The vote on marriage equality in New York is today. I pray that it turns out successfully for our community.
In light of President Obama's incredibly slow process to fully embrace lgbtq equality, I've caught some criticism from some of my lgbtq compadres, including a very manic person calling me an Uncle Tom for my considered praise of Obama (ponder that one at your own peril). But still I am steadfast in my support of Obama.
However . . .
The brotha is gonna really need to step up and comment on lgbtq equality. Whether the marriage equality bill in New York passes today (and it really needs to) or not, Obama is going to have address the situation, particularly because he will be speaking at a lgbt fundraising dinner in New York on Thursday.
Equality Matters's Kerry Eleveld said it best:
In plain English- PRESIDENT OBAMA, OPEN YOUR #&!@^ MOUTH!
Editor's Note - The subject of President Obama and lgbtq equality seems to bring out the wolves so I am telling folks now (and this is a first) feel free to criticize or praise Obama, but any comments simply posted for the purpose of being nasty at him AND especially me will not be tolerated.
As a matter of fact, allow me to say in advance to those who will call me names - @!&^%!
In light of President Obama's incredibly slow process to fully embrace lgbtq equality, I've caught some criticism from some of my lgbtq compadres, including a very manic person calling me an Uncle Tom for my considered praise of Obama (ponder that one at your own peril). But still I am steadfast in my support of Obama.
However . . .
The brotha is gonna really need to step up and comment on lgbtq equality. Whether the marriage equality bill in New York passes today (and it really needs to) or not, Obama is going to have address the situation, particularly because he will be speaking at a lgbt fundraising dinner in New York on Thursday.
Equality Matters's Kerry Eleveld said it best:
He can’t avoid the subject altogether. Can you imagine the headlines? Obama Rains on Gay Parade. POTUS O-bombs In New York. Obama’s Not-So-Fierce Fundraiser. Ok, true enough, all those apply even if he mentions marriage equality at the dinner but doesn’t come out in favor of it.
So let’s assume he does talk about marriage, civil unions, relationship recognition – call it what you will. Here’s the thing, it will be devilishly difficult even for our pitch-perfect president to effuse enough lofty rhetoric to obscure the elephant in the room.
The last time Obama addressed a massive LGBT fundraiser was at a Human Rights Campaign Gala in October of 2009. That speech, most certainly, was the starting point for the president’s speech writers as they eyed his Thursday predicament.
“It is no secret that issues of great concern to gays and lesbians are ones that raise a great deal of emotion in this country,” Obama told the audience in ‘09. “But these issues also go to the heart of who we are as a people. Are we a nation that can transcend old attitudes and worn divides? Can we embrace our differences and look to the hopes and dreams that we share? Will we uphold the ideals on which this nation was founded: that all of us are equal, that all of us deserve the same opportunity to live our lives freely and pursue our chance at happiness? I believe we can; I believe we will."
Hmmm… where can he go from here on Thursday? Seriously. It’s hard to imagine. I believe we can, I believe we will… but sorry, I just need a little more time.
Look, everyone knows this is a political calculation. President Obama was for marriage equality as a state senator in 1996 before he was against it as an aspiring presidential candidate in 2004 (the evolution of his positions are traced here). But as he heads into the 2012 election cycle, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for him to have it both ways on same-sex marriage – to carry the magic mantle of hope and change, to appeal to the better angels of our nature, while literally falling behind the trend lines on supporting something as fundamentally American as the expression of our liberty.
In plain English- PRESIDENT OBAMA, OPEN YOUR #&!@^ MOUTH!
Editor's Note - The subject of President Obama and lgbtq equality seems to bring out the wolves so I am telling folks now (and this is a first) feel free to criticize or praise Obama, but any comments simply posted for the purpose of being nasty at him AND especially me will not be tolerated.
As a matter of fact, allow me to say in advance to those who will call me names - @!&^%!
What bothers me the most is the statement "it should be left up to the states". The absolute insanity of that - given that I'm SURE he doesn't feel that way about interracial marriages - speaks volumes about how un-"evolved" his support is.
ReplyDeleteWe should send the strong message that our support for him (and both political parties) is also now "evolving" until he and the rest realize that equal means equal.
Close the gayTM - support comes AFTER they've earned it - not on vain hopes that they'll "come around" and do the right thing AFTER we elect them.
I would LOVE to see this huge fundraiser tomorrow night (with people paying upwards of $25K to attend) to be a complete bust - it seems that that would be the only message that would get through to him. Sadly, there are too many who are willing to be pandered to, with continual excuses of why we have to accept unequal standing as citizens with the admonishment that it will be SO MUCH WORSE if we stop handing over $$$.
"It gets better" applies to us as a whole and only works when there IS progress from true leadership.
As much as it personally bothers me that Obama can't just come out and support us, I have to admit it his ambivelence may still be a good tactical decision. The GOP presidential field is still pretty tepid. It might be best to keep the right wingers disinterested. Then again, pissing them off now might force rile the tea party enough to make a hard right candidate win. They'd have a much harder time in the general election. Democrats have recently been praising moderates to get just that reaction from the tea party.
ReplyDeleteOn an unrelated topic, when the term Uncle Tom is used to refer to a traitor, the one who uses the term is showing his ignorance. The original Uncle Tom in "Uncle Tom's Cabin" was actually a more rebellious character than people realize. The book is believed by many historians to be the straw that broke the camels back, leading to the civil war and the emancipation proclamation. Next time anyone says that, just remember: Uncle Tom helped free the slaves.
Thank you for your kind words, Patrick ;p
ReplyDelete