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Wayne Besen
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There are days when I am infatuated with Obama's very existence. These moments usually coincide with vivid reminders of our previous president. For example, GQ magazine revealed last week that Donald Rumsfeld's presidential defense briefings began with warrior Bible verses. Here is a sample:
"Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything to stand." -- Ephesians 6:13.
Other times, the mere fact that Obama isn't Bush is not enough. At some point, he has to stand on his own record. The big question for gay and lesbian leaders is, "when can we expect 'some point' to happen and what is a reasonable timeline?"
In the Washington Post, Bill Clinton's former liaison to the gay community, Richard Socarides, very effectively raised this issue.
"In December, while trying to quiet the furor over his invitation of Rick Warren to take part in his inauguration, Barack Obama reminded us that he had been a 'consistent' and 'fierce advocate' of equality for gay and lesbian Americans," wrote Socarides. "But at the end of its first 100 days, his administration has been neither."
The frustration of some leading advocates is quickly spreading and beginning to boil over.
"I have a sickeningly familiar feeling in my stomach, and the feeling deepens with every interaction with the Obama team on these issues," Andrew Sullivan wrote on his blog. "They want them (gay issues) to go away. They want us to go away."
Pam Spaulding, the editor of the blog Pam's House Blend, shares Sullivan's sentiments. On a recent post, she reacted strongly to the Obama administration's inaction on overturning Don't Ask/Don't Tell, which prohibits gay service members from serving openly.
"The White House is backed up against the wall and cannot give a reasonable, logical defense to continue a policy that is hurting our military effectiveness," wrote Spaulding. "He can stop the discharges right now, while Congress moves in its not-so-deliberate speed on the matter. This is embarrassing for the 'fierce advocate', but quite frankly it's irresponsible as commander in chief to act as if he can't do anything right now."
The military issue has received heightened awareness since Lt. Dan Choi was discharged after coming out on MSNBC's "The Rachel Maddow Show." Choi, who is fluent in Arabic, wrote a letter to Obama urging the president not to discharge him.
"My subordinates know I'm gay. They don't care," Choi wrote. "They are professional. As an infantry officer, I am not accustomed to begging. But I beg you today: Do not fire me."
Choi was canned.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman, Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), openly questioned Obama on GLBT issues. "Why is he becoming so conservative now that he's got the job?" Conyers asked the Michigan Messenger. "I think he is getting a lot of pressure put on him from the right, from conservatives. And he is trying to prove to the Republicans that he is bipartisan."
Obama's opposition to allowing gay couples to marry has also raised the ire of some, who point out that anti-gay ideologues are parroting his position as cover for their extremism.
"The goodwill, along with Elvis, long ago left the building," wrote John Aravosis, editor of Americablog. "What could have been a disagreement with a friend is quickly heading towards a major, damaging showdown...Obama is quickly approaching the ass-biting phase of the gay rights debate."
Personally, I'm not ready to pass judgment on Barack Obama quite yet. He really does have his plate full with enormously complicated and weighty issues. The president also remembers how addressing "gays in the military" hurt Clinton early in his term -- and this is likely influencing his decision on timing.
It would be incredible to have Obama repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, so the federal government would recognize marriages performed in states. But, I suspect that won't happen until after he signed less controversial measures, like a ban on firing people because of their sexual orientation, or hate crime legislation.
I will not begin to worry about being left out in the cold until the cold weather returns. If the leaves change before key policies do, there could be trouble. This is because the Obama administration and Congress are less likely to rock the boat next year, with midterm elections approaching.
Ever since the modern gay rights movement began in 1969 with the Stonewall riots, we've been waiting for a president who won't stonewall us on equality. Hopefully, Obama will live up to his potential and prove to be a great leader. But, it is clear that the patience of an increasing number of gay rights leaders is wearing thin and they refuse to be patsies.
