disappointment for many people. His statement—which he announced Wednesday—is of great concern to
those who still believe in traditional marriage.
These people fall into two major categories—those whose belief
systems are informed by their spiritual background and those who have
been convinced that redefining marriage will be a horrible social
experiment that will further weaken America’s declining structure.
Many in the faith community have suspected for some time that the
president’s announcement was coming. It seems as though the
administration feels that this moment will bolster the same-sex
marriage movement from the crushing
defeat it experienced in North Carolina.
There are two outcomes I believe the president’s advisers have
not anticipated: (1) His announcement will strengthen future
campaigns for the remaining states pushing a marriage amendment. In
the state of Maryland, in particular, the already-successful petition
process will be injected with a new fuel of enthusiasm and intensity.
(2) Although many political analysts believe this announcement will
blow over by November, they seem to forget that President Bush won
Florida and Ohio in 2004 because of a 7 to 11 percent shift in the
black vote alone.
In this election season, we all are aware that the economy will be
the big story of the day. Nonetheless, current polls show a small
margin of difference between both the presidential candidates and
numerous other races around the country.
It may well be that a shift in support will be precipitated by the
president’s untimely decision in light of his failure to lift the
economic standing of both blacks and Hispanics. These two groups are
some of the nation’s most vocal opponents of same-sex marriage. A
critical mass of these voters may be pulled from their political
moorings, creating an opportunity for the defeat of numerous
candidates around the country, including President Obama.
Bishop Harry R. Jackson Jr. is the senior
pastor of Hope Christian Church, a 3,000-member congregation in the
Washington, D.C., area.
