Family values - from Massachusetts to California

It's a landmark day as gay and lesbians couples will be able to marry in the Golden State starting at 5:01 PM PT. Here is a "California Marriage 101" primer. CBS has released a poll (full results here) on support for marriage equality:

* 30% say same-sex couples should be allowed to marry (this is the highest number since CBS News began asking this question in 2004, up from 21%).

* 60% believe that same-sex couples should be allowed to either marry or form civil unions. * 50% of Republicans are against either of these options.

* 40% in the western portion of the U.S. favor marriage equality

* The groups most in favor of marriage equality - those under age 30, liberals, Americans living in the west, and those who never go to church.

While the religious right pays lip service to family values embodied by marriage, here they are in action:

The Patrick family marches in Boston Pride

What a model for families to see -- full public acceptance, support and love for a relative -- and they happen to be the First Family of Massachusetts. Note to fundies - it doesn't result in the earth opening up and swallowing Boston, no matter how much garbage the homo-haters at mAssResistance bleat. Underscore that message for the pious "pro-family" Alan Keyes, who threw his daughter out of the house when she decided to kick the closet door open.

In a ringing celebration, tens of thousands lined Boston's streets for today's annual Gay Pride parade, a festive march that featured Governor Deval Patrick and his 18-year-old daughter Katherine, who this week announced she is a lesbian.

The Patrick family, including First Lady Diane Patrick, drew resounding applause as they marched along Beacon Street past the State House to City Hall.

Patrick, who already enjoyed strong support among gays and lesbians for his strong support for gay marriage, has been hailed as a model of parental acceptance for his unconditional support for his daughter.

..."It proves he not only stands for something publicly, he exemplifies it in his own life," said Lexi LaGuerre, a 30-year-old from Boston who watched the parade on Tremont Street in the South End with her grandmother. "I wouldn't say most parents would react this way, so it's a wonderful thing. Nobody wants their parents not to love them."

"It's fabulous," agreed Wanic Polynice, 35, watching the parade arm-in-arm with his boyfriend, Sebastian Doremus. "It's wonderful to see a father love his daughter like that. It's beautiful."

***

A father's love -- as well as parental love and responsibility, was the Father's Day message in the speech delivered yesterday by Barack Obama:

(Chicago Tribune):

Obama sounded a theme familiar from previous Father's Day speeches in which he called on fathers to rise to their duties.

But the story of fatherhood--never a simple one for Obama, abandoned by his own father when he was very young--was especially poignant on Sunday.

...The theme of fatherly responsibility is important for Obama, especially now that he is the presumed Democratic nominee for the White House. While his dogma is decidedly liberal, his talk about personal responsibility crafts an appeal to religious conservatives and political centrists.

And while he clearly aims the message at Americans of all races, he has chosen more than once to broadcast that message from black churches.

The fact that he delivers these supportive but challenging messages to those in the pews of predominantly black houses of worship is a refreshing and remarkable event. It is something you don't see white candidates doing for fear of appearing paternalistic or racist by hitting a third rail. That's why in many ways we cannot yet be a post-racial society. If the same message cannot be delivered by any politician regardless of race, then we are not on equal footing and able to conduct the kinds of conversations necessary to put difficult social matters on the table.

The full transcript is at my pad.