31 Comments:
(rolls eyes) I think Pam Spaulding better worry about dumpy Durham, NC, before talking about D.C. (Anyway, she wanted John Edwards).
posted by Joey, at
5/19/2009 12:59 AM
Out goes Obama in 2012. Just get rid of him. Smoke and mirrors is all he is. It is not difficult to be better than Bush. Practically eveyone and anyone can achieve that.
posted by Spouse Walker, at
5/19/2009 1:01 AM
Constant pressure and reminders of who we are and what is needed. June is pride month, and I suggest a campaign to send a million + letters to Obama telling him why we are proud to be Americans and how we hope he makes us even more proud of him and our wonderful country!
posted by Timothy, at
5/19/2009 6:49 AM
I predict this will be a one term President. I voted for him merely to get rid of the previous regime, nothing more.
I don't think he will deliver that much on equality quite frankly. Campaign promises are one thing, but delivering quite another. Also, even if the economic downturn hadn't occurred, I'm not so sure he would be taking on DADT as a priority either. He's flip-flopped on quite a few things in his first four months as President, one of which was reversing his stand on Bush's wire-tapping of innocent American citizens and not closing Gitmo sooner rather than later, and lets not forget he renegged on the single payer system for universal health care. Under his plan, there will be NO universal health care because not all of the 46 million uninsured Americans will be covered.
I no longer have any confidence in this President to deliver. I'm tired of waiting and fed up with the delay tactics to deal with our rights. He's more than disingenous when he claims he's for equality of LGBT people. If that were the case, he wouldn't be advocating for civil unions at the federal level. Of all people, he should know better. He should look at the Warren Court decision that declared that separate is never equal. I'm afraid, religion is in Obama's mix and at the core of LGBT inequality. He would rather throw us under the bus than take on the religious right. Its politically expedient, convenient and relatively simple not to.
posted by Anonymous, at
5/19/2009 8:22 AM
I dont understand why Obama and others who are 'supposed' to be our supporters, are still so afraid of the right. Each new poll shows support for the republican party dropping like a millstone. And no matter what a democratic politician or candidate does, that core 20% of the hard right will NEVER vote for them. Of course there will be the usual apoplexy from the right whenever (or if ever) Obama does anything which promotes glbt equality, but the american electorate has the memory and attention span of a 3 year old. IF he plans on doing anything for us, it's better to do it now than wait until we get closer to the mid-term elections. The public is slowly becoming more accepting of our 'agenda', especially the younger generations, but fear still prevents Ob. and others from doing the right thing. I will still vote for a dem over any rethuglican, but I no longer donate any money to that party nor their candidates. I too am tired of being 'used'!
posted by Anonymous, at
5/19/2009 10:28 AM
Well I for one am glad we're finally moving beyond the "easy attack target with no results miss cali" and focusing in on the real power opposition.
Though I'm an optimist at heart I believe the 3 weeks wasted attacking perjean likely had a backfiring effect on the President and other lawmakers hesitant over gay marriage. They saw the extreme right's sympathy towards her and backed away. So, if Obama was afraid of dealing with this issue before, this firestorm had him running. Thanks Perez, nice job.
That said, I'm not sure I agree with Obama doing the right thing on gay rights over time with pressure. Positive pressure. That doesn't include Perez calling Obama a dumb bitch on his website. Oh wait, he called miss cali that not the Prez. See the pattern here?
I don't think Obama has changed his views on this at all. He was clear on the campaign trail that he was for "gay rights" but claimed marriage was between a man and a woman. So, he's not really changed on this from the past. But, I believe he will move in a positive direction with the right influence.
