Human Rights Campaign Knocks Obama For Defending DOMA

AMERICAblog:

The Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest gay civil rights lobby, just sent a letter to President Obama in response to the homophobic brief Obama's DOJ filed last Thursday night. It's a good letter, but more important than its content is its existence. In politics, sending a letter chastising a friend is a far more significant act than what the letter actually says. It's just not done unless something very big and very bad happens. Usually things happen quietly, behind closed doors (especially with friends). When they go public like this, it means serious trouble is brewing. (I'd also add that HRC is known as the "nice" gay group. They don't get angry at Democrats, and they don't send letters chastising Democratic presidents. When they do, it means something.)

Read the whole story: AMERICAblog

Comments

[nomobull]

why wasn't it addresses to the head of the doj Eric Holder

[PlaceboStudman]

Because, at the end of the day, Holder answers to the president, and the president should make the call on how to manage the fall out of a mistake that one of his appointees employees made. It is the honorable thing to do for the boss to take the blame for something his underlings did wrong.

Though many do not see it that way

[wonketteRAWKS]

These groups are probably getting fed up with being compared to incest and rape. Of course, they did not expect it from a full democratic controlled government.

BAM-boozled!

[PlaceboStudman]

Hoodwinked

[We-Are-The-Ones]

yawn.

Mustard.

Flag pins.

Bare arms.

[M1]

True.

[We-Are-The-Ones]

OMG

President Obama just spoke about the real travesty of the Iranian elections and he did it quickly after all the actual news reports. see http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_us_iran or the HuffPo main.

But he hasn't spoke on the faux travesty regarding DOMA and the inaccurate reporting and misinformation.

How dare he speak on real issues and ignore faux ones? HOW DARE HE?

[PlaceboStudman]

Now now, let's not go overboard. I give President Obama credit for speaking out about that important issue. I just wish the administration (which, again includes congress and scotus) felt that LGBT issues were a close 5th, 6th, or 7th

[We-Are-The-Ones]

For this President, LGBT issues are important.

See LGBT Proclamation. http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Presidential-Proclamation-LGBT-Pride-Month/

Why speak out about a faux issue on this brief?

[JackNasty]

Are you planning on making a career out of trivializing the rights of gay Americans?

[We-Are-The-Ones]

No. I do not trivialize the rights of LGBT Americans. I do triviallze hysteria based on misinformation and lies.

[Paulied]

For too long, HRC has gauged its success by the level of access to the table it receives instead of by the victories it acheives on our behalf. I am heartened by this courageous letter and sincerely hope it will be met with the response it - and we - deserve. Thank you, Joe Solmonese.

[We-Are-The-Ones]

In a video posted at The Daily Beast, reporter Jason Bellini claims that Sen. Chuck Schumer "let it slip" that the Human Rights Campaign told "Senators and members of the U.S. House" to put aside the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," and instead focus on ENDA and the hate crimes act.

Are the purported leaders of the LGBT community talking out of both sides of its face on this?

[PlaceboStudman]

No they are not talking out of both sides of their face, they are changing strategy. it really doesn't matter which legislation is passed first. If ANY of them pass it will be one victory in many needed victories.

[Paulied]

I'd believe it to be the case. As I've stated, I do not think that HRC is always acting in our best interest when there are political gains in it for the organization. However, I believe that HRC's response to this legal brief illustrates just how far beyond the limits of decency the LGBT community feels Obama administration has gone this time.

[Awake-and-Sing]

I stopped supporting HRC after it endorsed Liebermanf or reelection. They could have cared less about the fate of Iraqi gays and lesbians as long as they preserve their "access".

Even so, the HRC action is better than nothing, but still their statement wet noodle you'd expect from them. They're not really trying to influence the President or to stand up to an Administration that just harmed the gay community.

They're trying to preserve their remaining credibility with the gay community while still preserving their cherished access with the beltway establishment.

[We-Are-The-Ones]

So, the HRC statement is action, but the Presidential LGBT Proclamation is not? How wingnutty is that?

[Coloradem]

This whole, "he has too much stuff on his plate" argument is absurd.

There is never a "convenient" time to move forward on civil rights issues. For the majority to say that Obama is simply too busy to fight for civil rights is a cop out.

