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Huffington Post Founding Editor Roy Sekoff appeared on MSNBC Wednesday afternoon to discuss the day's hottest news items. Topics included California's Proposition 8 and its possible appearance before the Supreme Court, as well as General Motors' potential bankruptcy.
Watch the full segment below:
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Sekoff is right to keep the heat on. HuffPo was way out front supporting candidate Obama when his ultimate victory was still uncertain, so I think this criticism has credibility.
That being said, I am still hopeful that gays will have good reason to turn out for the president in 2012 (just as we did last November). I hope to see Obama have three more Supreme Court picks, so I think it's reasonable to focus on getting him a second term.
Obama isn't the only one behind the curve on same-sex marriage, to judge by many posts here.
For a black person who was able to become President to not stand for gay rights is unimaginable to me. If President Eisenhower had not stood up to the racist majority Mr. Obama would not likely be President. It took a president who was not black to take a stand for the rights of his fellow Americans. Who knows when, or if, black people would have achieved equal rights if the government had told citizens it is okay to hate black people as long as the majority of us thought that way. In our often flawed history there was a point when the majority of Americans did not believe that woman should have the right to vote. The great thing about America is not that we are perfect. The great thing is that we are far from perfect and we know it. We have made horrible mistakes throughout our history and the heroes have been those who stood up and fought on behalf of those who were wronged. The moment that we believe only people just like us should be an American is the moment when being an American means nothing.
I agree, Pres. Obama is behind the curve on the issue cited above. Marriage rights should be extended to any consulting adults. This concept should also allow polygamy to be reexamined as a lawful option.
The problem with polygamy is that only ONE woman (or ONE man in polyandry) would reap the more than 1,100 spousal benefits in matrimony. And I would think the alpha arguments would be brutal! And, of course, the "sister wives" or "brother husbands" and their children would wind up on public assistance ... a BIG problem for the "Party of NO" handouts!
that variable is already taken into account when the adults consent to the relationship. Your hypothetical outcome has never materialized. The dynamic of polygamy is communal in nature thereby obviating the need for squabbling over governmental handouts.
When you have Parez Hilton as the face of the gay Community, you are doom, period!
And Miss PreJean is the face of the "moral" party ... you betcha!
hilton is not the face of gays. don't vote on superficial style points when it comes to civil equality. this is serious. how long do i have to wait for people like you to grow up? you want any excuse to keep the focus off lgbt equality.
Yes, based on polls and the elections in which 30 states have defined marriage in their constitutions, there is stronger feeling that marriage should remain 1 man and 1 woman than be re-defined.
If the President announced tomorrow that he supports gay marriage, it would trigger a huge political battle. Not saying some issues aren't worth fighting for, but, even with a Democratic congress behind him, it would be an uphill battle. He would make new enemies without any chance of success at this time. I know how convinced we are that gay marriage is a good social policy and a matter of rights, but, you have to consider realistically how change comes about.
See - the more you bring up these "realistic" arguments the more it harks back to the civil rights movement in the 60's. NOW is the only time to ever demand civil rights. There is no "realistic" waiting or political expediency - yes, there are always some people working on those things behind the scenes - but on the public face there has to be a demand - not a request - for equal rights. Would we now say that MLK should not have spoken out so strongly because it would "trigger a huge political battle"? In his "Dream" speech, MLK said there are some who would have us take the "tranquilizing drug of gradualism" - and I think he pegged it. There is never a time other than NOW to demand equal rights - to hell with the firestorm,backlash, whatever that may come from that simple, but unmoving demand.
While I agree we are way overdue civil rights as a community you gotta cut this Prez a break. The guy is really doing a good job and we've got 3 more years of him. I think we need to build the pressure on the legislators first and foremost. Stop the hateful statements by senators and congressmen alike and pressure them to repeal DOMA. Its not fair to Obama to make him take the lead on all major legislative issues. Call you legislators every day and night and flood them with mail and email about this issue. Get them onboard and demand action. But direct your frustrations to the right source.
Polls are showing that fewer and fewer Americans are against same-sex marriage. If Obama came out for it, he'd probably persuade a lot more people. But we can't expect Our President to do something just because it's RIGHT, can we?
