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Loading ...Michelle Obama speaks to GLBT delegates
(Denver) Michelle Obama spoke today in front of a gathering of LGBT delegates which included Tammy Baldwin, Barney Frank, and other GLBT leaders from around the country.
“We want to make our nation a place where everyone gets a shot regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation,” she said. “You in this room are setting the tone for everything we’re doing this week.”
Obama spoke about the progress LGBT’s have made. She noted that 88 years ago this week, women won the right to vote, and 45 years ago this week, Martin Luther King, Jr. made his famous “I have a Dream” speech.
“It’s been five years since Lawrence v. Texas and 39 since Stonewall, and we’ve still got work to do before we achieve equality,” she said, to loud applause.
She ran through her husband’s actions on behalf of equality: including supporting the Ryan White CARE Act, and helping pass an employment non-discrimination act in Illinois. He also voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment, she noted.
“We know what the world should look like,” she said. “We know what fairness and justice and opportunity look like, and we have to close those gaps until the world as it is and the world as it should be are one and the same.
This is the second time Michelle Obama has spoken to an LGBT audience. In June at a New York fundraiser, she said that her husband is committed to LGBT equality.
Today, Michelle Obama called for LGBT inclusion in hate crimes bills, an inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act, and eliminating Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.
She also called for the delegates to work together to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act. Barack Obama has said that he supports civil unions, but believes marriage is between a man and a woman.
“Discrimination has no place in a nation founded on the promise of equality,” she said, receiving a standing ovation.
There are almot 300 openly gay delegates at this Democratic National Convention, 41 percent more than four years ago.
“We want to make our nation a place where everyone gets a shot regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation,” she said. “You in this room are setting the tone for everything we’re doing this week.”
Obama spoke about the progress LGBT’s have made. She noted that 88 years ago this week, women won the right to vote, and 45 years ago this week, Martin Luther King, Jr. made his famous “I have a Dream” speech.
“It’s been five years since Lawrence v. Texas and 39 since Stonewall, and we’ve still got work to do before we achieve equality,” she said, to loud applause.
She ran through her husband’s actions on behalf of equality: including supporting the Ryan White CARE Act, and helping pass an employment non-discrimination act in Illinois. He also voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment, she noted.
“We know what the world should look like,” she said. “We know what fairness and justice and opportunity look like, and we have to close those gaps until the world as it is and the world as it should be are one and the same.
This is the second time Michelle Obama has spoken to an LGBT audience. In June at a New York fundraiser, she said that her husband is committed to LGBT equality.
Today, Michelle Obama called for LGBT inclusion in hate crimes bills, an inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act, and eliminating Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.
She also called for the delegates to work together to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act. Barack Obama has said that he supports civil unions, but believes marriage is between a man and a woman.
“Discrimination has no place in a nation founded on the promise of equality,” she said, receiving a standing ovation.
There are almot 300 openly gay delegates at this Democratic National Convention, 41 percent more than four years ago.
Very positive article. Mrs. Obama is an intelligent and compassionate lady. I plan to vote for her husband and his idea’s. I didn’t watch any convention coverage as I find it boring. I do love Mr. Franks though. I only wish he had been the vp candidate as I personally don’t trust white politicians much except for a few who tell it like it is. Barney sure does that. Remember the impeachment hearings against Mr. Clinton? I think I’ll knock off the comments on the Presidential race as I’ve written enough. Thanks for reading though.
I know he’s busy but her husband needs to review civil law…eg. the right to marry is a civil right. It has NOTHING whatsoever to do with ANY religion….and he is flat WRONG to think the way he does, sorry. Of course, I am going to vote for him! Are you crazy?
Mrs. Obama for President!
I think that he should create a bill that states that married people can’t be divoriced if gay people can’t marry. It’s the samer thing if you are looki at marriage from a spirtaul stand point. I mean we as gays, just want to be able to share the same benifits as everyone else. I mean if people can get be on game shows and get married what’s the diffrence? I don’t see God anywhere when that happends.
Civil Unions are not equal- they come with no Federal rights. Marriage is the CIVIL institution that is recognized in this country and around the world. Stopping short of what our community and families are fighting for is discrimination. It’s not the change or leadership many of us are looking for.
