Does Barack Obama really oppose gay marriage

[The Mikado]

Option 3 for me.  I have to question why so many Democrats seem to think that Obama's a secret supporter of what they support but can't say it in public, rather than taking the man at his word that he doesn't agree with you.  I hear Democrats say "Obama really wants to end Afghanistan immediately, but can't," "Obama's not really a Christian, but adapted it to get elected," and "Obama doesn't really oppose gay marriage, but opposes it for political reasons."  I, frankly, am inclined to take the man at his word that he doesn't hold positions, and I've always been very suspicious at people that project their own beliefs on a candidate they support and go, "there's no way he could possibly feel otherwise, he just fakes it."  What makes you think that Obama doesn't oppose gay marriage, or isn't a devout Christian, as he claims?

[The Mikado]

There are of course, as you snidely imply, a number of Democrats where the political backlash would still be harmful. Though that number is rapidly shrinking.

In large part due to most of those Democrats losing in 2010. 

[The Mikado]

He seems to claim support for state's rights on the issue, which is ironic considering he's black.

How is States Rights a racist issue? States are automatically racist just because of the likes of Strom Thurmond.

Human Rights trump those of States, which are not, in fact, living entities.