RI Moves Closer to Equality; So Does Obama

The House Judiciary Committee moved Rhode Island closer than it has ever been to recognizing the rights of same sex couples tonight and it will likely be a fun debate on the House floor before it passes there too on Thursday.

The state Senate, of course, is a different story as it’s still unclear whether Teresa Paiva Weed will eventually side with Catholicism or equality. While she may seem adamant about being on the wrong side of history now, Democrats have been known to move pretty fast on this issue.

NBC News notes President Obama’s quick shift from being not-too-far from where the Senate President is to someone who now equates marriage equality with civil liberties.

*** Obama’s striking comments (and shift) on gay rights: Maybe the most striking (and memorable) lines of Obama’s inaugural speech were his remarks on gay rights. “‘All of us are created equal’ is the star that guides us still — just as it guided our forebears through Seneca Falls, and Selma, and Stonewall,” he said. He later added, “Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law.” It’s important to remember that Obama was someone who opposed gay marriage in presidential run in ’08, and who later said he was evolving on the subject. Obama’s shift is a reflection of how quickly the politics of gay marriage have changed in this country. (The train was leaving the station, and Obama jumped on board.) And so is the fact that there has been little to no backlash to those remarks — at least so far.