US President Barack Obama has opened, or more accurately, joined a fierce political debate in the US over gay marriage.In the meantime, Bermuda cannot even decide if it is wrong to discriminate against people on the basis of their sexual orientation.To be sure, the whole issue of so-called gay rights is an emotive and difficult one, which is one reason why President Obama has until now had an “evolving” position on gay marriage. Now he has come out in support of it.But analysts have noted that he has essentially been forced to take a stand because of the way the issue has advanced in the last five or so years, at which time it was considered to be politically toxic.But in Bermuda, the much more basic question of whether gays and lesbians have the same protections against discrimination as the heterosexual populations remains unresolved and stalled since Renee Webb tried to get it established in the last Parliament, some five years ago.That day will live in shame as the day when the House of Assembly, by simply refusing to speak to her motion, abrogated its responsibilities.It has failed to take it up since.It would be nice to think that there is some MP out there — perhaps one who is standing down at the next election and therefore can afford to annoy some voters — would have the courage to take up the mantle that has been left neglected since Ms Webb left the House of Assembly.It may be that this is not an issue that has the same immediacy for many people that the dismal state of the economy or crime have.And the views of those people who oppose protection from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation also deserve to be heard. Their views are sincerely held, often grounded in their faith, and they deserve respect.But there are people in this community who cannot get housing, employment or even service in restaurants or shops, not because of anything they have done that can be considered to be wrong, but simply because they are gay or lesbian.It may well be that they do not flaunt their sexual orientation (and it should not matter if they do) and are very private people. But a mere whisper can make their lives impossible. And it may also be true that “straight” people can be affected by the same whispers. And they have no recourse either.Indeed, there is some irony in the fact that an advertisement can be run in this newspaper seeking a homosexual chief executive officer, doctor or journalist, police officer or any other job without breaching any laws. Surely it is obvious that this is discriminatory.Just half a century ago, blacks and women could be discriminated against simply because of the race and gender they were born with. Today that is unacceptable. But discrimination against people on the basis of sexual orientation remains perfectly fine.In the US, a President has had the courage to take a stand on the issue, even though the potential political costs are high.When will a Bermuda politician demonstrate the same courage?