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UPDATE: This hubbub was picked up by Mediaite: “The White House Takes Aim at Gay Bloggers For Complaining Too Much.” Geez, please can you use one of my new photos at least (http://ow.ly/2r1v5)? Michael Triplett’s piece does get a fact wrong – Aravosis was not invited to the WH press briefing (he’s that reviled by the WH). His co-blogger Joe Sudbay represented Americablog.
Seriously, at the end of the piece Triplett gets to my bottom line point – the WH either needs to declare LGBT bloggers relevant or not – if we’re mere gnats on the political landscape then what me worry, why waste your time on us. But don’t expect us to be quiet for doing as the President asked – “hold me accountable.”
From Americablog, word that a closed-door meeting with the President, Brian Bond, the Deputy Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement and state equality organization leaders generated some interesting comments:Bond asserted, “There is still a lot of work to do” before DOMA will be repealed. “Look at the trouble we’re having with ENDA.” he added. But Bond conceded that there are inconsistencies in President Obama’s positions. In response, Morgan Meneses-Sheets, executive director of Equality Maryland, stated, “Respectfully, we need President Obama to push for full inclusion of the LGBT community on ENDA, on marriage- we need the full get, not the lesser get. The highest office in the land sets the tone for the whole country.” Bond agreed, but expressed frustration at the often intense criticism levied, particularly by bloggers, against an administration that is “99 percent supportive of your issues.” [emphasis added]
I’m kind of nonplussed; does that include your blogmistress, or do lesbian bloggers not rate in the same category of frustration for Brian Bond? I’m the only “gay blogger” he’s had a sit-down interview with, so I’d love it if he gave a shout-out by name. I was quite generous to him in my interview.
I think perhaps they only mean John Aravosis, no? But Brian used the plural, so the White House must have a LIST. I’ll have to ask John (and maybe even Joe Sudbay) what it feels like to be on a White House hit list.
Anyway, I know the WH, at least Shin Inouye (director of specialty media), reads the Blend and pings me from time to time, but who are these other peeps in power who are hand-wringing over the people on THE LIST of angry, frustration-inducing, Cheetos-stained P.J.-wearing bloggers…
John said this in response to Bond’s comments:
It’s great that you’re “supportive.” But it’s the same argument gay Republicans used to describe George Bush. He was secretively supportive of us, they’d say, even if he didn’t help us a whole lot legislatively. I’m not saying you’re George Bush, but the empathy thing is wearing thin. We don’t want your support in words, we want you to keep your promises. And you’re not.
I don’t think you have to be a rocket scientist to see the point of view many of us hold – that promises were made, quite publicly to the community to both garner votes and generate cashflow, and now the bill has come due and we are seeing all sorts of shenanigans by those in charge. The delays and slow-go on DADT repeal that ends in a poor compromise and a freepable, embrarrassing “study”; inaction on ENDA, tossing the hot potato between the WH and Congress as to whose responsibility it is to take the lead; Gibbs having amnesia and feeble follow up skills at the podium. Come on. If you’re 99% supportive, that is a helluva 1% left over.
I can’t quite figure out what the people in the White House really think about new media/citizen journalists/bloggers. The equality orgs got to meet with the President, but Barack Obama has not given an interview to any LGBT media since he took office. That has to be purposeful. He certainly didn’t do a drop in when a few reporters and citizen journalists were invited to meet with Melody Barnes, who is an ally, but still gave little information and would not discuss political matters at all, nor did the WH offer anyone on the political side to attend that meeting. And, you might recall, Brian Bond was in that room, was referenced by name, yet he said not one word during the 58-minute meeting. I did get a bear hug from him, though. Perhaps I’m still not on the SH*T LIST…we have to read between the lines.
We’re not the enemy, the “gay bloggers” have just been treated in a bizarre fashion (and sadly, at times the traditional LGBT media’s apparently placed in the doghouse with us by association), it’s not like we sit around thinking how to screw over the WH. On the other hand, we’re not an extension of the WH PR machine. We just represent many voices, and many outside the Beltway, of course, that haven’t been heard or dealt with before. Does that make it challenging to navigate these relationships? Yes, and that’s on both sides.
The bottom line is that I want my civil rights, and I see time and effort frittered away as it is treated like a political football — we’re Charlie Brown and Jim Messina et. al. are Lucy. It sure doesn’t feel like 99% supportive if it’s all theoretical, as we saw in that hilarious DNC video of Tim Kaine yesterday, chock full of win like:
“I promise you, we’re going to do everything in our power to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act.”
I think that’s absurd. Who wrote that? What a position of weakness that sounds like. One commenter, Lev Raphael, was quite spot on:
“steps to promote”
“beginning to address”These are weaselly constructions. What’s happened isn’t insignificant, but why should, for instance, Federal workers have it better off than the rest of us? Why such baby steps? And the steps aren’t what we were promised.
