Obama Strains To Win Back Favor Of Gays With LGBT Event At White House

The Hill:

President Obama, under fire from some gay and lesbian groups for what they see as slow movement on two of their most important issues, is taking steps to keep that voting bloc in his column.

This week, the president will host an event at the White House "recognizing and celebrating the accomplishments" of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans. The event comes just days after Vice President Biden was dispatched to extend an olive branch to the gay community.

Read the whole story: The Hill

Comments

[superstition]

Obama deputy campaign manager abandons DOMA & DADT as priorities
http://www.americablog.com/2009/07/obama-deputy-campaign-manager-abandons.html

"After two weeks of the Obama White House reeling over the gay backlash caused by the anti-gay DOMA brief, which compared gay marriage to incest and pedophilia, we now have...

First, that the burden for doing anything pro-gay in the remaining three and a half years of the Obama administration is now shifted to Congress. Obama has no role whatsoever, and no power to influence anything, even though he's still the leader of the free world.

Second, the three big gay rights priorities that Congress should be focusing on do not even include what have organically become the community's top two priorities: repealing DOMA and Don't Ask Don't Tell. They're not even mentioned in the Obama deputy's essay."

[SteveDenver]

It's amazing to me that in the United States, human rights and equal treatment under law are so difficult. This boils down to doing what is "popular" and not what is just and correct.

As for christianity, I am not superstitious. Please don't tell me that marriage is "sacred," it's only sacred when gays and lesbians want it.

[webmonkeydc]

What's the change we really need? Find plenty of examples at: http://obamaprayers.blogspot.com

[klandish]

This meeting better be front page news tomorrow Huff post. Looking in the G section under Gay Marriage for the Most Important Civil Rights issue of this Century will to wholly inadequate and you will start losing some of YOUR base along with Mr. Consider it a mild th.reat.

[mama4obama]

Frankly , I find myself becoming increasingly impatient with the people that are saying that the President is moving too slow or questioning whether or not the President will keep his word on what he campaigned on. This man has never let us down. Not during the campaign and not so far into this administration. During the campaign there were so many that did not have faith in his strategy or the way he ran his campaign , but he was right in the primaries, he was right in the election strategy , and he is right now on how to handle DADT and DOMA. These folks that are so dissatisfied after 5 months should realize that not only would their agenda not even be acknowledged by McCain, but they would have no recourse and no audience as they had today. Progressives can never take yes for an answer and they attack the very people that are their allies. I for one am very tired of it and I'm a patient woman. Very soon there will be a backlash and it won't be from Republicans , but from people like me that believe and trust President Obama and resent the implication by some that he is a liar . Just because some public officials lie does not mean they all do. The implication that he has to win back the "favor " of the LGBT community just makes me angry that they have so little faith in him or his

[scw799]

I too am wearied, but by those who would seriously tell gay people to be patient and wait their turns. Impatience with those demanding an end to inequality says very poor things about the Obamatons who are so eager to protect a man who has done so little for that cause.

And he has in fact "let us down". The DOMA brief came out of his Justice Department, and though it may not be Obama's practice past presidents used to say that the buck stopped with them. If Obama is unable to police his own administration, that says nothing particularly good about his leadership abilities. And if that was an accurate reflection of Obama's views, then the man's a bigot.

Threatening a backlash against gay people by "people like me" is entirely inappropriate. One would hope that you make common cause with all those seeking to bring about equality, but one is apparently hoping in vain.

I have plenty of faith, but I also need to see something worth believing in. When Obama does something other than issue proclamations, something that takes courage and fortitude, I'll reconsider. Without change, there is nothing to believe in.

