Ted Olsen supports same-gender marriage. Arivosis: Obama treating gays as embarrassing inconveniece

[Bluebear]

President George W. Bush's first Solicitor General, Ted Olson, filed a lawsuit in US district court on May 22 to protest Prop 8, the California law banning same sex marriage.

Joining with his former opponent in Bush v Gore, David Boies, Olson is suing on behalf of two same-sex couples in California, The Advocate reports: Kristin Perry and Sandra Stier of Berkeley, who have been together for nine years and are the parents of four children, and Paul Katami and Jeffrey Zarrillo of Burbank, who have been together for eight years.

Their argument: the State of California giving same sex couples "the separate-but-unequal institution of domestic partnership," instead of full marriage, violates equal protection and due process clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment, creating a class of "second-class citizens"

"We believe this is the kind of matter where Americans must come together and recognize the rights of all citizens," Olson told the AP....

At Americablog, gay activist John Aravosis writes in response: "Ted Freaking Olson is now better on gay marriage than our president - than most of our party...At what point will President Obama realize that the year is 2009 and not 1993? America has become accustomed, inured, and possibly even bored with all the gay rights victories of the past five years. They just don't care any more. And I mean that in a good way. Gay marriage is bursting across the land and the American people have shrugged. They just don't care. So why does our president? Why do he and his advisers seem to be treating gay people and their issues as, at best, an embarrassing inconvenience?"

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/05/bush-solicitor.html

[Name removed]

1. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[JVS]

2. Keep an eye on Olson. He may be trying to lose the case in such a manner that it creates precedent

[Bluebear]

3. He is working directly with David Boies

Which gives me hope on the issue here.

[JVS]

4. Yeah, but I'm still very reluctant to trust him. Boise is not a political activist to the degree...

that Olson is.

[Pacifist Patriot]

13. If he does not give his clients the best of his abilities he'll harm his own career.

[JVS]

14. The man is nearly 70 and if he builds the case in such a way that it fails, he could stop...

gay marriage for decades and become a legendary figure among his RW buddies.

[RufusTFirefly]

15. Bingo! Give a cigar to JVS! Wingnut Olson is on board to sabotage the case

For precisely the reason that JVS suggests: to provide a dangerous precedent.

[cali]

5. bwahahahahahahahaha.

Ted Olson as liberal hero?

:rofl:

[LostinVA]

6. That's the point -- he isn't, but yet he's for marriage equality when many liberals aren't

[cali]

7. I'm familiar enough with his history to not believe him

[Forkboy]

8. If you look upwards you might still catch the point flying overhead.

[cali]

9. don't become too cross eyed looking down your nose, dear.

[Forkboy]

10. LOL...did you type that with a straight face?

Pathetic!

:rofl:

[spanone]

11. i suspect compensation is mr olson's motivation not the cause

[dsc]

16. they are donating their services

[kid a]

12. It's pure stupidity, gullibility, and naivety to trust/idolize Olsen

John himself goes as far as to paraphrase his new villain (Obama) praising Olsen's reaching out to opposing viewpoints.

Olsen is the the enemy - if you believe his legal tap-dancing and manipulation of a group of people who are hurting, you are being led down a foolish road.

[Bluebear]

21. Who is "idolizing him"? Thanks.

[emulatorloo]

17. If you can pay $$$$$$$$, Ted Olsen will no doubt represent you. EOM

[Bluebear]

18. He and Boies are donating their services, actually.

[spanone]

24. i just saw the spot on rachael.....i was wrong...

[KittyWampus]

19. So now we trust Ted Olson along with the CIA. LOL!

[Bluebear]

20. No. But his position on same-gender marriage is more progressive than Obama's. LOL!

:silly:

[spanone]

22. .

[ShadowLiberal]

23. I've read a lot of gay rights groups don't want Olsen to bring his suit

I don't have the link to the article, but several hours ago I saw an article that said that quite a few gay rights groups don't want Olsen to bring his suit, and want to continue getting victories on a state by state basis until they feel the Supreme Court make up is more favorable to them.

They're right to be scared, if Kennedy joins the radical conservatives on this then the supreme court could just decide to strike down gay marriage everywhere, or do something else equally horrible for gay rights.