His prologue also did not acknowledge the anger. It’s not frustration. I’m frustrated if I have to reboot my computer. I’m frustrated if my dogs won’t stop barking. I’m frustrated if I have a bad workout at the gym. I’m frustrated if I screwed up my DVR and didn’t record the show I intended to.
I’m not frustrated about the lack of hard progress, I’m angry, disappointed, and disgusted. I think Obama is turning into Clinton. Promise, surface dazzle (at times), but no follow-through, and weak at the core.
The very choice of the word “frustrated” by Kaine (or his writers), the way it’s balanced with “some of you/some of you” as if we’re split down the middle, all show they don’t get it.
Maybe they will when they don’t get our votes?
There’s plenty of frustration to go around.
71 Comments
….and anger!…and embarassment from being betrayed… AGAIN, by 'our' side!!It is so very uncomfortable here UNDR THE BUS.
It depends on how you look at the proverbial glassHalf-empty?
Or half-full?
99% supportive?
Or 1% deliver-ative?
When I send my resume out, its the resume of a person who is a stranger to federal anti-discrimination law.
When that changes, I’ll be less frustrated (see? I can use that word too) with a class of individuals who knows where their next paychecks are coming from, yet has the audacity (remember that word, Mr. President?) to be “frustrated” with those who have nothing (including hope), are pissed off about it and feel compelled to say so.
Just fucking incredible.They regard people who supported Obama, based on his promises, as enemies–because they expect him to keep those promises. (I can’t help being reminded of Nixon’s infamous, paranoid “enemies list”. It was the first clear sign America got that our president was off his rocker.)
So the obvious question is, who do they regard as friends? Oh, yeah–Republicans and fundamentalist Christians, people who won’t vote for him no matter what he promises them. They have sense enough not to believe his promises, a lesson the rest of us have learned bitterly.
Instead of trying again and again to find that precious “common ground” with people who hate him, why doesn’t he try doing something for the people who actually voted for him? But time after time, he shafts us and gives in to them.
I have a news flash for Obama: With this administration, it’s not “God” who’s in the mix. It’s the Mad Hatter.
When people bring up this “glass half-empty or half full” stuff, I always point out the obvious:If you really can’t tell, you’re using the wrong glass.
Let’s see“Support” does not equal “Equality”.
“Access” does not equal “Equality”.
“Speeches” do not equal “Equality”.
“Proclamations” do not equal “Equality”.
“Moving Benefits” do not equal “Equality”.
“Hospital Visitation Rights” do not equal “Equality”.
You know what equals “Equality”? ”Equality”. This really isn’t that hard a concept.
I’m 99% supportiveMaybe it’s unfortunate for Obama that the 1% is controlling my wallet and vote, but 99% is good, right? Shouldn’t he be happy with that?
So the WH is “frustrated” by us. GOOD!!!But they really don’t know from frustration. Just wait to see their frustration in November when both our money and votes evaporate. I prefer to be betrayed by my sworn enemies…not by those who pretend to be my “fierce advocate.”
The ONLY organization I continue to give money to is AFER (American Foundation for Equal Rights). This is the group that got Olson and Boies to go to court for us.
Until DOMA, ENDA, and DADT are settled for us, I will not give another dime nor another vote to any politician or political organization. Period.
It appears that our ONLY recourse resides with the courts. (Notice how Col. Fehrenbach was able to get a (small) measure of justice by going around his commander-in-chief and directly to the courts…)
Bond, Gibbs and Obamaneed to go to rehab if they think we believe one word of this blather.
That 1% must be Obama’s craven support of segregation……for marriage “equality”.
Hey, Obama, look dude, America is DONE with segregation, catch up. You cannot be pro-GLBT and pro-separate-but-equal at the same time, the one precludes the other, make up your mind.
The first thing I thought ofwas Nixon’s enemy list.
The only question that I have…is whether or not you and others that have been attacking this administration for not moving fast enough…will be just as vocal when the Republicans get control over the government.
I know that Pam and others are eager for the President to martyr his administration for their sake, but I wondering what they have planned for the Republicans.
For instance, everything from DADT to gay marriage has suddenly become of the utmost urgency that it most be dealt with right away to the detriment of everything else that might need to be addressed in the country. Fine, that means that when the Republicans assume control over congress and eventually the Presidency, we will not see a repeat of the relative silence we heard over the last decade. It will still be an emergency while they are in power and you will be just as hostile and impatient with them.
The double standard is obvious. LGBT folk have been discharged fromo the military fairly consistently for decades. However it only became a CRISIS that needed immediate attention (and to hell with the legislative process) when a democrat assumed the Presidency. Once he’s gone, will it still be an emergency or will you keep silent until you can hurt the next Democratic President? It seems to me that if so many American supported repeal, the outcry should have been just as loud for Bush to repeal the damn thing (especially since he rushed and started 2 wars). But no…as usual, things only become urgent when the Democrats are in power.
