Gay marriage: 12 memorable quotes from politicians and 1 from Clint Eastwood

With gay marriage now firmly affixed near the top of an upcoming political election agenda in America the issue is once again making headlines. Check out the following memorable quotes by politicians on same-sex marriage:

1. “At a certain point I’ve just concluded that for me, personally, it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same-sex couples should be able to get married.” Barack Obama once opposed such marriages. He later indicated his views were “evolving.”
“I had hesitated on gay marriage, in part, because I thought civil unions would be sufficient,” the president said. “I was sensitive to the fact that — for a lot of people — that the word marriage is something that provokes very powerful traditions and religious beliefs.” – President Obama in ABC News interview May 2012.

Brides Holly Nicewander, Rebecka Blose, and Pastor Chris Deeg perform a gay marriage at the Diag, Saturday December 3, 2005. (RODRIGO GAYA Daily)

2. Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, who on May 9th 2012 said during an appearance in Oklahoma, “I believe marriage is a relationship between a man and a woman.”

3. “In every society, the definition of marriage has not ever to my knowledge included homosexuality. That’s not to pick on homosexuality. It’s not, you know, man on child, man on dog, or whatever the case may be. It is one thing.” — Former Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum, April 7, 2003, in an interview with The Associated Press.

4. “You get to the point where you evolve in your life where everything isn’t black and white, good and bad, and you try to do the right thing. You might not like that. You might be very cynical about that. Well, f—- it, I don’t care what you think. I’m trying to do the right thing.” — New York state Sen. Roy McDonald (R), June 14, 2011, announcing he would vote for the state bill legalizing gay marriage.

5. “I have been to this point unwilling to sign on to same-sex marriage primarily because of my understandings of the traditional definitions of marriage. But I also think you’re right that attitudes evolve, including mine.” — President Barack Obama, Oct. 27, 2010, in an interview with liberal bloggers discussing his views on gay marriage.

6. “I think that gay marriage is something that should be between a man and a woman.” — Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger, August 27, 2003, in an interview on the Sean Hannity Show shortly after he announced he would run in the California gubernatorial recall race.

7. “This is an earthquake issue. This will change our state forever. Because the immediate consequence, if gay marriage goes through, is that K-12 little children will be forced to learn that homosexuality is normal, natural, and perhaps they should try it.” — Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann (R), March 20, 2004, in a radio interview.

8. “I would not compromise my principles for politics. You’re saying, will it become politically unpopular to have the position I’m having? If it does, so be it. I don’t compromise my principles for politics.” — New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R), Feb. 21, 2012, in an interview with CNN’s Piers Morgan.

9. “I’ve always opposed gay marriage. I believe that we should provide equal rights to people regardless of their sexual orientation but I do not believe that marriage should be between two people of the same gender.” — Mitt Romney, Jan. 16, 2012, at the Fox News/WSJ debate in South Carolina.

Washington state Governor Christine Gregoire signs legislation legalizing gay marriage in the state, in Olympia, Washington February 13, 2012. REUTERS/Robert Sorbo

10. “My friends, welcome to the other side of the rainbow.” — Washington state Sen. Ed Murray (D), Feb. 13, 2012, at the signing ceremony legalizing gay marriage in the state.

11. “It not only is a complete undermining of the principles of family and marriage and the hope of future generations, but it completely begins to see our society break down to the extent that that foundational unit of the family that is the hope of survival of this country is diminished to the extent that it literally is a threat to the nation’s survival in the long run.” — Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.), Oct. 28, 2011, speaking about gay marriage in a radio interview.

12. “I saw with so many of the gay couples, they were so devoted to another. I saw so much love. When this hearing was over, I was a changed person in regard to this issue. I felt that I understood what same-sex couples were looking for.” — Maryland state Del. Wade Kach (R), Feb. 23, 2012, telling reporters how meeting with gay couples led him to vote to legalize gay marriage in the state.

And last but not least a quote from Clint Eastwood -