I may be incorrect, but I believe that the notion that marriage is simply a matter of civil law is incorrect. In many countries the civil law follows the religious recognition. In the US, it is a mixed bag. In countries were religion and governement are (or have been) unified, this can, and in the past has included, religious courts on the order of chancery courts. In the US those courts were incorporated in the unification of the courts, but retained some of the hallmarks of the more compassionate aspects of looking to religous responses.
There is a parrallelism between the government’s recognition, which matters for things such as benefits, privacy rights, etc., and the religious recognition. In some cases the recognition does not overlap, such as in the case of same sex marriage (most jurisdictions) or polygamy. There is no reason for the government to follow religious constrictions other than the undue influnce of homophobic religious people. So, denying gay people the rights to marry and have the rights of marriage, which is based on some religous objections is based on a misunderstanding.
In the Netherlands first you have to get married for the law, after that it doesn’t matter what kind of religious second vow you pledge.
The law made you equal from the day you were born.
Article 1 of the Constitution of the Netherlands:
All persons in the Netherlands shall be treated equally in equal circumstances. Discrimination on the grounds of religion, belief, political opinion, race or sex or on any other grounds whatsoever shall not be permitted.
In the law the only god is the “The People”.
Michelle Obama Meets with GLBT Delegates
“(Michelle Obama) also called for the delegates to work together to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act. Barack Obama has said that he supports civil unions, but believes marriage is between a man and a woman.”
Hmmmm…and then there is this little gem.
“Discrimination has no place in a nation founded on the promise of equality,” she said, receiving a standing ovation…..”
And the crowd went wild!!! Yeah!!! Then the GLBT lemmings put their paper bags back over their faces and, non-confrontationally, returned to the convention hall with their shoe-shine kits with strict instructions to keep out of the sight of the national media.
Of course, no problem there. Really. Only mention the word “Gay” and the corporate-controlled media runs the other way like a vampire being chased by someone with garlic breath. Witness how proud and out gay Olympic Gold Metal Champion, diver Matthew Mitcham, got the quick snub while closet-cases (who shall remain unnamed, for now) were all peppered with the incessantly lame “who’s your girl-friend?” haranguing from the hetero-centric press; even when these athletes repeatedly said they didn’t have any intimates of the female persuasion — except for dear old mom, of course.
Witness also how the politically prickly “GLBT” word has so comfortably replaced all other once-disenfranchised minorities in the 21st century as an acceptable group to be trotted out and dumped on by the pernicious Republicans, or relegated to a “manageable resource” to be kept quietly in its proper place as useful fools during each election cycle by the Plantation Masters in the Democratic Party.
People occasionally chastize me, “How dare you compare gay people to Black people — even metaphorically? Blacks were beaten; murdered; treated like sub-humans.”
To which I reply: Yes, and the difference is?
Gertrud Stein once wrote: “A Rose is a Rose is a Rose”…but to put it the modern parlance, I would add: A Slave is a Slave is a Slave. Yes, you actually are a slave in any country that forces you under the yoke of inequality and then demands that you kneel before the false superiority of others who, under the color of authority, claim for themselves special privilege and advantage over you.
For example, Barack Obama states for the record: “Discrimination has no place in a nation founded on the promise of equality,” BUT then his actions, especially at the so-called “Faith Forum“ proves his a liar. He claims: Some rights are reserved only for god’s (insert the clarion call of celestial trumpets here) chosen people — the Heterosexuals. These superior homo sapiens…uh…sorry…I mean…the “sacred” hetero sapiens are alone entitled to “special” state protection and “special” official recognition of their love and commitment to one another. The Gays (?)…not so much.
Barack unethical way of thinking continues, and might easily read: While I am a fair-minded, albeit ambitious, Black politician (and formerly oppressed minority who really wants to be part of the status quo), I’ll just call it (marriage equality) something else in order to keep them (the gays) off the grass (political controversy) and out of our (heterosexual privilege) neighborhood. That, and to make it perfectly clear, what they call a “marriage” is not a real marriage because, damnit, they’re just not one of us. And just because everybody is now expected to be race-blind in America, that doesn’t mean that we don’t occasionally need someone else’s neck to stand upon once in a while in order to look taller. Now does it?
