Subscribe to Breaking NewsLowenstein: DOJ sets meeting with LGBT legal groups
The past few weeks have been exhilerating for all of us in the LGBT community who pay attention to politics. The exhileration hasn’t all been from positive sources– disappointments like the DOJ’s memo on DOMA, President Obama’s lackluster federal employee rights order, and the DNC’s callous handling of gay outrage have hit hard– but it has been exhileration. The LGBT community has been talking about policy and politics, people are paying attention, and apathy seem less cool (and less widespread) than it did a few weeks or a month ago.
I’m not being naive. In order to force real change, we’re going to need sustained outrage, sustained protest, sustained attention. And that’s tough to generate.
But getting results, however small, helps.
And the Department of Justice inviting LGBT legal groups to a meeting to start discussions on an upcoming case that challenges the constitutionality of DOMA? That’s a direct result of the community’s outrage to the first DOMA memo, and it’s an important result.
It is anticipated that the groups invited by the DOJ include Lambda Legal and GLAD (Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders). The case they’re discussing directly challenges Section 3 of DOMA, which states that for the purposes of federal law “the word ‘marriage’ means only a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife.” Given the relatively slow progress on repealing DOMA legislatively, a legitimate legal challenge to Section 3 of DOMA could be an important development. Including smart, pro-equality legal minds in the discussions is progress for the Department of Justice. So kudos to all who applied pressure after the first disastrous DOMA memo. Let’s keep it up.
Pretty cool post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say
that I have really liked reading your blog posts. Anyway
I’ll be subscribing to your blog and I hope you post again soon!
EMK1970 is the only one who gets it. He is the only commenter here that realizes legal and political posturing with no bite doesn’t get things done.
I don’t LIKE violence anymore than anyone else does but I do know history as does EMK1970
I am a registered independent (neither democrat nor republican). I have voted for members of both parties throughout my life and even abstained from voting in a few presidential elections.
Jen Marcus: I wasn’t referring to a communist like Che’ Guevara but will consider anything that gets things done! Culture war is a debased from of class war after all!
The public has all the education they could possibly use. How much knowledge, empathy, and reason does it take to realize that not being able to marry who you love is just as hurtful for LGBTs as well as transsexuals and intersexed people as it is for heterosexuals. It is simply disrespect that marginalizes.
Last but not least Jen: Who asks for permission from the tyrant they wish to rebel against for permission to rebel. No one is waiting or has ever waited for the permission of capitalists to rebel against them for their freedom; expect the queer community!
I am not concerned with commenters who think they are more intelligent, mature, and stable than me for being cowards! You people sound like the jobless, dateless, and slightly disenfranchised heterosexual sissies who think they are better than Gulf War Vets for refusing to fight wars. Not just the Middle East wars or even right wing wars, but war in general unlike their sociosexual peers of a generation or two before them. I am sure their were early 1930s European Jews who mocked and dismissed their fellow Jewish neighbors for fleeing to West to fight Hitler for their survival; just like you obnoxious people who think cowardice is superior and vigilance is insanity to be ignored! It just goes to show why the queer community is where it is these days as far as respect from the general population is concerned. I am not staying there with you people!
I’m doing what I can. Anytime I get a request for Donation from any Democrat associated organization, and I get alot because I’m politically active, I go to their website and explain that I’m not donating to anything Democrat until there is significant progress on GLBT issues not just baby steps and inarticulate squeaks from Mr. President Olamo
MelissaG may be a violent radical or a crazy person(not I really Care) but does anyone care to remember the Black Panther Party for Self-Defence? Does anyone want to rember the six day Watts Riot that fueled in part by the passage of Proposition 14 in California and pampant povertyand this little thing called racism?
Watts Riots(lasted 6 day)-the result-Millions of scared white People and decades of progressive legal change.
Stonewall Riots(lasted 3 days-the result-millions annoyed herterosexuals,DOMA, DADT,lots of useless parades and pretty floats.
As a bi-sexual African-America male who was only just born in the first quarter of 1970
( in Alabama no Less) and still appreciates the signifigance of these events I am sad to that our overall lack of personal sacrifice very disappointing.
