Barack Obama Disappoints Again

Barack Obama was interviewed by MTV. He was asked questions submitted by viewers. When asked about gay marriage and Prop 8, this is what he said:

I believe marriage is between a man and a woman. I am not in favor of gay marriage. But when you start playing around with constitutions, just to prohibit somebody who cares about another person, it just seems to me that's not what America's about. Usually, our constitutions expand liberties, they don't contract them.

I've been hoping he would make make one final statement that told the world that we are fully human, and this is what we get. This is beyond disappointing. When Obama says he understands civil rights, when he says he is the product of the civil rights movement, when he says he wants to be the President of all Americans, we have to know that he is not speaking to us. He can't be. How could he tell us he knows the importance of the civil rights fight and then not fight for civil rights? When African-American voters in CA might decide the outcome of Prop 8, Obama could and should make a statement reminding all of us of our shared struggles? It might not be politically expedient to stand up for gay marriage right now, to stand up for a basic human right, but isn't that when you need to stand up the most?

Yes, Obama is far and away the best choice for President, and I will be voting for him, but we need to know what it is we're getting. He is Hope. He is Change. But is he hope and change for us?