Subscribe to Breaking NewsRuby-Sachs: A Review of Yesterday’s Obama LGBT Reception
Lieutenant Dan Choi who has just been dismissed from the US Army for 'being openly gay', declares that he will try to protest his case during President Barack Obama's upcoming visit to Los Angeles, at a gay protest rally in Hollywood on May 26, 2009
My mother gave me Dreams From My Father after I started volunteering for the Obama campaign. I didn’t read it, I now regretfully admit, until a month ago. By then I had bought into the “hope,” had my heart broken by the Rick Warren choice and had decided the new President was going to need as much, if not more lobbying on gay rights issues than any Republican.
Well, yesterday, a number of people who have spent most of their lives working for full equality in this country heard the President give a pretty perfect speech in commemoration of the Stonewall riots. He might have sidestepped the actual issues, refused to back down from defending DOMA and refused to stop discharging out military personnel, but he stated, unequivocally, that he is committed to the repeal of all federal discrimination against LGBT Americans.
Anyone who has read Dreams From My Father knows that this is not a man who believes in discrimination and this is not a man who approves of second-class treatment for any class of U.S. citizens.
So, now that that is out of the way, can we stop worrying about Obama and his administration for a while?
If we look at the track record of this administration – the movement away from public health care, the passing of a flawed energy bill, the back and forth on Guantanamo – we have to wonder just how much influence it has over conservative democrats and republicans. If it can’t pass a comprehensive overhaul of health care, something people expressly voted for when electing Obama, then how is it going to repeal laws that a large proportion of Americans don’t care about or to which many don’t object?
The political cost of discrimination eventually becomes too great for the system to operate successfully. This happens when those within a community and their supporters become angry, begin boycotts and push legislators to move rights issues to the top of the agenda.
LGBT rights are not at the top of the agenda today. They are not going to get there if we just wait for a lull in the crisis facing this country. They are not going to get there if we place all our hope in the beliefs or opinions of the President.
Today, Lt. Dan Choi faces his review in military court. His livelihood and the livelihood of all those fired for being gay, beaten up for being gay, separated from their partners for being gay, depends on a shift in the conversation from Obama to the much broader lobbying efforts that target congress and the senate; a lobby that makes it just too damn expensive to keep endorsing bigotry in U.S. laws.
Well said, Emma. What we need is a single organization that will step up and define the plan, communicate it, and coordinate everyone who wants to be involved. As it stands now, we have too many different organizations with slightly different objectives and timelines. A single effort, preferably spearheaded by a powerful figure, is really needed to galvanize the effort. Where is this person/organization?
Check out thepoweronline.org, looks like they have their vision in the right place to push for equality.
Man to man is evil.woman to woman is also evilits evil in all round.shame to those that practice such as they are evil.God will deliver any nation that permit such devilish act.If Obama do,he will face the face God as he will be question the face of God to human race. shame
Gerald, who let you out? Your god doesn’t exist except on the god toy shelf at Toys R Us. Go back into your cage and play with your god dolls.
Gerald: perhaps you could find some nice person to “proof read” your material before posting; that way you’ll only appear as 1/2 of an idiot!!
Every time I receive a fund raising letter from the Democrats, I go onto their web site and send them a message that until I see serious action on LGBT issues I will not support them with my money. So far I’ve been ignored but they also don’t have my money. Frankly, in spite of what Barney Frank said, I almost wouldn’t mind if they lost a seat or two at next years election or at least were vastly out spent. Until they feel it with our dollars, the will continue to treat us as second-class citizens.
This is sure to be the most unpopular opinion on the page but, as a gay man, I have always been pleased that a group of trained killers (US Military) would not allow me into their ranks.
I believe the focus should be on the ecomonic inequality of the discrimination of the military.
It’s very easy to get up in front of potential 2012 votes and talk pretty to them. We are unfortunately so desperate for any sign of change that we are ready to climb back up Obama’s ass at the first reappearance of vague promises and hope-inspiring rhetoric.
True enough. The only thing that will get Obama and the Dems moving on LGBT rights is us witholding our money, support and votes from them. Obama is still telling us to wait four years to see results and that won’t cut it. If anything does change, it will be in spite of him not because of his efforts.