I am niether a Democrat nor a Republican and I reall don’t care what you think of me.Just remember that any who say that African Americans gained their rights soley through peaceful means is either a liberal, a liar, a fool or some combination thereof.
True freedom always comes with a price and part of that price will always be paid with the blood those yearning to be free.
I may be crazy but but at least I remember my country’s history.
Pressure from the LGBT Community resulted in a DOJ/gay legal group meeting. Tell me again why a march on Washington in October is not a good idea.
WOW,MelissaG,FAR OUT…if I am reading your comment correctly are your looking for a Che’ Guevera to lead “our” cause for our rights? Hmm… not sure that is going to work in “good ole Imperial,Capitalistic USA?” For starters, I think we should avoid any violence and focus on “educating the masses,” peacefully confronting many of the faith systems and political institutions that oppress us,be vocal and demonstrate too the point of civil diobedience and make “the system” acknowledge and work for us.
If the Dems want my continued vote and financial support, let them do it the old fashioned way, EARN IT! Thus far, NOT! Until then, they’ll get a big fat zero from me. I’m tired of being taken for granted, NO MORE.
We should boycott the 2010 election in swing states/districts unless DOMA is repealed by 2010. And not a single dime to the DNC. Remember, we have to repeal Prop 8 and fight potential ballot initiatives in Maine and elsewhere to take away our marriage rights. Give money to these causes. And anyone who attends the LGBT/DNC Fundraiser this week will lose any credibility they MAY have had within our movement.
Eddie in LA Said: June 22nd, 2009 at 8:40 pm
Melissa G is a Republican plant.
Yeah, I think that’s a given. That or a nutter. Either way someone to be ignored.
In regards to the article it is encourageing. However, I’ve found myself so overwhelmed with politics lately. Both sides of the isle seem childish and petty. I don’t know if it’s because I’m getting older or jaded (or both). But I am tired of it.
Just my two cents,
John L
The gay community needs several things:
One is for everyone to come out of the closet, and show the world how many gay people there are. And as so many people discover that they actually know and like people who it turns out are gay, opposition will drop like a rock, leaving only those whose God is a God of hate.
Second, we need to encourage gay kids to come out of the closet. 10% of the population is prob gay, if you look at the 5-6% polls, add a number for those who don’t trust the polls anonymity, and also all those married conventionally in a often miserable relationship with a woman who is a victim just as much as the gay person is a victim.
And we need a “out of the closet” support campaign for all the good str8 people who support equality for gay people. A recognized symbol, be it HRC’s equality sign. Incidentally on one of the latest Orbitz travel services TV advertisements characters shirt.
And we need our own Martin Luther King (RIP – murdered by the words of the Southern White Baptists btw). A national leader.
And yes, I have pulled my substantial financial support from democratic candidates (I’d get arrested if I sent the repubs what they deserve – Yuk), and am giving it to national and local gay groups. Is there risk here – yes, for remember that the last election was really about whether we will have a supreme court with clones of Razi the Nazi sitting at the bench. But tell the dems no free ride, but lets be careful on this one.
As someone said about Iran, theocracies become thugocracies. What the repubs wanted to do to this country, so while the people prayed, their big money boys could continue the rape of America.
One this last item, someone put it well – don’t be emotional, and realize the fine line between gaining the admin’s attention, and letting the Christian Taliban destroy our country, however imperfect it really is.
Being the Republicans hate us, for ages now all the Dems figured they had to do for our loyalty was pay lipservice. It has been ages in coming but I am so glad to see our community finally figuired out that Money Talks and Bullshit Walks.
As for DOJ’s willing to meet with us, I have a message to HRC, Barney Frank, DOJ, DNC and Obama: you are a day late and a dollar short.
If your repetance is real, you better spend the next 3.5 years kissing my ass. I mean it. Repealing DADT and DOMA would be a good place for you to start.
Show me some genuine repetance and I will forgive you. Try to bullshit your way out of this and we are done forever.
To explain that in terms you can understand, my last GM car was a 1977 Chevy, and stunk the same as you. If I can ignore GM for 32 years, ignoring you is quite easuily done.
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