There always seems to be plenty of patience when Republicans have power. However, Democrats are never supposed to do things in a calm and pragmatic way, (i.e. a way that is slow but might get the job done in the long run). No Democrats are expected to throw themselves on their sword for the LGBT community.
after seeing the calibre people being dischargedunder DADT on Rachel Maddow the other night, I have two words for this president, whose election we all worked so hard to win, F.U.!!! Your political cowardice is front and center for all to see on this issue. Even in your most comfortable position as ‘Triangulator and Chief’, with the poll numbers for DADT repeal what they are, you must be able to see this is/was a win-win situation, and you managed to turn it into a political loss. So who the hell are you and what did you do with the Barack Obama who was so brilliant during the campaign? He’s been MIA these past 20 months and the fellow who resides in the White House now is a piss poor imitation.
let them be frustratedIf they’re not going to do anything of what was promised. but they should also know that that’s what they’ll be remembered for.
But is it right for the Democrats(and duly noted here that you aren’t limiting this to Obama) to come to the community saying that they’re going to do this, that, and other in order to get money and votes.
The Republicans don’t do that.
It’s the Democrats that set that double standard and not GLBTs
Besides…the press is SUPPOSED to geton the nerves of those in power.
That’s essentially the job of the 4th Estate; not to have acolytes fawning all over the damn place.
I wouldn’t trust a press corps (be it the established press or bloggers) that fawned all over ANYONE in power.
What makes the Obama Administration think that they’re exempt from that?
The equality orgs did not meet with the President.They had a briefing with staffers from various agencies.
Nothing without pressureHas this administration done a single thing without a full court press from GLBT bloggers and/or activist demonstrations at fundraisers, congressional offices, or outside the white house?
I can’t think of anything that didn’t come as a direct result of pressure placed on the administration.
Its not the bloggers that the WH doesn’t likeIf, as Kayne West pointed out “George Bush doesn’t care about black people”, then it is obvious in this presidency that Obama and his cohorts not only don’t care about, but actively dislike LGBT people.
I hate to admit that I was duped, but there is no kinder way of putting it. This Constitutional scholar in which I placed so much hope has been a failure in so many ways that I have lost count, not only on LGBT issues, but on almost everything that he has touched. I don’t care how much lipstick he tries to put on the pigs of health care reform, financial reform, DADT, DOMA, the stimulus, Gitmo, unending wars, the oil spill, etc. etc, those pigs are still pigs.
Lets face facts folks. We are living in a country run not “by and for the people”, but one in which those ideals have been subverted so that now the rights of monolithic corporations are sacrosanct, and “We the people” are little more than unwitting dupes laboring our way into old age in servitude to the handful of rich bastards who actually run this country.
You meanie gay bloggers, spreading the truth,reaching a mass audience, offering analysis and critiques, resurrecting campaign speeches and policy statements, holding up the accountability mirror, going where the MSM and Gay, Inc. fear (or don’t give a damn) to tread. How. Dare. You.
When Mr. Bond says he is frustrated with gay bloggers, this can only be what he means. Does he seriously accept so little responsibility on behalf of the Obama administration for the broken promises and the great yawning void of leadership? (POTUS can’t take the lion’s share of credit for the Hate Crimes law, and the rescindable, redundant employment protections for queer Federal employees do nothing for the rest of us.)
It was “on” (for me anyway) when Obama’s DOJ filed the reprehensible pro-DOMA brief a year ago. I’d had my rose-colored glasses on until then, though many here at PHB already knew the score. But my denial evaporated, and the evidence since then has been clear(er). The President will expend no political capital on our behalf. He won’t even improve national security with ~70% public support by issuing stop-loss for DADT. Cuz you know, teh scary gayz. Nuff said. What chance do ENDA, UAFA, and defeating DOMA have? His administration wants our unabated support and money for the crumbs they have delivered. We’re a constituency reviled by the right, and by many in the center, and he won’t risk appearing any more left and drawing any more fire for our sake. I get it now. I see just how “supportive” he/they are.
Bloggers aren’t the press to themAnd besides, we’re supposed to be fans, supporters, cheerleaders. But not critics. Never that.
(I say “we” because I’m a blogger now, too).
When Obama stops defending DADT in court …When Obama stops defending DOMA in court …
When Obama stops destroying the careers of hundreds of servicemen and -women, which he could do with the stroke of a pen …
When Obama stops making pretty speeches saying the same thing over and over, and actually starts doing something …
When Obama decides that, as a gay man, I am not some second-class citizen who should be overjoyed to accept separate-but-equal civil rights …
I’ll be more than willing to give him some credit for the whitewash he’s been splashing on the walls to hide his promises from view.
If you can’t trust a party to stand up for principle and …… to do what’s right, why should anyone vote for them?