Robert NYC, do you believe any other candidate(pre nomination) would have been a better choice? Hillary? Do you think she would be pursuing gay equality right now?
posted by TrevorHere, at
5/19/2009 1:16 PM
How do you like what gay activist Andrew Sullivan said in his blog "The real reason for hate crime laws is not the defense of human beings from crime. There are already laws against that. Matthew Shepard's murderers were successfully prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law in a state with no hate crimes law at the time." "The real reason for the invention of hate crimes was a hard-left critique of conventional liberal justice and the emergence of special interest groups which need boutique legislation to raise funds for their large staffs and luxurious buildings. Just imagine how many direct mail pieces have gone out explaining that without more money for [Human Rights Campaign], more gay human beings will be crucified on fences. It's very, very powerful as a money-making tool -- which may explain why the largely symbolic federal bill still hasn't passed." I think Mr. Sullivan has something we need to hear. It's called integrity as we go about raising funds for our cause
posted by Judy Nu, at
5/19/2009 1:21 PM
Hey Mr. Ewe Why don't you run for President?. You seem confident in knowing how to lead this nation. And do it without smoke and mirrors.
posted by Judy Nu, at
5/19/2009 1:24 PM
Robert said "I predict this will be a one term President.".
That's mighty bold of you. I think there are many variables that will determine this, in paticular those we can't predict such as a scandal or the state of the economy. Just like with the loss for Mccain, the next election is likely to turn on something other than social issues, like the tanking of the economy encouraged Americans to vote for Obama. I think there's a chance that Obama won't be able to fix the economy before the next election and Americans having the short memories they do will blame it on him and elect a Republican. On the other hand 4 years is a signicant amount of time, maybe he will turn things around and barring some sort of scandal he would then likely be re-elected. It all hinges on things none of us is in a position to predict.
Judy Nu said "How do you like what gay activist Andrew Sullivan said in his blog".
I think that's just dumb and wrong. That is not at all the reason for hate crimes laws.
posted by Priya Lynn, at
5/19/2009 2:27 PM
Judy Nu: Hate Crime legislation is necessary to address the fact that when someone is viciously targeted for their sexual orientation or race, it is a message of threat to the larger group that identifies as such. Andrew Sullivan is a gay William Buckley. Not my idea of open minded, radical or activist. You are most welcome to start a PAC on my behalf if you wish.
posted by Spouse Walker, at
5/19/2009 2:51 PM
The rule in politics is: "Don't listen to what they say. Watch what they do."
Obama had already started to embrace some of Bush's policies as a Senator with his back-door support of Warrentless Wiretapping. A constitutional law professor, of all people, should have known better.
So, I can't say I'm terribly surprised by his behavior on DADT. Clearly, either he or a trusted adviser made a political calculation that it was more politically advantageous to let DADT stand than oppose it.
The question is, can the gay community exert enough pressure on the Obama administration to reconsider? I'm doubtful.
posted by Anonymous, at
5/19/2009 3:03 PM
Our presidents and Congress are elected by the special interests who finance their campaigns, their speeches, their junkets, and their perks in a city where the cost of living exceeds the salaries that these leaders are paid.
If there's a significant difference between Obama and Bush I have yet to see it, and I'm looking beyond his utter lack of attention to LGBT needs. He's performed down to my expectations of him in every way.
posted by Buffy, at
5/19/2009 5:26 PM
Seems to me that there is a presumption that President Obama will be our knight in shining armor without the courtesy of some prodding from us.
Someone remarked on another site that African-Americans in the 60s had to prod Kennedy over civil rights because despite all of his good will, he HAD to be prodded.
It's the same with President Obama. I don't necessarily feel comfortable with the messengers of doom who are already writing the epitaph for Obama's relationship with the lgbt community. We got a degree of power now and maybe we don't know how to use it after being powerless for so long.
I like President Obama but I have never viewed him a totally lgbt friendly or the savior of lgbt rights. He isn't Zeus who will fly from the skies with thunderbolt in hand intending to smite our enemies and suddenly make everything right for the lgbt community. Irregardless of Obama, that's our job - not the smiting but the making everything right.
Obama's presidency is simply a means to an end, a position in the game of politcal chess whose purpose is to manuever the lgbt community to where we need to be.
If this comes across as cynical thinking then good because it's meant to be.
Anything is better than the "throwing the baby out with the bathwater" mess that I've been hearing lately.
posted by BlackTsunami, at
5/19/2009 5:36 PM
Andrew Sullivan is a gay activist like I'm the president. When I was posting on the change.org site, his posts were anything BUT supportive of marriage equality, etc.
