Subscribe to Breaking NewsWithers: Obama talks, but…
His words hit all the right notes. Repeated themes he stumped on. The repeal of DOMA, signing “an inclusive hate crimes bill into law”, and the end of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (although he did add that for him to sign anything on DADT, it would take an act of Congress). He rightfully placed the Stonewall riots as part of a larger struggle for justice, and noted the progress that has been achieved since that night 40 years ago. Took the duck ring tone in stride and even acknowledged the impatience with his work thus far.
But aside from the words and adulation of the crowd (which really isn’t strange considering it is the White House), there was nothing offered. Nothing. No game plan. No dates. Just a promise of work and this line:
“We’ve been in office six months now. I suspect that by the time this administration is over, I think you guys will have pretty good feelings about the Obama administration.”
People clapped with pleasure at this, but what else could they have done? If you trust Obama then these are stirring words and it’s hard not to be moved when a president of the United States talks about gay rights. But it’s never a good idea to trust the promises of a pol. I have no doubt that Obama will work on those things, but if the scene gets too hot (as it will), he will turn pragmatic and move on. To keep that from happening we need to keep dissenting and giving loud grief when his administration stumbles (DOMA defense anyone?). These folk have the right idea.
PS: Here is some unsolicited advice to the Jackson family: muzzle Joe Jackson. He’s not helping.
There must be something wrong with the gay community, in that there is a deep seated need for approval from Obama. Why is the gay community so passive and nice to this president? Why is it acceptable for him, as commander in chief, for trained, vetted and members of his military to be discharged because of their sexual preference? He is the supreme commander, and somehow he can’t order a moritorium on the discharges when there will be little political opposition to such a moritorium? In a wartime situation? He does not have the ability to do that? Well fuck him. We have shit for a commander in chief.
What he fails to understand politically, is that people like me will not come out and fight for him and the democrats ever again, and we won’t encourage our families too. We were fooled twice by democrats, with Clinton too. We will not be fooled again. He failed to see that democrats will lose those midterm elections with people like me undermining the democratic elections with failed enthusiasm. It is going to be a big shock, that gays and lesbians will turn on the democrats. When they lose the elections, they will STOP taking us for granted. This is the only way for them to pay attention. And believe me, when they look at the gay and lesbian exit polls, they will scratch their heads for a while. Rahm and Axlerod will wonder where they went wrong. They went wrong will us, and all of the people we talk to.
i hear you Jim! you have your little list there of important legislation that needs to be passed but imo and im sure im not the only one that thinks that the hate crime bill is just as important and its already written and passed the house so its half way there but yet nobody want to talk about that one, just kick it to the back burner to make way for the so called more important ones DOMA & DADA. the hate crimes bill is just as imortant if not more important because americans all over the counrty are getting hateful beatdown because the haters know they can get away with it and unlike the people that sign up the the military which i support I surly didnt sign up to get bashed late year by some rednecks in Kentucky that were never even charged with a crime and then i was stuck with all my medical bills because transgenders are denyed heathcare insurance. It seems to happen daily around the country but yet you people dont even talk about it. Although i always support ALL LGBT rights even the ones like dadt and doma that will not really ever effect my life directly because i think every last person in our community deserves equal rights and i wish more of you would see it like that too. If that hate crime bill dies in the senate, that surly will be the end of it for this term which saddens me but also angers me that most of you dont see it as a another priority for equality. I refuse to sit here with a smile while one more of my LGBT brothers or sisters takes a beat down or killed without federal charges filed against them.
Well said, James.
I suspect we’d better see something to cause “pretty good feelings” about this administration long before it’s over. Else, he’ll have to run the next campaign without a lot of supporters he had this time around. The toadys at HRC will still be there, but I won’t!
Bla, bla, bla. We need action not rhetoric!
Obama didn’t say anything new, and still no apology for his comparison of same-sex relationships to incest as he defended DOMA. And I see he is back to his old trick of saying, “By the end of this administration” as if we should really wait four years for some progress! He isn’t doing anything, and Congress is just crawling along. Even Barney Frank was taking it slow until Obama’s DOJ debacle with DOMA, now he’s moved up the introduction of ENDA to try to save some credibility with the community.
Deeds before words, ‘Bam!
One of my friends who had supported Obama up to now was very disturbed by his speech. As James said, “it’s never a good idea to trust the promises of a pol.”
I totally agree with you James, it was good to hear the Preident say what he did and I am actually thankful to him for the supoort and words he has offered but i stil hold him and more-so the Democratic controlled Congress for implementing and passing legislation to
1) repeal DADT
2) repeal DOMA
3) secure all federal benefits to all civil-married, civil union couples.
Gay Americans need to keep our voices loud, we need to March on Washington in October and we need to regularly keep the pressure on House Speaker Nancy Pelos and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to pass the above noted legislation.
We need to all sya involved. For every Blog comment i make, I write 4 emails to a member of Congress to deman they act on securing our federal civil liberties and rights.
Whenever I wasn’t getting it right with my dad, I would go to Momma…She’d set him straight!
See that lady (Mrs. O) standing on side of him, make sure you write her too. Maybe she will light a fire under his azz to get things done and to stick to his LGBT promises!
T Mikel is right!
We are our own worst enemies in this. Until we insist on action, on promises being kept, until we refuse to let Mr. Obama and others put us off with vague promises, we will not move forward. We had a major impact on his election and we should demand his promises be kept. I write this on the day that Dan Choi goes to trial – a trial Mr. Obama could have prevented. How long will be accept second class citizenship?