The Obama administration increased DADT discharges. They were everything but helpful on gay marriage.
They also target non-criminal illegal aliens more than the last administration. They seem to be great at enforcing policies that they are supposed to oppose. (Especially on civil liberties they are a disaster, he can’t even defend the Park 51 center. Parts of the party are even helping the jingoists and attack sane Republicans. WTF?!)
If this Democratic President fails, it’s his own fault. That the liberals had patience with the Republicans in power is just nonsense. They were attacked even more than Obama now. And you can expect that many of his critics are still toning down because they have the hope that the administration might change.
Geek, This argument might have some merit…if only the polling for DADT repeal hasn’t been consistently above 50% among all demographics and collectively polled in the 70-80% range.
Even in southern, military-friendly North Carolina, a majority polled approve of DADT repeal (a poll from this year).
No one’s asking for anyone to fall on some political sword.
When the politics are with you, and you STILL won’t do the right thing — the things you promised your base — it’s time for you to go.
As others have mentioned, there is no need for this administration to win over the unwinnable McCain/Palin voters. The Obama/Biden voters were plenty of a majority.
Alienating that base of voters — much less donors and volunteers — is the political mistake of a lifetime.
“mean”soon they will be scolding US for being “mean” to TARGET™
Individuals and/or Blogs?I guess a few of us might be listed as unsupportive by name rather than being owners of blogs.
I support the WH with the same intensity that we are receiving support from the WH.
If the truth hurts the White House, then it’s not the fault of the “gay bloggers.” Perhps the President and his advisers need to take a look in the mirror. Has the White House even thought about actually delivering on promises?
Over a year and a half into the Obama term, I can still be fired at will for being gay in my home state, my relationship with my life partner receives zero recognition, and my friends in the military are still being discharged under DADT. I guess the While House thinks that I am supposed to just sit back and enjoy the fact that NOTHING has been accomplished on these issues to date.
If I am deemed to be one the pesky “gay bloggers,” frankly I consider that a distinction. And I plan on going on calling it like I see it no matter how much angst it causes the White House.
Have you drunk too much of the Obama koolaid?Since when has the LBGT community EVER demonstrated patience towards the Repubs? Do you need reminding what proportion of the LGBT votes Democrat and donates to the Democrats, vs the proportion that votes Republican and donates to the Republicans?
As for the 2 wars thing, spare me. How many Democrats opposed those wars? Or how many Democrats oppose them today? Unless you opposed them, and oppose them, you don’t get to use the started Bush started 2 wars excuse.
In fact, Obama has been treated with velvet gloves by the LGBT community, who still want to believe in change / hope / whatever.
Any comparison to Bush and the Republicans is ridiculous. Bush was attacked on EVERYTHING, even ridiculous irrelevant things, verbal tics, malapropisms, and the Merkel shoulder squeeze. In fact, I clearly remember Pam running several posts making fun of Bush for that. With Bush the attacks got ridiculously personal. Show where Pam has done anything similar with Obama.
Now I get it!In other words, when we voted for Obama (if we did) we were supposed to commit ourselves to 100% support for everything he does or says he’s going to do or cause to be done or have someone take steps toward getting movement underway towards progress towards getting it done.
Am I sorry the WH is feeling frustrated by appropriately angry LGBT people? Hardly. This administration swept into the WH on the backs of a large mix of peoples who had been relegated to watching the previous administration virtually destroy our country and most everything it stands for. The groundswell of support this current administration received made people giddy with hope and promise. I for one no longer feel the giddiness, and certainly am about to give up on the promises. If these folks who are supposed to be smart and have been educated at some of the country’s most prestigious wells of learning cannot figure out why people are upset with them, they shouldn’t be leading the country.
It has turned into a bad marriage, with promises being made and never being kept. Relationships are built on trust. So far we have nothing on which to build a relationship. Oh, we were courted all right; we were wooed and smooth talked. But once we submitted as willing partners, I guess the conquest was over and the interest has gone. That’s why we have become like the best friend warning it’s time to get out of the relationship. I’m heeding the advice of that best friend and dissolving this relationship. Stick a fork in me, I’m done.
Duped is the wordThe promise (and the promises) evaporated when he got into The White House. He punted on Health Care, Gitmo, LGBT issues, and worst of all for the Republic, the wars and the national security apparatus shoved into being by Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld. He’s presiding over the death of the Republic that Robert Byrd prophesied when he inveighed against The Patriotic Act.
Once again our Resident Queer Quisling….
….demonstrates his amazing ability to “touch type.” How else could he have his head SO far up Obama’s bony ass and still click out another despicable, LYING screed on a keyboard he can’t see?
The BIG LIE this time? Oh, it’s been on the Obama Gestapo Excuse Talking Points List from Day 1. It’s just been a while since we’ve heard it here, but like all their tricks of distraction and intimidation, it gets recycled periodically.