I would imagine that it wasn't very "convenient" for Truman to order the troops integrated or for Eisenhower to order the national guard out to integrate the schools of Little Rock. They took risks with their political lives because it was the right thing to do. We used to have presidents who were willing to do such things. Many of us thought that Obama had the potential to be one of those types of Presidents...now we find ourselves questioning that assessment.

This is a test of leadership, a quality that is needed in order to be a great president...and Obama appears to be failing that test on the civil rights front. Give a fricking speech for gosh sakes. Say that when one person is denied equality we are all diminished. Speak from the heart (or, if need be, use your teleprompter) just do something.....

[We-Are-The-Ones]

You want to know what President Obama says on LGBT issues, read the June 1, 2009 LGBT Proclamation.

find it at www.whitehouse.gov

PS: Obama has been president for 5 months. 5 whole months. 5 months. not 5 years.

[PlaceboStudman]

There was a jazz recital at the white house today,. they had enough time to schedule a bit of meaningless fluff entertainment but couldn't make a 2 minute comment addressing this letter??

[Awake-and-Sing]

Gee. It only took him five months to stab us in the back with that legal brief.

It sure didn't take him long to show his true intentions, did it?

[Paulied]

No, in fact I don't want to know what President Obama says on LGBT issues; I want to know what President Obama will DO on LGBT issues.

[Nommo]

Eisenhower was embarrassed into sending National Guard troops. There was no particular courage there, just expediency. Far more interesting is who embarrassed him. Satchmo himself, Louis Armstrong.

[Coloradem]

If shame works then we need to shame Obama into doing something other than declaring a month for us.

I call shame on Obama and his/our DOJ for equating my relationship of 14 years with bestiality and pedophelia. Anyone else want to join me?

[BringmeReason]

I love it...

Where else but America can African American President, campaigning basic rights for all through fairness and equality pull a 180 and decimate an entire community struggling for acceptance and basic rights since the beginning of time...

Supporting DOMA is a slap in the face, which tells us, separate but equal, I would have thought that an African American would understand the hypocrisy of that statement, but then again look at Judge Thomas.

[PlaceboStudman]

apparently the fact that he's a black man excuses him (and his administration) from any and all wrong doing. The tiniest criticism of him is turned into a racial slight by some people around here

[We-Are-The-Ones]

Claiming that because he is Black and therefore has some special Black responsibility to immediately cure all ills facing LGBT is racist.

Claiming that gays are facing separate but equal is racist and contrary to all facts and good sense.

[We-Are-The-Ones]

President Obama still supports full equal rights for LGBT. How ignorant to expect it to have occurred in 5 months.

And how racially ignorant to suggest this has anything to do with separate but equal.

Gay marriage is not about separate but equal. Gays are not forced to serve separately in the military. Gays do not have separate communities or separate schools. Nor separate schools or water fountains. Gays do not have to sit at the back of the bus, at the back of the theatre, or at the back of the courtroom.
There are no gay public schools subject to underfunding. There are no laws forcing segregation for gays or customs forcing segregation for gays.

Gays are part and parcel of the US community. Civil unions does not separate gays from everyone else physically in the way that Blacks were separated.

Isn't it ironic that you have so little knowledge of what separate but equal means to Blacks? Can you say racism?

[PlaceboStudman]

So because the separation is mental and emotional but not physical that makes it okay??

I mean, really, you're harping on an issue that makes us different in ways that are literally paper thin.

Why can't you just accept the fact that segregation and discriminaiton are part of human nature and part of the human experience, and we will never wipe out segregation and discimination, but the government should not be a part in encouraging it either, and that IS what DOMA does, it discriminates by invalidating the need for human pair bonding and the legal and financial benefits that the government has seen fit to attach to those pair bonds

[BringmeReason]

You know what, you're right. The separation isn't as apparently as other past segregation, but I suppose that excuses it? The separation may not be as obviously but to anyone that can think pass pre-school, it still exists. When you tell people that marriage and all the benefits it ensures can only fully be given to a man and a women seeking union and not to those of the same sex simply because you "don't want to redefine the definition" is the essence of separate but equal. It is telling a minority that they can have civil union but marriage is something that they don't quite deserve just yet.

