President Barack Obama's decision to support same-sex marriage last week is an important step forward in the struggle to accord equal rights to same-sex couples. It's the first time a sitting president has done so, and it could provide a boost to efforts to legalize such unions.

To us, the issue is a simple one of equal rights, just as the question of interracial marriage was a civil rights issue a half a century ago. While opponents may argue that granting to same-sex couples the rights and privileges of a civil union somehow endangers the institution of marriage, we think the divorce rate and the increasingly casual attitude toward commitment by heterosexual couples is a far greater threat to marriage.

Same-sex couples simply want the same benefits that heterosexual couples enjoy. That's a matter of fairness and equal rights.

The president's announcement also delineates a clear line between the president and his Republican challenger, Mitt Romney, who was quick to restate his opposition to same-sex marriage. But those who argue that Obama's statement was a political move aimed at big money gay donors may have a point.

But the move could cost Obama votes, especially among socially conservative African-Americans. And it should be noted that a day earlier in North Carolina — a state Obama hopes he can win in November — 61 percent of voters supported a constitutional ban on gay marriage, joining 30-some other states with similar bans.

At the same time, several states, including New York, have passed laws allowing same-sex marriage. And polls show increasing support for legalizing same-sex unions, with various polls showing a plurality or even a majority of respondents favoring legalization. All of which makes Obama's stance both courageous and a gamble.

But while the president used his bully pulpit to good effect, he tempered his courage with caution.

The president said his stance was only his opinion and that he would leave it up to the states to decide their own marriage rules. That's essentially the same stance that former Vice President Dick Cheney, a well-respected Republican, has taken, and it's not as bold as some other political leaders.

The president did not say he would seek repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act, or push for laws guaranteeing equal protection of same-sex marriage. He did not push for any new initiatives.

And our guess is that leaving it up to the states may not guarantee that equal protection. That may work eventually, given changing demographics and a younger generation that apparently has a more tolerant attitude to same-sex relationships, but given the state constitutional bans, it could be a while.

Our guess is that this will end up in the courts. Just as it was up to the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down Virginia's ban on interracial marriages, so it may come down to a court decision on this issue.

If the president is serious about his support for same-sex marriage, he should try to hasten that outcome by pushing for federal protection of same-sex unions.

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