I believe that a president finally supporting gay citizens in a country like the US is preeminent. I understand the excitement and joy over Obama’s newfound stance, and I think it’s a special thing.
That said, I find this Newsweek cover unsettling. They went there. They really went there. Rainbow halo and all. And it got me thinking: he’s a little late to the gay party, so why does he get to be the life of it?
My biggest problem isn’t with Obama, it’s with us. We’re so quick to turn our idols into saints or demons. Sometimes we even make them saints, then demons, then saints again. We praise them, build them up, make them almost godlike, then we tear them down, and don’t just bring them back to Earth, but often drag them in the dirt.
It’s a dangerous game we play, one that can end up hurting us. Let’s keep in mind this is a man who has been evolving to the point of saying, “I think same-sex couples should be able to get married” for years. As of yet, no real action has been taken by the Obama administration to show that support. And didn’t your mama ever tell you talk is cheap?
Look, I’m hopeful for the future. I’m saying my prayers that it doesn’t take him another four years to become more active in his pro-gay stance, because I’m sick of all the stories I’ve read, and written, about gay teens killing themselves in the US during Obama’s first term. I am optimistic that this is a positive change for the future and that beautiful things are waiting for us.
I just think that the halos should be reserved for real angels. The ones we’ve lost throughout time because they weren’t accepted for who they are. Not for someone who for too long watched us lose them and did nothing.
Why you can trust Xtra