[StansDad]

the christians hold a position of supreme power in the united states, make no mistake about that. If they think that being gay is an abomination and shouldn't be supported, you can damn well be assured that their representatives on the hill and in congress won't support it. So shut it. The reasonable people of the world sympathize with what is going on with the unfair and unjust situation with the homosexuals of the world, but we also recognize the power of the bronze age mentality that controls the masses and their men and women in washington

[december30]

Get a life will you. Black people don't have equal justice either, but change has been made and patience was put in place. I still say, Gay people go ahead and put down President Obama. Continue to be impatient. Go on over to the Republicans and you will really witness the inhuman feelings they have for the Gay community. Go ahead. Faith, you know not what that is.

[LynnW49]

Transcript: http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2009/06/obama_remarks_at_white_house_l.html

C-SPAN video: http://www.cspan.org/Watch/Media/2009/06/29/HP/A/20296/Pres+Obama+First+Lady+Host+Reception+for+LGBT+Pride+Month.aspx

whitehouse.govv has every previous video BUT this one.)

Rhetoric: Empty.

[PJay1]

Interesting, though not surprised that they wouldn't put it up on whitehouse.gov site.

[onepotatotwopotato]

M.W.D.

[LintLass]

I. Need. A. Link. To. What. Was. Said.

[Disuberence]

It was the same old stuff, this time with Michelle's eyes pointed like dag.gers at Barack. Which makes me think she's tired of him saying the same old things over and over!

[LintLass]

I said, *link,* not your 'analysis,' ie, what you always say. When I know you don't get what **i* may say to you.

[klandish]

Why does it always take a woman... Straight or otherwise? To beat some sense into these guys heads. Little boys with Big toys... which they shouldn't be allowed to have anyway. Mommy do your job!

[LynnW49]

links:
Audio: http://www.goodasyou.org/good_as_you/2009/06/itll-be-kinda-like-a-wedding-reception-where-the-host-doesnt-publicly-support-guests-right-to-have-own.html

Transcript: http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2009/06/obama_remarks_at_white_house_l.html

Decide for yourself, but I thought it was content free. And the idiots in the audience applauded the naked emperor.

[AnotherTry]

I was sickened by it. He fired 270 people since taking office for no other reason that they are gay. This little show is pathetic when considering the reality of being jobless in these trying times.

[PlaceboStudman]

Now the hard work begins. The president has called on us, now it's our time to take up the mantle and do the work. He pput the responsibility back onto our shoulders, so now we need to work on our state legislators, state senates, governors, etc. He wants a ground swell from th bottom up, let's give it to him. This is our fight to fight, this is our battle to win. The harder we work, the more we persever, the sooner this allgets done.

Again I ask, what ARE we waiting for?

and for those of you who are saying the economy and wars are more important, we're starting to pull out of Iraq, so that's one more issue we can put aside and raise LGBT issues on the priority list

[LintLass]

Did he call on us? How would I know? Somehow, on an Internet when I can find any theory I could imagine about Michael Jackson, .... the whole grand oratory, I may as well be in China.

[LintLass]

You can call me impatient... Or gimme a link.

[onepotatotwopotato]

Say it loud!
Say it proud!
When do we want it?
We want it now!
Men with ducks!

[LintLass]

"Again I ask, what ARE we waiting for? '

A. Link?

You know? Like I was saying earlier?

The actual hearing of our President speaking on this before someone tells me and everyone else what 'my' attitude on it all is?

This whole thing just blew by me, and already some are interpreting what I think about it.

[LintLass]

I mean, do you understand, I can't even confirm he *spoke* at this point.

[Marcospinelli]

He passed the buck.

That's what Obama does. He keeps trying to get others to chase their tails, until they realize that they had laid the problem exactly where it belonged: At the president's feet.

[We-Are-The-Ones]

HuffPo took this off the politics page even before the President stopped speaking. Talk about suppressing information on the Commemoration. This is proof.

What a way to stifle discussion if there is no link to this page anymore.

[LintLass]

Will someone put up a damn link to it before telling me how impatient gays are? It didn't even Google.