Imagine the upraise by the AA community if they were told, they could only have civil union because people didn't want to include African Americans in the definition of what defines marriage. Lets not mingle words; discrimination is discrimination. When one group is rejected the basic civil rights that another group enjoys, then that is the quintessential definition of discrimination.

[Awake-and-Sing]

I think it is fair to expect that this administration wouldn't be taking harmful actions against us after only five months too.

[Paulied]

All right, how does "different but comparable" work for you? Sheesh, first the word "marriage" and now this! People are so hung up on terminology that even our "separate but equal" now has to be separate but equal. Ooops, of course I meant different but comparable; my apologies.

[M1]

You are entirely wrong in your assessment of the Gay experience. I feel sorry for you. I hope you feel better. Try to just focus on the ideal that discrimination in any form against any group of people is harmful to all people. Equality for All is an all in and no one out idea because leaving anyone out damages the whole.

[jakesinger]

Barack Obama does NOT represent me.
What a disappointment!

We need to fight for our rights. While this White House is busy fighting for big banks, the Pentagon in Afghanistan, and Big Green Business (as long as it includes nuclear & coal), it is not fighting for us lesbians and gays.

LET'S SHOW BARACK OBAMA WHAT IT MEANS TO FACE THE PEOPLE'S WILL!!!

[PlaceboStudman]

Hell if I thought the legislation concerning the OTHER kind of *green* had any chance of passing, I wouldn't be nearly so enraged at these issues

[GlenRast]

This thread should be classified as the thread for delusional self centered whiners. Like you

[jamaicalover]

Please stop all the fake outrage. People read the brief, all of it before you starting calling the President out. Also, take some time to understand what it means to be President. Read below.

"The President of the United States is the head of state and head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in the United States by influence and recognition. The President leads the executive branch of the federal government and is one of only two elected members of the executive branch (the other being the Vice President of the United States).[1]

Among other powers and responsibilities, Article II of the U.S. Constitution charges the President to "faithfully execute" federal law, makes the President commander-in-chief of the armed forces, allows the President to nominate executive and judicial officers with the advice and consent of the Senate, and allows the President to grant pardons or reprieves."

[We-Are-The-Ones]

People seem so angry and close-minded that they are not interested in the facts. They ignore the facts.

They are reminiscent of crazed teabaggers who protested increased taxes when they received a tax cut if they did not make $250,000 or more.

Now, despite President Obama signing a Proclamation on June 1 2009 setting forth his support for and agenda for LGBT rights, including repealing DADT, people ignore these facts. They are angry because some news person say they should be angry. Rather than obtaining true information, they bask in the hostility of misinformation. Rather than paying heed to what the Prez actually says, they are content to infer and attribute.

It is shameful. I thought WE were better than wingnuts.

[PlaceboStudman]

For the millionth time, Proclaiming June Gay pride month means nothing, It has no weight whatsoever and is only an indication of intent, not policy. We will NOT settle for anything less than policy. When any of our legislative agenda comes to the floor of congress, and is put to a vote, we will celebrate, or say "okay, next time we'll fight harder". But until that time comes, no one, not you, not anyone can tell us that our issues don't matter and that we shouldn't be upset by meaningless token gestures and more empty promises.

[Lyr]

Wingnuts have two wings, a left and a right.

[Awake-and-Sing]

Yay, the President issued a meaningless proclamation! Woo hoo!

Isn't it also National Dairy Month?

Those words in that proclamation sure make up for directly stabbing us in the back with the actions of his Department of Justice.... NOT

[TJCole]

Federal Law that represents systemic and endemic discrimination is null and void and he knows that...!

Constitutional Law Professor my ( ! )..!

[We-Are-The-Ones]

Come on now, man. Do some basic research.

Here, start with this. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equal_protection
or this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_Rights_Act_of_1964#Title_VI

They are easy enough to understand.

[kcinci]

For a whole lot of us there's nothing fake about the outrage. Not at him, not at you or WeRtheOnes and not at all the rest of the apologists. Your opinion and you're welcome to it but we have ours, too.

