Capella University | Social Theory Essay – SOC1000 | SOC1000 – Introduction to Human Society– Professor Worley | | Zachary Skidmore | 7/11/2012 |

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Living in the American society of today there are not many times we all come together to sit down and listen. We are busy, we have careers, we have kids, and our free time is expensive. However, there are times that we as nation collectively take the time to stop and listen, when the President speaks. Recently President Obama sat down with a white house reporter to discuss his newly evolved views toward gay marriage. His interview was candid, it was spontaneous, and it set off all kinds of alarms across the societal landscape of America. An article that was recently published The New York Times details this interview, during which our President came out said that he thinks that gay people should have the right to marry. The topic of gay marriage is a massive social marker, one to surely start a discussion no matter which way you see it. The nation is seemingly divided on the topic, an opinion which will seem to sway a few percentage points here and there depending on the temperature of the society at that particular time (Calimes, 2012). By the President coming out with these statements he was he was not only literally making a statement but figuratively as well. One of the best ways to analyze this event from a sociologist’s point of view is to observe the symbolic interaction theory. Although this theory is mainly focused on gathering data from events that are observed at the micro level it can also be applied in a macro senses as well. This theory states that the behaviors of a society are based upon social interactions that a particular society has with itself (Crossman). Even though our president made his statements to a reporter and not to each and every one of us individually, the meaning