Dustin Lance Black Takes On Obama's Marriage Position

Can President Obama have it both ways on the marriage issue? Can he rally support and dollars from the LGBT community yet assert that marriage rights are an issue for the states to decide? As the president hosts a National Pride Month reception Wednesday at the White House, a growing number of activists and pundits say no — including Academy Award-winning Milk screenwriter Dustin Lance Black.

"I prefer President Obama to the alternative. That is true," Black said during recent remarks at the San Francisco Pride festival. "But I cannot and we should not hide our disappointment with his response to our historic victory in New York. In his response he wrongly claimed that marriage equality should be left up to individual states to decide.

"President Obama, with all due respect, you know the proud history of civil rights in this nation and you understand that the ultimate responsibility of protecting our minorities falls on the federal government, on our courts and on your desk, Mr. President -- not on each individual state’s legislature or ballot box,” Black said.