[BluePrideStephen]

Everybody's Got the Right to Love

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_g2nGlvTKg

[We-Are-The-Ones]

Well, I liked the Prez's comments. It was a nice and warm commemoration. I liked how he told the history of Stonewall and acknowledge the strides that had been made.

He gave information on things I did not know. For instance, already asking Congress to repeal DOMA. And, his talking to churches about LGBT issues, especially Black churchs.

I knew about the work on the hate crime legislation and anti-discrimination legislation in Congress, as well as the discussions on repealing DADT.

No apologies but an acknowledgment of the hurtful DOJ brief.

He said that by the end of the 4 years, LGBT will have accomplished much. So, we need to push. We need to not let a single month pass without making progress on some legislation.

There is an excellent blog at http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/6/19/124142/765 which lists most of the ongoing legislation in Congress and suggests a course of action.

[LintLass]

The fact I couldn't find it after over an hour of concerted *trying* is... Making me think dismissing our anger is that much less valid. This was the big thing, right? Where is it?

[jcwtts1]

"Labor Secretary Hilda Solis issued a warning letter to departmental employees late last week, after posters celebrating Gay Pride Month hanging in 35 department elevators since June 22 have been either defaced or removed altogether.

In an e-mail message sent to the entire department, Ms. Solis, who helped found the House of Representative's Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Caucus when she was in Congress, said she was outraged by the behavior."

Wow, gotta tell you, people are going to get fired.

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/29/labor-chief-deplores-defacing-of-gay-pride-posters/?src=twt&twt=thecaucus

[PlaceboStudman]

The most interesting word that came from Obama today was "defiance" I thought. That leads me to believe that maybe people are on the right track by protesting, boycotting corporate sponsors of the senators and holding sit ins in Washington. I still go by the example of those arrested at the disabled protest.

I'm disabled and I have NO problem making the comparison between gays and the disabled civil rights movement that ended with the ADA

[jcwtts1]

I thought what was interesting was that he pick DOMA not DADT to push. Stunning.

J

[We-Are-The-Ones]

I think he is pushing both, but pushing DOMA for Congress while Pentagon and the military work on how to implement a repealed DADT.

Multi-tasking.

[BluePrideStephen]

You're so right. Civil rights are civil rights.

My straight, congenitally disabled sister and I have discussed the amazing similarities between our groups. Each has strict hierarchy, statuses, parents who didn't know what to do with us, sub-groups, has been thought of as 'God's punishment' for something? were put out of sight, not spoken of, made to feel unhuman, suffered beatings, killings and imprisonment (psychiatric and otherwise). Your curbs, btw, help us all.

It's so funny that in each, the more 'NOT' that you look, either gay or gimp, the better. Disabled who look AB, pass. There are so many gays who also 'pass'. The stratification exists in each group. Amazing. Bottom of the barrel for gays must be log cabin republicans (they only care for their pocketbooks). For gimps? Those who deny or those whose lifestyle behavior resulted in their disabilities. Or, those who were disabled as a result of their own violence. There are others.

So much of it has been in the name of one God or another.

[PlaceboStudman]

Obama live on MSNBC and perhaps other outlets

[barackobama4prez]

Yeah, he's speaking at a GLBT event. He's not perfect, but at least he's involved. I do believe a brighter day is coming for the gay community. But the prez did say change doesn't come from Washington. I agree with that sentiment.. The change will come from the people....then the supreme court, then congress and finally the prez will sign the legislation.

It can't come quick enough. As long as abolition of slavery was just debated, no progress will be made. As long as equal rights for gays are just debated, no progress will come.

The people will move this "debate" forward.

[PlaceboStudman]

Right. He put the responsibility clearly on OUR shoulders. We need to to the grunt work, we need to do the campaigning and protesting and educating of the public, and the public will push Congress to do their job.

I'm still forced to ask though, what the hell are we waiting for?

[LintLass]

It'd still be pretty cool if Washington could at least *catch up.* I've lost too many homes over what Republicans call 'talking points.'

How many tears?