FACT: we HAVE repeatedly, forcefully demanded our rights under Repug Presidents, too. Case in point: the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling colloquially known as “the Witt standard” that Victor Fehrenbach quoted in his request to an Idaho district court for a temporary restraining order barring his discharge came down in May of 2008 [affirmed in December 2008] in response to the lawsuit by former Air Force Major Margaret Witt challenging her discharged filed in April of 2006. Even a self-loathing halfwit like Geek is aware that Repug Bush was President then.
AND, it is the OBAMA Mafia that are REFUSING to obey that ruling which should have prevented Fehrenbach’s discharge and that of anyone else in the entire Western United States.
Similarly, the Thomas Cook, et al., lawsuit challenging DADT was filed in 2005. When they lost at the Circuit level in 2008, co-plaintiff former Army CAPT James Pietrangelo [of White House arrest fame with Dan Choi, Autumn, et al.] appealed separately to the Supreme Court. It was the OBAMA Mafia, in the shameless form of then-Solicitor General Elena Kagan, who convinced the Supremes to kill his case.
It was also while Repug Bush was President in 2007 that the large 12,000 Flags DADT protest was held on the Capitol lawn.
AND, of course, the Obamaroaches would have us forget that the most intense ongoing gay protests EVER were against the administrations of REPUGS Reagan and Bush pere – those by ACT UP and others against their negligence of the AIDS pandemic.
Leonard Matlovich being arrested by a cop wearing yellow rubber gloves in front of the White House as one of those protesting Reagan, Inc.’s passive genocide of gays by AIDS. June 1987.
It is one thing for Kinsey ZERO Obama to betray us, but I wish I believed in a Hell so I could imagine the reward Geek has worked so hard to earn.
Apparently, voting for Obama is like getting ordained“Thou art a priest forever.”
Or maybe it is like giving in to IT. This is Earth, right? And not Camazotz? (Has anyone else ever read A Wrinkle In Time?)
What Obama would REALLY like to say to The Gays:
Hey now, KatA true political realist like the President sees the equality glass as completely full:
99% supportive
+
1% deliver-ative
———————
100% full glass <– (“See? We gave them what we promised, a full glass of equality!”)
Either way, it’s still the only glass we have been given & we are expected to take little sips and savor them. That is not equality, and it’s not right.
They think we’re important enoughto get frustrated by when we critique them, but not important enough to actually give us any substantial change. That makes perfect sense…
Yikes!That’s not a meeting with the Driver of the Bus, that’s having a few words with someone inside hanging out the window!
“Has anyone else ever read …”Oh yeah. A “few” years ago B-)
It’s where I learned the word tesseract. Now I’m going to have to go back and read it again.
Thank you annwsc1It would have been nice to meet with BarryO, but that was nowhere close to what happened. We got to meet with hardworking G and L senior staffers and Assistant Secretaries who did their best to defend their efforts. Obama needs to be held responsible for his inaction. The people we met with were doing the best they could in the climate set by Obama.
He punted long before thatFirst indication for me was that he was staunchly against FISA on the Lefty Campaign Trail…until he got the Democratic nomination over Clinton. Several days later he about-faced and voted for it.
Gibbs 2?I find interesting that this has come up shortly after Gibbs talked about his anger at the “professional left”, and come up, if I may say, in very similar terms. I think this is part of a wider movement by the Obama administration to attempt to force those of us who identify as progressives to fall lock-step into their plans for November (at best, the re-election of the DLC created DINO’s). It doesn’t seem to occur to them that a) it’s not a good idea to attack your base two months before elections, and b) the base is already turned off by the administration’s lack of interest in anyone’s opinions except for Republicans, corporatists and Faux News. I know it does not cause me to change my attachment to “Don’t Ask, Don’t Give” – or my sadness at the betrayals the Obama administration has made in its dealings with those of us who were supporters.
What?99% supportive? Since when? Prove it!
With respect….
…while applauding your own efforts to move the Mountain, I disagree that LGBT members of the administration are “doing the best they could in the climate set by Obama.”
Rather than a crumb here and a crumb there, the BEST they could do is RESIGN VERY PUBLICLY EN MASSE and, thus, send the message to all the gay and nongay fools still drunk on Obama Kool Aid that HE is NOT doing what HE COULD.
It’s one thing for those on the outside still deluded to dismiss Pam, et al. In fact I personally get from members of Gay, Inc., who have ennabled Obama’s negligence and/or outright betrayal: “You don’t know what’s really going on because you’re not here.”
Well, the House Faggots like Brian Bond DO know [and, no, I will not apologize for such rhetoric] and the wake up call such resignations would send to EVERYONE would by seismic.
There comes a time, however well-intentioned people are, however much an argument can be made for having someone “on the inside,” when they become a part of the problem not the solution, and anyone who believes we have not reached that point has not been paying attention.
