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Loading ...White House: Census to better count gay couples
06.22.2009 4:32pm EDT
(Washington) The White House said Friday it is working to ensure the 2010 census produces a better count of same-sex couples, last week’s second policy announcement aimed at dampening rising anger in the gay community toward President Barack Obama.
“The president and the administration are committed to a fair and accurate count of all Americans,” White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said. “We’re in the midst of determining the best way to ensure that gay and lesbian couples are accurately counted.”It is too late to change the language for the 2010 census survey, which does not include a specific box for same-sex marriages, civil unions or gay partnerships. That survey has already gone to Congress, with only boxes for “husband,” “wife” and “unmarried partner,” White House spokesman Ben LaBolt said.
So the administration is changing the census’ tabulation software to make needed changes in how the incoming data is analyzed and summarized. Formerly, if two people in one household checked “husband,” the data would be rejected. That will change, LaBolt said.
That means the count of same-sex couples won’t be comprehensive – but it will be better than before, he said. The Census Bureau has previously collected data on same-sex marriages, but not released it when it gives out all the other detailed demographic information from the decennial count, he said. Now it will be released.
On Wednesday, Obama signed a memorandum extending some of the benefits of married couples to the same-sex partners of gay federal employees. They include hospital visitation rights and the ability to take leave to care for a sick partner.
But the move to expand the rights of gays – a reliable Democratic voting bloc – was seen by many activists as too incremental and coming too late in Obama’s presidency. Health insurance and survivor benefits, among other things, were not part of Obama’s action, as they are forbidden by the 1993 Defense of Marriage Act.
Gay activists are angry that the president has not moved on legislation to overturn that law, which allows states to reject another state’s legalized gay marriages and blocks federal Washington from recognizing those state-based unions.
Another sore point is Obama’s inaction so far toward a repeal of the 1996 “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy that bans gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military.
“The atrocities and discrimination imposed by the Taliban is overwhelming.” Not all atrocities need be physical. And discrimination is discrimination regardless of the source or reason. ALL the Christian religions deserve to be labeled “The Christian Taliban!” The philosophy is the same: “our way or the highway.” The only difference between the Islamic Taliban and the Christain Taliban is the degree to which they are able to force their beliefs upon everyone.
Enforce the separation of church and state and tax ALL church property and many of our problems of discrimination and inequality will be significantly reduced.
And I would suggest that Amazon add a new subsection to the Fantasy Section called “Religious Mythology” where all religious books are listed. Oh, almost forgot, “Praise Jesus.”
If the census can get a better count, OBummer will know how many seats to add to the back of the bus. Isn;t interesting that a black president has so little concept of equality. My partner and I are leaving the dems to vote as Independents.
I will put my own thing on that census, and it will read “not yet in a same-sex marriage”.
I guess I will have to wait until I am 67 in 2020 to see any kind of census that is relevant to 21st century personal relationships. But then who would have thunk that in 2009 we’d get lucky and have marriage equality states from Iowa to 5 out of 6 New England state and likely New Jersey if pro marriage equality Gov. Corzine next survives the New Jersey general elections in November this year? (My feeling is that NJ marriage equality is likely waiting on the sidelines until it is known that Corzine will indeed beat his antigay marriage equality opponent in the final NJ election this year for governor of that state. He survived the primary NJ elections.
Right on BudBud!
Oh Lord! The pessimistic conspiracy theory gays are out loud and proud on this one!…I can’t believe what I’m reading here.
You CAN’T continue to bitch about feeling like you don’t “count” as a full citizen and then advocate not standing up to be COUNTED!…
I think there’s some gays on here who’ve grown all too comfy wearning the victim costume.
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE identify yourself! Do NOT listen to crazy theories about government roundups and such. That’s just nutty. If they wanted to know who was gay, they have MANY other ways, like checking which ISP’s regularly go to websites like THIS ONE!…
We SHOULD be lobbying to get sexual orientation added as a tick box on the census, so that gay SINGLES get counted as well, not advocating that gay couples stay in the closet!
“The atrocities and discrimination imposed by the Taliban is overwhelming”
Trace, while the Taliban is the current leader, you need to look into the history of the christian church over the last 1000 years or so. The carnage left by them all over Europe as well as almost wiping out the Native Americans all in the service of God is a testament to their power and ignorance.
Reminds you Jason?
Man, if you remember when slavery existed in the US you’d be about 200 years old?
People like to throw around this “Christian Taliban” term. It is simply ignorant to do this. I think that those that use such terms need to do some research on what the Taliban really is. The atrocities and discrimination imposed by the Taliban is overwhelming.
Not counting the gay couples reminds me of how, for the purposes of representation in congress based on population, slaves were counted as 3/5th of a person.
The good Christian Taliban – primarily the southern white Baptists, and their independent right wing christian churches want the power while denying the humanity of the Black people they enslaved.
This change is a step forward. Another step out of the Satanistic church’s closet.