Please someone substitute the word BLACK for GAY and the word WHITE for STRAIGHT and let’s see how that would go over with the Black delegates and the White civil rights supporters when Obama says, quite clearly, that he believes in limited equality for some Americans. What an oxymoron. As if such a goddamn thing should ever be allowed to exist in America again. Sadly, all of this proves is that Barack Obama, if he was white, would have been very comfortable living in the Deep South in the 1950s.
Why can’t anyone see in such a close election, Obama needs us, the GLBT community much more than we need him. Make him work for our support, goddamnit. Don’t settle for less, because that is exactly what you will always get — LESS. Equal means equal — it can never be allowed to mean: “SORT OF EQUAL“.
Wow, the stench of hypocrisy is overwhelming at the DNC. The only ray of light in this den of self-congratulating politicos and delusional zombies was from Ted Kennedy. He was the most genuine, unabashed, courageous Democrat there at the podium in prime time. He’s been the only one there, so far, who can talk with genuine honesty, and with an unimpeachable lifelong record, concerning his dauntless fight for social justice; equality and universal human rights.
But Barak Obama has a proven himself to be a disgrace. The only thing worst than a bigot is a bigot from a formerly oppressed minority. If anyone, they should know better. It is unforgivable. He is a shameful example of a slick politician with no morals; no ethics, and no loyalty to anyone or anything beyond his own ambition.
Michelle’s special privileged spouse believes that nobody in the GLBT community should be entitled to the same rights which he and his spouse take so nonchalantly for granted each day of their lives together — without ever having to be forced to fight to keep those privileges that he claims are his alone due to his group affiliation — i.e. heterosexual self-styled Christian. Obama believes that Gays should cheerfully take a seat at the back of the marriage bus because “god” has reserved the seats at the front of the bus only for heterosexuals — because He thinks their love alone is “sacred” and entitled to special privilege.
Jesus H. Christ!!! And they gave this woman a standing ovation? What a bunch of disgusting Uncle Toms we have in the GLBT Community. Have we stooped so low that we have allowed ourselves to be fooled into thinking that we should be happy to accept a filthy cup of dirty water, without complaint — whereas everybody else (who is not GLBT) is assured that they (being “god’s chosen people) are entitled, from birth, to pure, clean water from the Well of Equality. The same place where we are turned away.
I am so ashamed of the GLBT delegates at the this phony convention. When did they become such lap dogs? Your former “Pride” and your once uncompromising stance on full equality has degenerated into nothing but a rubber-stamping, party-going, Lavender Step ‘em Fetch‘its, and Queer Eyes for the Obama Guy. You have all become nothing more than fund-raising gaggles of court jesters, flatterers, and buffoons. How pathetic.
By the way, why haven’t any of you asked Obama the following question. Since Barack believes that marriage is not a universal civil right for all non-related, adult human beings, but rather a “special right” reserved for heterosexuals only — then ask him, what about the thousands of legally MARRIED same-sex couples that already do exists in this hateful country? Does he think that these marriages should all be annulled and then civil unionized some time in the future? To what reservation is he planning to move us? Does his vision of a “One Country, One People” involve creating an apartheid-like system for us who dare to live outside of his segregated, grand scheme. Obama’s equality principal, in brief, is this: “Equality for Everyone — But We’ll Call it Something Else for the Homos“.
If this is his vision for “One America“, then perhaps someone ought to tell him that he just left a whole lot of people out — that is, as if he really cares. Tragically, for us and for all fair-minded people — I think he does not mind it all. In his mind, we are just political untouchables to be used, and then tossed aside.
The “Audacity of Hope”…indeed.
