Subscribe to Breaking NewsEmma Ruby-Sachs: Why we should be critical of Obama
Thanks for checking out my very first post on 365gay.com. I’m new to the website, to blogging in general, but not to politics, or the very satisfying game of pointing out just how enraging the American landscape can be, especially if you’re gay.
I’ve spent the last three years in law school and before that I was writing and working with a law firm (there’s a theme here). I’m really excited about spending some time talking about legal issues facing the gay and lesbian community.
But since the election is in full swing and we have a debate tomorrow, I think a little talk about Obama is appropriate.
I was helping a friend of mine move out of Hyde Park this past weekend and found myself around the corner from Barack Obama’s house. As we pulled over by the side of the road a secret service agent immediately arrived to investigate. We chatted (what with us being a couple of non-threatening girls in a tiny car) and as we left, I asked the agent to take good care of the Obama family. I was gushing, truly, blushing and everything.
The thing is, I’m a little in love with Obama.
I’m not completely blinded of course. Many of his policies, economic and social, frustrate me (I’m always hoping the Democratic party will dump the privatization of essential services), but what I really should be mad about is his utter refusal to step up and support gay marriage.
Many say it’s political suicide) to support marriage for gays and lesbians (that’s almost a bit of street cred for all of us – we are that risky) and the last thing I want is an aging Republican in office, but do I really have to adore the man that thinks I’m not quite as good as him and his wife?
So today, despite my crush, I’ve decided that I will be mad at Obama for not standing up for full rights for gays and lesbians.
Sure, his thirty second sound bite on Ellen sounded very progressive and Biden said last week that he supports my right to visit my partner in the hospital. Biden, especially, emphatically purported granting marital rights to gays and lesbians who choose to commit. Still, the word marriage will be reserved for heterosexuals.
Why the anger? Because our government is telling us that we are not like them. They are hoping to write that distinction into law. And even though in the near future same sex unions and marriage may grant the same rights, at any point, changes can be made that put same sex couples at a disadvantage all over again.
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Of Course Nikki, McCain is protecting marriage from gay people. Obama has to get elected first before he will be free to do anything. We have to trust Obama’s voting history. We can certainly depend on McCain’s record as well.
ReplyIsn’t it great living in America where other peoples belief systems affect my civil rights . I’m 57 and feel abandoned by my country. It is frustrating that politicians and uneducated clergy can teach hate in the name of “Christianity” and other religions or morality. We must vote with the supreme court in mind and vote in favor of intelligence. We must at least vote for the pair that can pronounce nuclear. I refuse to vote another “nuke-u-lar” politician. We see how far that has gotten us! got us.
We have a conundrum for politicians. Crystal and I are legally married in Texas, but Crystal is transgendered (m2f) and as we beging the transition… I wonder at what point the state will seek to revoke our marrage license? She is looking more female and sometimes strangers call her ma’am. Will legal name change, or gender change on the birth certificate cause them to question our marriage status? What about hormone treatments? Will they wait till she can live full time as a woman?(like when two women show up at a tax office to file as “married filing jointly”) Or will they wait to see if we can ever afford the operation? How do they define “man” and “woman”? Is it defined by the body we live in?…The primary or secondary sexual organs?
ReplyUnfortunatlly our culture seems to think at least subconsciously that the marrage license makes having sex legal, which is a joke among consenting adults. More important to “marrage” is the comittment to care for each other “for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health etc” what ever changes may come. When people want to make that kind of commitment our laws should support and protect them.
I agree with Ruby-Sachs. I am an avid “Obama Mama” and I have devoted several hours canvassing neighborhoods for him, however, he needs to stand up and legalize gay marriage. He implied at the democratic nat’l convention that he would, but I want to hear him say it(or better yet, DO IT!). That being said he is by far the better candidate when it comes to GLBT rights. If you don’t believe me, check out McCain’s official web site. He calls himself “protecting marriage”. Riiiight. I’m sure my grandparents’ 60 year marriage is at stake if a man marries another man or a woman marries another women.
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