal rights for LGBT couples and opposes a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. ... (emphasis added)
The White House also temporarily altered language promising to repeal the military's "Don't ask, don't tell" policy. The newly worded statement simply said the president "supports changing Don't Ask Don't Tell in a sensible way that strengthens our armed forces and our national security."
After Pro Publica caught the change, the White House reinserted the word "repealing" in place of "changing."
However, the DOMA change still remains.
In December 2008, Obama told the Advocate, "I for a very long time have been interested in repeal of DOMA."
In a Feb. 8, 2008, letter posted on his website, Obama promised "LGBT equality in America." It stated:
Unlike Senator Clinton, I support the complete repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) – a position I have held since before arriving in the U.S. Senate. While some say we should repeal only part of the law, I believe we should get rid of that statute altogether. Federal law should not discriminate in any way against gay and lesbian couples, which is precisely what DOMA does.
Peter LaBarbara, president of Americans for Truth questioned whether scrubbing the language means repealing the Defense of Marriage Act is now a low priority for the Obama administration.
"We hope so, given that support for traditional marriage, between a man and a woman, remains strong throughout the country," he said in a statement.
"We hope that President Obama recognizes that his anti-DOMA pledge – like his radical campaign embracing the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA), which would eviscerate pro-life laws restricting abortion across America – is not popular with mainstream voters, even if it was useful in rallying liberal Democratic activists during the campaign."
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