OF COURSE, this Admin is better than the Repugs would be on most issues, but that’s beside the point. We have to deal with what we have now, and that is an administration that in terms of any significant advances is politically homo and transphobic.
Do I EXPECT such a mass resignation? Absolutely not. Too many enjoy the prestige and perks that come with such jobs. A resume including a White House job has trumped conscience more times than not.
But the LGBT community COULD start REFUSING to meet with THEM [and going to White House social events] until most of the meetings stop being nothing more than their doing “their best to defend their efforts.” In addition to this report and previous ones, I’ve spoken to various people who have had such meetings and they consistently say that the admin reps, gay and nongay, invariably go on a kind of autopilot, with the sound of a tape loop coming out of their mouths promising everything and delivering nothing.
That will continue AS LONG AS WE EMPOWER IT TO CONTINUE!
It’s not patience with Republicans, it’s futility.There’s a difference. Hope urges one on. Hopelessness kills initiative. There’s a difference between saying, “Ah come on! We’re almost there!” and saying, “Oh why bother?”
The problem, as I see it isn’t with the individual. The problem is with the system. Specifically, the two party system, and for us, being a wedge issue between those two parties. A wedge is a tool. It’s used to do useful work. The useful work that we are being used for is to define and separate the parties and their constituencies, to fire up voters by scaring them with what the other side might do. This damages us from both sides. On the Republican side, they dare not show us even a hint of support for fear of violating their own rhetoric and infuriating their own constituencies. On the Democratic side it hurts us because they know they can appeal to our despiration for financial support and votes, but they also know that we have no place else to go. They can count on our vote, and only need to give us lip service to keep it coming.
However, consider that we are a tool being used to do useful work. Does anyone getting productive work done with a tool want to throw it away? If they give us what they want, they loose their wedge. It comes back to the same old question of, “Are they supporting us or are they playing us?”, with the extra question of, “Do they get more from keeping us where we are then they would get from giving us what we want?”
We can withhold our campaign contributions if they don’t support us, but we can still be used as a wedge. We can withhold our votes if they don’t support us, but we can still be used as a wedge. They know we won’t switch sides because they keep us as a wedge. Republicans get more votes by using us to scare their constituency than we could possibly give them. Democrats can take us for granted. Both sides win and we’re not one of the sides.
Progress won’t be made through the legistature until they stop using us as a wedge, and that won’t happen until the society generally tolerates us. Either that or we start keeping up the tension with relentless protests in the streets.
Or rather, “If they give us what we want, they loose their wedge.”
How can you say nothing?If somebody bashes you for being gay, they’ll enter your name in a database. How is that not change you can believe in?
It’s not like he’s the leader of the…
I mean, he can’t just go talk to Congress any time he…
Well, he can’t just waive a magic wand.
Thanks for reading!I will give them props that they actually read and pay attention to – at least somewhat of what goes on here.
As for the whole political process – IT ONLY GOES AT THE SPEED YOU ALLOW IT OBAMA ADMINISTRATION.
I thought you were a game changer. I thought you were a bold and fierce proponent of human rights. Now the United States is LAGGING behind the rest of the modern civilized world in LGBT human rights.
Look how quickly things came in Europe and hell even Mexico!
The United States is behind our own constitutional values that made us an example to the rest of the world. As a constitutional lawyer and more so as your OATH AS PRESIDENT to uphold the constitution, this is a national embarrassment.
God is in the mix…That was the moment that cemented it for me. What does that phrase mean if not God hates fags?
In the past, I was never a single issue voter, butnow, I am so totally fed up with Obama’s posturing & whining, that I will NOT vote nor contribute to any candidate who does not actively support equal rights. For a candidate who has never held office, it will be more difficult to determine, but I will just have to do my best.
Like other civil rights issues in the past, the actual gains will likely come from the courts. As well as working to change public opinion. And for public opinion, the more LGBT office-holders we have, the more celebrities & people-next-door come “out”, the more Mr. & Ms. Heterosexual-Public will realize that we are more alike than different. Certainly not a threat to anyone.
I am so fed up with Obama. Probably because I had such irrationally high hopes that he was what he made himself out to be.
It still astounds me how a person who has surely suffered discrimination because of traits he cannot change (racial makeup) can so blithely allow others to be discriminated against, especially when he has the power to prevent so much of that discrimination. Bleah!
The President Apparently Loves the Musical About His Hometownhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v…
They want the ‘old’ bloggerswho chanted “Obama, Obama, Obama” hypnotically beneath the balcony, wiping away every spill that the campaign made….
Correct me if I’m wrong…but didn’t President Gotnoballs actually ask the gay community to put pressure on him to get the job done? And isn’t that precisely what PHB, BTB, Bilerico and the rest have been doing? Didn’t Dan Choi go so far as to subpoena Obama on the basis of that statement? So what right does he have to complain when we’re unimpressed by the tree-sloth like progress we’re seeing at the White House?