Uh, Judy, we DO need hate crimes legislation. Anytime an LGBTQ person is harmed or killed because they are gay, it is a hate crime. It's the straight world who needs to wake up and quit excusing anything that happens to LGBTQ people as, say, a robbery gone bad. I don't see any concern on Sullivan's part for the horrible death Matthew Sheperd endured...just a concern about some ridiculous thought that the LGBTQ community is trying to raise funds using his crucifixion as an "excuse". Andrew Sullivan does not speak for me and he never will!
I, too, am sick to death of the bullshit coming out of the White House. He got what he wanted (the Presidency) and all those LGBTQ folks who voted for him can go straight to hell.
I honestly don't think Obama is going to do diddly for the LGBTQ comunity. Not when he has publically stated that he believes marriage is between one man and one woman.
posted by Merlyn, at
5/19/2009 5:37 PM
I am a total supporter of President Barack Obama. I support his plans to end the Iraq war, close Guantanamo Bay, stopping torture, increasing fuel economy, fair pay for women, and health care expansion for America’s children, initiating a housing plan to avoid foreclosures, his economic recovery act and eliminating subsidies for oil companies along with a host of other policies favoring people over corporate greed. Having said that, I am anxiously waiting for him to address DADT and other human rights issues for GLBT Americans. My hope is that he learned from the early Clinton fiasco and is waiting for other agenda items to be addressed. I still want to maintain a positive attitude in that Pres Obama will step up and to the right thing for us in the future. If not, he truly will have a huge price to pay.
posted by TexasCowboy, at
5/19/2009 5:39 PM
In regard to hate crimes legislation, there was no such legislation on the books in Wyoming when Matthew Shepperd was violently killed. The young men who did the deed were prosecuted. Justice was served even though there was no hate crime legislation in place. From my vantgage point we don't need it. If a hetero or homosexual is hurt or killed we already have legislation that will prosecute the perpetrator. And so, I feel Andrew Sullivan has a strong point
posted by Kyle, at
5/20/2009 8:23 AM
Actually Trevor, yes there was just one qualified candidate, in fact the only one who had the guts to declare his support for full marriage equality, Dennis Kucinich. This dumb electorate chose to ignore him.
Make no mistake, Obama is NOT for LGBT equality. As a lawyer he will be aware of the the Warren court decision regarding civil rights in which it declared that "separate is never equal". Of all people, Obama should know better. I don't care what his religious beliefs are, they have no place in politics, nor should they be a litmus test for any viable presidential candidate seeking the highest office.
He is disgenuous to even say he supports equality, he doesn't, he can't. Religious beliefs belong at home, not in the political arena. Civil marriage has absolutely NOTHING to do with religion and the sooner he understand that, the better.
As for DADT.....I won't be surprised if there is no repeal before 2012. Expect NOTHING from this administration. He's already renegged on a single payer health care system, one of his campaign topics and the primary reason I voted for him. This is NOT what I voted for and I feel deceived. No more!
posted by Anonymous, at
5/20/2009 9:07 AM
Take a valium Robert. Barely a 10th of his term is up, he can't do everything all at once. How about giving him 3 years before you start making statements of certainty about what he will or won't do.
Having said that, I agree that Obama is a bullshitter like most politicians. His claim to be a "fierce advocate" for gays and lesbians makes me laugh. He has proven that that's not the case.
posted by Priya Lynn, at
5/20/2009 12:48 PM
Priya ~ I agree, He's only been in office 4 months. The economy must be the number one priority. Blame can be attributed ALL politicians for getting us into this mess and it's going to take some work and time getting us out.
I don't agree with this jumping on the bandwagon discounting him out.
Robert ~ At the time I wasn't following Kucinich's view on gay quality, but I can say I thought his stance on other issues economic and foreign policy were scary.
We can't custom order our politicans, LOL. But, I still believe Obama is handling all he capable of for the time being...
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