No one has said a da m n thing about wanting him to not execute the law. He does, however, have options and in defending the brief, he picked a bad one. And don't go giving me any crap about he didn't do it, his DOJ did. The buck stops with him. The arguments used were denigrating and dehumanizing.

We have an option to keep pushing, cause certainly, our friends and allies are few. You have the option to sit on your hands, fight for something else, or b&tch us out or whatever... but... we're not going away, we're not going to be silent until equality under our laws is achieved.

Talk is cheep. Many of us aren't going to let our votes be held ransom. If we're to believe any more intent, then we need to see some action.

[BringmeReason]

You know, I wish African Americans felt that way when they were told that they didn't quite deserve the same rights that their white counterparts had full access to. Maybe they should have just sat back and let their rights get trumpled by because, "said president had too much on his plate". No! I refuse to, that is nonsense, he basicly campaigned the entire time, going around spewing this none-sense about equal rights and appealing to the GLBTQ community. I had expectations for him, and though I realize that things dont' get done in a matter of months, I also would think that he wouldnt' try to prevent something that has been repressing us from since I could remember. I voted for him last election, but seriously think that people should reconsider voting for him next comming election.

I hated Bush with fierce, but there is something to be said about him, he got things done regardless of how terrible they were, he got it done and didn't' care about what people thought about him. Obama seems to be leading a popularity contest, he wants to appeal to everyone, well you know what, sometimes you have to lose a few for the greater good, Truman knew that, but I guess Obama doesn't.

[Areyoume2]

I have a gay daughter, so factor that into my comment. BUT really - what Obama is doing is stalling for time because there's TOO MUCH STUFF on his plate. IF he accomplishes HALF of what he intends, then gays, as well as straights, will be mostly provided for (and what fell through the cracks - like Don't Ask Don't Tell and other important issues) will still come.. JUST NOT TOMORROW.

AND THE TRUTH IS: what was the alternative??? MCCAIN. Come on ... the pretense that gays THREW their support behind Obama because of his positions is just disingenuous. They did what we ALL did - raced to CHANGE. Even modest change is refreshing and I know bigger changes are coming. And don't get me wrong. I think it's WONDERFUL that you keep on the full court press. Just don't get mad at my Obama.

[PlaceboStudman]

Your Obama? Boy you're gonna get some haters for that comment. And to be honest, not everyone who voted for Obama fell into the vat of Kool-Aid. As recently as 24 hours before the election, I was seriously doing more research on Nader and Bob Barr. But decided that they were both putzes, and no way was I going to vote for McCain, so I voted for Obama because I believed that he would be our best choice.

Now I wonder if I wouldnt have been better off if I had voted for Nader or Barr

[Awake-and-Sing]

If the President really has THAT much stuff on his plate, how did they find the time to take the willfully harmful action to defend DOMA is court using vile legal arguments when it was not required to do so?

Nothing makes up for that.

His administration didn't just ignore us because it was busy. It willfully harmed us.

[jmpurser]

The gay community SHOULD be raising hell about the way President Obama has treated them.

[GlenRast]

The gay community should face the reality that they are not the most important issue facing the country nor do they own Obama

[PlaceboStudman]

Anyone wanna take bets on what the invented crisis will be that will distract President Obama and prevent him from making this grand speech that people keep saying he's going to make to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Stonewall??

[We-Are-The-Ones]

Yawn.

[HUkid07]

What people seem to forget is that the Justice Department is meant to be separate from the policies of a given administration. Their very job is to represnt the government before the Supreme Court in all matters regarding federal authority. Now if the President were to tell them what to do then he would be doing just what the Bush Admin. did to the last Jusice Department, something that was highly harangued by liberals/progressives.

Secondly i've yet to see mounting cases presented to the Supreme Court which result in landmark decisions that could be used as foundational blocks for building a thorough and lasting argument that can be brought forth to the court.

Thirdly, the best solution would be for a legislative one, not for a Presidential repeal, that can be easily reinstated by another incoming president.

Last, I have not know the gay community, the visbile one, which is predominantly white, to reach out to the minority gay community. From these posts i've noticed a lot of racist remarks coming from gays who say they are tired of being discriminated against but will not hesitate to hurl their own from of racism.