There are so many people and communities with hopes for the president to address issues. He came into the wh having to deal with the ecconomy, 2 wars, and now two out of control countries with nuclear capabilities. Why is your issue any more important than other communities? the answer is it's not. I do believe he will address the needs of the many communities whose issues are just as important as yours but he has to take care of the security and ecconomy first.
As I hear so may people complain, I wander who you think will do more?
Thank you
People who believe that this country needs to handle fluid dynamic issues like economy and war that are constantly changing are simply afraid to deal with the real emotional issues of human rights that, once granted, generally remain. Why worry so much about cyclical circular issues like war and economy, when you can take 5 minutes to address a perfectly linear issue like human rights??
NO MORE EXCUSES
The president has been in office 4 months, and, sure that isn't a lot of time to deal with the economy, wars, the rising potential of nuclear war. But, at the same time, it does not take more than 5 minutes to craft a statement to simply say, from his own mouth, not a reps mouth "we hear you, we are working on these issues, they are complicated and take time, so please bear with us while we do things properly and appropriately so we can get past this and move onto other issues"
Now, see, how hard was that? That took me less than a minute to type, and if President Obama came out (sorry bad pun) and said that, I'm sure most of us would back off our pressure. But, if we don't get at least that, then it appears that he is just like every other president, and not the "fierce advocate" and ally that he claimed or we believed he was
Thank you.
And if he did come out like you stated, you'd say its not enough!
Right on! I would further add that many of the people who are discriminating against us are using his words as validation of their position. A statement from him would remind us whose side he is on: equality or bigotry.
The President has said this regarding DADT. From his own mouth and when that is not believed his Press Secretary has repeated it over and over again.
But that is not enough, for some.
Then, the President grants benefits for families of gay diplomats. That is not enough.
Then the President has the DOD study the impact repealing DADT will have on the military and that is not enough.
In combination none of this is enough.
Some of us think Obama will do more if he cares enough.
Belief is a religion thing...wh
It greatly pains me to say that the "empty suit" label fits Obama here to a tee.
That's BS. Obama is a Christian. He knows that this stuff is just wrong. But he has to be president of everyone. He is NOT going to promote homosexuality. He will however defend the constitution.
You're correct. He does need to be the president of everyone. I am not a christian, and I have every right NOT to be. I am sure glad you live in a place where you can worship freely. I on the other hand, want to live my life free from you telling me this stuff is just wrong. It is my life, not yours. It is who I am. My family is loving and contributing and we deserve equal protection under the law. period.
And just how do you defend something by remaining completely and utterly silent? Now before people jump all over me, I KNOW it's not the president's place to change the law. But, he can make a statement putting the full weight of the white house behind the people and encourage congress to do their job to change these laws
President Obama supported gay marriage in 1996. Was he "wrong" then?
"He will however defend the constituti
The liberals aren't THAT liberal...
Some liberals are THAT liberal. Some stand with and for the LGBT community.
No one is thrown under the bus. We stand together. No need to be divisive because of anger and disappointment. We need allies. There is no need to denigrate allies and people who care with this type of language.
Too bad we only hear about unity when it's time to support the President, not when it's time for the President to put his money where his mouth is.
Since 57% of Americans do not believe in gay marriage in the latest Gallup poll, it doesn't appear that Obama is behind the curve in terms of gay marriage. He believes what the vast majority of Americans believe.
*Sigh* Go look up the phrase "tyranny of the majority" and then get back to us with your apology.
Whenever there has been legislation or custom that needs to be destroyed because of racism, we did not depend on legislators who bow to the will of the people. We depended on the Courts to interpret and apply the Constitution and its history.
It is irrelevant what Obama believes or what the vast majority believes, it is relevant what the law demands.
Exactly the point. To be part of the final 5% on an issue (and the exact percent varies significantly from pole to pole from week to week) of social evolution related to human rights is being BEHIND THE CURVE.
I don't think you understand what "behind the curve" means because you kind of illustrated the point. The curve is the expected trend or result - which even you must admit is moving, however slowly, toward acceptance of gay marriage. Thus making Obama - and yourself - behind it.
i think they mean if the president agrees with them, that's leadership.
Our system of government is set up to PROTECT the minority from the majority. GET IT? Nothing to do with personal opinions or views at all. Interpretation of the law says we are all EQUAL, not separate but equal. If you don't like it move to another country.
The celebration of the "vast majority" won't last ... because they are on the wrong side of "the law" in a country that prides itself on EQUALITY!
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