Even Con-man Cameron, the man who voted against repealing Section 28, against lesbian IVF and other pro-gay measures, looks better on gay rights than Obama right now. There’s even the possibility of a Commons vote on gay marriage within a few years, putting the UK in line to become the largest nation with full marriage equality by 2015. So if the leader of the British right wing is ahead of the top US left-wing politician, what’s that say about Obama?
Thin-SkinnedThis President and his press secretary are quite thin-skinned…they have no idea just how unhappy people are with them–I am sure I am on there shit-list. I am not surprised the WH has dissed our community. Talk is cheap and they honestly can’t believe this community was just going to sit idle and wait for Obama to be the change we have been waiting for–to a possible second term, or not?
I am equally distressed about this administration’s poor management and messaging about creating jobs–which I do not think is a priority–I think we are all supposed to be happy that Wall Street was bailed out and the financial regulatory legislation is really not going to prevent another bail-out. What about so many people who have been out of work for not just six months, but a year, a year and half and even two years. They have lost all hope. I do not see Obama holding the Congress’ feet to the fire and refuse to let them go on summer vacation as they allowed the republicans to stop passage of unemployment assistance, or permitted cuts to food stamps–the lines are unprecedented for these two-day medical clinics sponsored by Keith Olberman’s program etc. People are lining up for free meals all over the country; some families are living in tents and the WH just keeps saying how much better things are–and how much they have done. We are not satisfied–we are angry and I am not going to be satisfied until we have our equal rights and also people have a job, have food on the table and a roof over their heads. This is the U.S. It seems that the politicians have forgotten our core values and leave town when people are hungry. I do not know how they sleep at night. Obama included.
Well, Mr. Presidentyou could always investigate these uppity gay bloggers.
Of course, been there and done that….
If not resign,they could at the very least go public with their (supposed) frustration. The would pretty much force Barry to demand their resignations–which would have the effect of killing off a good bit of the LGBT support he still has in the community at large.
But what are the odds they’ll do anything, anything at all? The queer people who work for Obama are quislings, every bit as much as SfiFi Geek.
I’ve said it before and will say it again:Everytime Bond opens his mouth Obama’s approval rating in the LGBT community drops 5 points. This guy is an idiot and totally incompetent if his job is to tamp down anger in the LGBT community.
I will grant, anyone would be challenged by the task of putting lipstick on the pig that is Obama’s track record on LGBT issues. But his strategy is ALL WRONG.
You and Bedwell agree on something, QScribeStop the motherfucking presses…LOL
Actually I agree with him for the most part but don’t tell anyone that as me and Bedwell aren’t speaking to one another
I think it’s time for you to come clean, Geek.Admit what many of us already suspect: You’re on the White House payroll, paid to websurf and defend Obama anywhere anyone has anything bad to say about him. Aren’t you? The only other possible explanation for your ongoing assertion that no criticism of Obama could ever possibly be valid is that you suffer from some severe psychological disorder. And since I don’t want to believe that, I have to conclude you’re a WH operative. Why won’t you come clean and admit it?
the glass is half full …… of hemlock. And it’s in a dirty glass.
I am a dissatisfied customer!
Actually, I’ve agreed with him any number of times. Go figure, huh?
I like that framing:
I will use it.
re:
I have contemplated how remarkable it is in less that two years Obama’s leadership of the Democratic party has disillusioned huge numbers of LGBT Americans with the Democrats as a whole.
30, 40 year political alliance now limping forward… and for what? So he can equivocate on a repealing DADT, something 80% of the country wants gone?
What a fool.
SFGeek, you’re confused. Try commenting at http://www.democrats.org. That’s where your real loyalities lie.
It’s clear that you don’t support the GLBT agenda at all. Your partisan and personal loyalty to Obama far outweighs your loyalty to GLBT equality.
Anyone who gives money to the Democrats is wasting their money. Anyone who gives money to the DNC is giving money to an organization run by rightwing christers who use it to promote anti-LGBT and anti-choice agendas.
Democrats = HRC = GOProud = Log Cabin Republicans = Stonewall Democrats = Republicans = bigots and bigot panderers.
You were more tightly tuned inGitmo was the warning sign for me, and that came real early, but after the election.
No, not ordainedBrain washed.
I think eight years of Bush––made people desperate. And easily fooled by their own desperation.
But I wasn’t hypnotized. I was hopeful.
Big difference.
And still, a big disappointment.
The Punch and Judy ShowOk, let me see if I can remain calm enough to put this into words Obama-land can understand.
Herein lies your problem -
“99 percent SUPPORTIVE of your issues.”
Thanks, we appreciate your support, but it’s not 1975. It’s not even 1985, 1995 or 2005. Being supportive is nice when there is nothing else that you can do. The reason that you’re supportive of someone who is grieving the death of a loved one is that quite simply, unless you are Jesus Christ and can bring them back from the dead, there is nothing else that you can do.