[DaveVentura]

Obama has done that. Did you forget that Obama is the one who made the call on breaking the settlement agreement with the ACLU to release to the photos and instead told the DOJ to continue to fight it in court?

[kcinci]

Jump to http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-12827.html and read the article.

Headline reads: Obama's highest-ranking gay official says DOMA and the military gay ban currently have no chance of being repealed

So now it's official we have been told to wait until the second term (which is not guaranteed) and we'll get to you if we can.

Better yet they didn't even have the ball to tell it to American media.

[PlaceboStudman]

Supposedly Obama is going to make a speech commemorating the 40th anniversary of Stonewall.

We'll see what he says then, but I think most of us have pretty much lost all hope at this rate, Fortunately many more will be up and coming to replace those we've lost in the ranks by the time anything gets done, around 2017

[jamaicalover]

You are distorting the writers words. I read the article and Mr. Berry did not say gays would have to wait until the next term.

By the way, next time put in the last paragraph. Some good things are coming.

[kcinci]

Done waiting for more words. And how nice for his employees that their going to get a perk.

Not Enough

[PlaceboStudman]

What about those LGBTs who have no desire to or no skills to work in foriegn service? This is becoming just as bad as the divisions caused by Prop8 with 3 categories of married people

[We-Are-The-Ones]

Either you have a serious comprehension problem or you are intentionally misrepresenting what you read. What was said:

No one is being told to wait for the 2nd term.

"Now, I’m not going to pledge - and nor is the president - that this is going to be done by some certain date. The pledge and the promise is that, this will be done before the sun sets on this administration - our goal is to have this entire agenda accomplished and enacted into law so that it is secure."

"When asked by interviewer Kerry Eleveld whether this would mean a second term, as suggested by some observers, the openly gay head of the Office of Personnel Management replied: "I say this in a broad sense - our goal is to get this done on this administration’s watch.""

The intent is to get it done. Period.

[jtown]

The gay rights movement is getting on my damn nerves, I support it, but I'm getting sick of it being slammed down my throat.

[PlaceboStudman]

Nobody's forcing you to read anything or watch anything about gay issues, If you're reading or watching stuff you dont like, turn the channel or turn the tv off

[kcinci]

Any time we can't file a joint return, or we get fired because we're found out or our families disown us or we're bashed or kicked out of our apartments or forbidden to adopt children and so much more.... every time we have to deal with any of these issues we are way beyond the getting on of nerves... and certainly sick and tired of "straights" with their rights just by the nature of them being straight, crammed down our throats.

You came to this thread all by yourself. And apparently just for a reason to complain.

[harriscrl3]

i wonder if its a violation of human rights to have 47 million people with NO access to healthcare. let's see getting married or being able to see a doctor.

Carol

[PlaceboStudman]

Let's see...worrying about how you're going to pay for coverage, or worrying about whether your family is going to be allowed to see you when you are terminally ill and said treatment has failed or there are no more options

Yeah, I think there are a LOT of people who are going to choose to worry about their family's emotional and mental state after being made aware that a family member is dying, than they're going to worry about having to pay for everything after the person has died

[MoeB]

I get your point. But they DEFENDED DOMA. And unless I'm mistaken, DOMA is even against civil unions (if I'm wrong about that I apologize). If that isn't a slap in the face, I don't know what is. And while I'm quick to defend Obama because I DO agree he has a lot to tackle right now, I don't see the logic that can lead one to conclude that it's ok for him to agree with blatantly discriminatory policies simply because he's busy. Doesn't mean his administration must AGREE with it.

Everytime something like this happens, I think back to the words "fierce adovcate for GLBT rights". HIS words. He so far hasn't done anything that is even lukewarm adovacte. I also understand that he needs time to get things done, but he hasn't done anything yet to lead me to believe that it's simply a matter of TIME. If he won't FULLY explain himself, and all we have to go on are continuations of horrible policies of the past, what are gay people supposed to think?

[Coloradem]

Are they mutually exclusive? I don't think so. Are you married....can you see a doctor? I know lots of people who can do both.

[ekoorb]

No one has no access. Just show up at an emergency room.