© Bud Evans, 2008
Gee Bud, I’m not saying that I disagree with you, I agree 100%. But, what should we do? Vote McSame so that the strides that have been made are taken back. While I believe in Marriage Equality, I think at this point Obama is the LGBT’s best choice. I think baby steps forward are better than steps backward. Yes, I want to marry my partner but right now we live in NC and the only thing we have here is if we go to the hospital, and are awake to put together a list of allowed visitors, then we can go in. Yes I would rather have the full protection of marriage, but until we can get the country there, it sure would be nice to have a little less stress. Do I think its complete bs that Obama say’s 1 man 1 woman… YES. But, if he can get rid of DOMA DADT pass a hate crimes bill and get us all the rights marriage provides, than that would be progress. That will open the door for the next D. president to get us Full Marriage Equality. If we have a all or nothing attitude, I believe we will end up with nothing unless you happen to live in a state like CA or Mass.
Obama will get my vote because of everyone running, he will offer the most protection for my family. LGBT that don’t vote for him or vote for McSame are really shooting us in the foot.
How do you eat an elephant??? One bite at a time…
He’s not perfect, but he’s a hell of a lot better than we have now.
Any gay person that votes for Obama is brain dead.
VOTE NADER/GONZALEZ.
On the civil forum, even though he said he believes its between a man and woman he didnt say that he spoke for everyone. I really do think our feeling and concerns do matter to him and after hes elected Im sure he would be more opt to discuss these issues.
One reason he may be avoiding or masking the issue is because of the right wing.
We need someone who can win… so if you vote for anyone other than Obama (trust me he is not my first choice) than you might as well stay home because your vote will not matter and we will end up with the same for 4 more years with another fundie Supreme Court judge to boot
I’m CANADIAN!
Cnanda has gay marriage, as doesa Spain the Netherlands and do forth.
Thesae asre enlightened forward thinking countries.
I see it as as travesty that the USA is sill having this debate, Your status as a civilized country continues to slip on all levels globally.
Bud and Lisa B’s comments show thinking individuals with spines still exist in the USA’s gay population.
BTW Narach not Michelle is running for President, it is he who should have addressed the gay delegates.
No Canadian candidate for Prime Minister would dare let his wife campaign at that level for him.
Right on Bud! I can’t vote for Obama, he does not think I deserve equality, and I won’t vote for an inexperienced ultra-liberal if I don’t get that. I can’t believe they gave Michelle an ovation, where was the booing?
One thing the GLBT community gets wrong is assuming we are all one issue voters. I also care about lowering my taxes, reducing the size of government, limiting welfare, a woman’s right to choose, eliminating the death tax, creating a pro business climate and a strong commitment to solving energy and the environment. When faced with no equality minded candidates, I must look to other issues. Of course the appointment of judges is still very important, but its a tough sell given he so flippantly dismisses us.
One thing we should keep in mind is that this isn’t really Obama’s fault. He couldn’t win by supporting marriage equality, his handlers say. Americans need to back us before our leaders will. So come to Mass, get married, and tell your whole community. Familiarity is the way to go.
In the meantime there is so much lacking in Obama I can’t see why I’d vote for him when he doesn’t give us marriage equality.
As a movement, we need to make that clear to him. Giving an un-earned standing ovation certainly doesn’t deliver that message. How about a meeting with some of our movements’ leadership saying no votes without a pledge of full equality. There is still time. If we all signed a petition to not vote for him because there isn’t much left after you take equality off the table, he might realize he needs us.
Thank all of you for your civil responses. I understand the practical logic in the argument that crumbs are better than nothing when one is starving. I wish all of you and your partners all the best. I have been with my life-partner for over thirty-three years — we were married four years ago in Canada. We had to leave the United States, for a few days, in order to do that. We live in the Midwest - a red state. Fred Phelps and his hell-spawn live sixty miles west of us. So when the wind changes direction from Topeka, it smells really bad here in Kansas City.
While I am sympathetic, I also understand human nature. I’ve been around long enough. I grew up in the fifties, and I spent my latter childhood and teenage years in the sixties. I’ve seen the ugly scourge of prejudice and inequality first hand. Check out my essay titled: Paradise Lost and Nothing Gained (Lessons Learned — The Real Plague on Society is Bigotry) by “Bud” E. Lewis Evans.