This is not the position that President Obama finds himself in today – in the United States of America in 2010. The level of popular support for both for full marriage equality and repealing DADT is at historic levels. Over 50% for marriage equality and well above 60% for the repeal of DADT.
We don’t need your words of support, we need your ACTIONS of support. And we need it before you piss away your control of congress and along with it our chance for equality under the law.
And Pam, I think we are in fact the enemy in Obama-land. We expect more than lip service for our time, energy and money – and for this reason we are the enemy. Anyone under the “Dem” banner who wants to see Obama serve the people rather than his corporate masters is told to sit down, wave your little American flag and just STFU!
The sad part is if we don’t vote we help lose the majorities in congress and we fail to gain larger majorities that would further diminish the impact of the party on “No” as well as their blue dog enablers. We’ll be told that their loss of power is our fault. On the other hand if we grit our teeth and vote to maintain what control the dems have, Obama and Pelosi will proclaim vindication for the status quo they’ve been pursuing.
The farce that is the current (extending back at least to Reagan) American political theater obscures the dance that the two corporate parties do to keep the people of this land confused and without true options to change the downward spiral of our standard of living. It’s not just the LGBT community being screwed by this charade, we’re just the current Judy to the fascist Punch that our government has become.
Oh, they sleep wellthey already have their 25 million dollar plus nest egg and really don’t care about anyone else. I just read a quote from a friends blog that said “Democrats pretend to care about us, but republicans tell you they don’t care about us.” So true. We are fools if we think they are going to change their strategy at this point. TO THE COURTS WE GO. Judiciary seems to be the only place we will get justice, liberty and freedom. It’s not going to be from people WHO SWEAR TO UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION.
I wanted Bush impeached, and said it loudlyin front of the White House with thousands of other progressives. Did you march against his regime? I also lobbied my congresscritters in person, Democrat or Republican because I consider human rights as a non-partisan issue. However, the Rethugs don’t think human rights is their issue. That’s the difference.
OFAThey send me emails and call me to help them elect Dems. A quick look at the Blue Dogs the Dems are running in Indiana will give all of you an idea what a Dem looks like around here.
Last night the “call girl” here in Northern Indiana said that there was going to be an important talk held about how credit scores were so vital and what we could do about making sure our scores were correct. When I mentioned that we who are unemployed have little control over the fact that our credit scores are tanking she got angry. Then I reminded her that when we first met I said that I wanted to hold Obama to his promises. What about DOMA, DADT and EDNA? Well miss “call girl” went balistic! WE ARE WORKING SO HARD AND YOU JUST DON”T APPRECIATE IT!
Needless to say I’m now off of the call list.
No I won’t canvass, make calls, or donate.
Call me when you are about to sign just one of your promises into law so I can confirm it is really happening. Until then BUGGER OFF!
stillFirst, I am a gay man who has donated money and my time to elect democratic candidates, including going door-to-door, making phone calls, volunteering in the dem party office, and protesting Bush every time he came to Charlotte.
As I read these blogs I constantly see comments about how someone else should do our work for us. Those days are in the past like 1975. It time we do more of our work by running for offices from school board to state offices and helping on campaigns. Blogging on this site is easy – it is preaching to the choir. But standing up to a room full of people who hate you is a whole different strength. Speaking up in a classroom where a hateful anti-gay remark was made that everyone laughed at is scary. But this is what we must do. We must take the role of leadership, not others. We must take on the hate – not others. We must get elected, not others. That is the only way to get the change the bloggers here want. No one can fulfill a dream except those that have that dream.
That is not saying that no one has stepped up – we have plenty of examples of those that have, are doing so now, and will in the future. The conservative repubs are gunning for us and will outlaw being gay – sodomy laws will be the norm. Not voting for at least a gay friendly candidate is giving a vote to the repubs because their base will be out in force to vote against us. Just keep that in mind. Repubs think we are a bunch of wimpy lefties who sit behind our computers and cry. They are on TV, in elected positions, and in the media advocating for their warped position in every way, but don’t encounter us face to face, so they think we don’t really care and they can do or say anything without reprisal. I remind them of the last presidential election. They respond with “that will change in November”. They are cocky, we are crying foul. We must take the reins going forward and show them just how capable we are.
I will add that I am frustrated – haven’t responded to any emails or snail mail from the dems, and debate my action with myself regularly. But I WILL vote for a friendly candidate rather than allow a hate-filled anti-gay candidate to decide our future (I’d rather we decide it).
I tell myself that I can’t let frustration allow me to throw the baby out with the bathwater – that a candidate that will at least take the next baby step is better than no step. Our equality isn’t won over night, nor is it won by people who aren’t gay, nor is won solely on protests in the streets. I hope that at least one of you will turn the frustration into action and run for some office or help get the voters out – we need more like you in that capacity.