I actually supported Obama passionately in the beginning, but the love affair grew strained after the Donnie McClurkin incident. It begged the question: What if Bill Clinton had put a White Racist on his campaign tour and then defended his decision? How desperate would the Black community be that they would feel obliged to swallow their own pride and support someone so insensitive and so vile? I think the reaction would be quite different to him than the lackadaisical response which came from our own GLBT leadership in reaction to Obama’s promulgation of homophobia .
But, for me, the last straw was when Obama appeared at the so-called “Faith Forum” and so proudly announced his rejection of same-sex marriage equality with such self-congratulatory casualness. He tore open our collective chests and fed our still beating hearts to that nest of vipers, and then patted himself on the back for doing it. Meanwhile, this all takes place in California, of all places, where he wants our support. The very place where a close amendment battle is going down to the wire on whether or not Gays and Lesbians are entitled to be treated like everybody else — once and for all in that state.
So what does Obama do for us? He basically gives implied permission to Democrats and to the undecided to actually vote for the Marriage Inequality Amendment with a clear conscience. Oh, but he says he not for the Amendment, yet he’s also absolutely against Marriage Equality too. How screwed-up is that? Unforgivable, really unforgivable.
Imagine if this was the 1960s and Kennedy or Johnson went to a Southern state to court the Black and the liberal White vote, and shortly afterwards they met with the KKK and then they tacitly endorse an amendment designed to keep Black people in their place. Later, they go to the Black community and say that they are not really for the anti-Black Amendment, just for anti-Black laws which keep Blacks separated from White people. How is what Obama has done any different? Can anyone explain that?
Are we so desperate that we cannot wait four more years for a better man or woman to emerge? I am not a Republican, I despise RepubliNazis with every fiber of my being. But a loathsome Republican by the name of Ronald Reagan appointed a Supreme Court Justice by the name of Anthony Kennedy who wrote the majority opinion in the pro-gay ruling in Romer -v- Evans, and this same Republican judge also wrote the majority decision in striking down the ignorantly intrusive so-called “sodomy” laws nationwide in Lawrence -v- Texas. And a Republican Chief Justice on the California Supreme Court wrote the deciding opinion decreeing same-sex marriage equality in that state. So not all hope is lost; neither should all hope be placed on such an unworthy person as Barack Obama.
Equal marriage rulings came in from Massachusettes and in Calfornia; sodomy laws were struck down; more and more states added civil rights protections; all of this not because of a Democratic President, but in spite of a Republican President. Sure we had many state adopt constitutional anti-marriage amendments, but those can all be wiped out with the stroke of a pen by a future Supreme Court — and they will be someday, I assure you.
Remember the anti-marriage equality furor all started on Bill Clinton’s watch after the Hawaii Supreme Court same-sex marriage ruling in the 90’s. So with the economy doing great; and Monica keeping him happy, Clinton rewarded our party loyalty by not going on record and vetoing DOMA, but rather he embraced the first federal law explicitly directed against the well-being of the Gay community.
Just because a president is a Democrat don’t expect him to be for us. Never forget Bill Clinton. More anti-gay legislation was passed during his regime (and with the help of Democrats in Congress the first two years) than under any Republican administration in history — including that current village idiot in the White House, GW.
Harry Truman showed true grit when he issued an executive order to desegregate the military in the late 1940s, even in the face of overwhelming opposition from the public, Congress, and from the military. Truman did it anyway — because it was the right thing to do. Obama, in contrast, has a tendency to throw us under the bus, ala Bill Clinton, in a heartbeat whenever he considers us a political liability. Exactly what constituency do you think Obama would first cut loose, when in office, in order to keep a firm grip on his executive powers? I think we all know which group that would be. Most of us just don’t want to say it out loud. He has proven that he cannot be trusted with looking out for our best interests.
I do not believe in rewarding bigotry, especially when it comes from a person from a minority background who should know better than most how poisonous discrimination is
to the health of the human soul. I’m going to vote for my local Democratic representative. I will not vote for Barack Obama. He was neither earned my vote nor my respect. He certainly has proven that he cannot be trusted. But I have the greatest respect for those of you who will be voting according to your own conscience — as I will be voting mine.
~ Bud Evans 2008