Posted on 05/07/2009 2:30:37 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
The May 6 passage of marriage equality legislation in Maine brings to five the number of states in America that allow gay and lesbian families to wed. The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which adds sexual orientation, sexual identity, and disability, to the list of federally protected demographics (which already provide enhanced penalties for hate crime targeting victims on the basis of race, religion, and nationality among other factors) seems well on its way to becoming law.
States are dealing with issues of family equality, and Congress and the Senate are poised to extend protections to a class of people that has suffered some of the most brutally violence crime law enforcement has had to deal with.
Even the judicial branch may see some good news for GLBT Americans, if the replacement for retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter turns out to be either of two high-profile lesbians, Kathleen M. Sullivan or Pamela S. Karlan, as some believe might happen.
In the midst of a rapid--and, some would say, overdue--evolution in GLBT enfranchisement, some in the GLBT community are looking to the White House for a Presidential seal of approval on recent developments, as well as signs of life from the president on federal matters such as the repeal of the military’s ban on openly gay troops.
Moreover, GLBT leaders would like to see the abolition of the "Defense of Marriage Act," the 1996 law that prohibits federal recognition of married gay and lesbian families, even excluding them from being tallied in next year’s census.
Given the outcome in Maine on May 6, when the state became the second to legalize marriage equality through its legislature, rather than through the courts--and became the first state to legalize marriage equality with the signature of its governor on the bill--GLBT leaders are convinced that Obama’s silence on matters pertinent to America’s gay and lesbian families will have to end soon.
Openly gay, high-profile lawyer David Socarides, a former adviser to then-President Bill Clinton during Clinton’s years in office, questioned Obama’s quietude on the momentous changes in how American society views, and American law treats, gay and lesbian families in a May 2 op-ed piece that appeared in the Washington Post.
Socarides hearkened back to the very start of the Obama administration, when the incoming leader of the free world invited mega-church pastor Rick Warren to perform the Inaugural Invocation. This invitation aggrieved Obama’s GLBT supporters, since Warren had spoken out against marriage equality during the bruising and massively expensive campaign to repeal marriage equality in California, the only state thus far to see marriage rights granted to gay and lesbian families, only then to be rescinded through popular vote on a ballot initiative. (In Iowa and Maine, anti-gay organizations have promised to follow suit.)
Upon issuing that invitation to Warren, Socarides noted, "Barack Obama reminded us that he had been a ’consistent’ and ’fierce advocate of equality for gay and lesbian Americans.’"
Continued Socarides, who was writing on the occasion of Obama’s first 100 days in office, "But... his administration has been neither."
Socarides’ comments were of a piece with the views of other GLBT community leaders as Obama’s first 100 days came to a close.
However, as reported at EDGE on Aril 27, both sides of the political spectrum have offered criticism for Obama’s perceived inaction on social issues, including marriage equality and the progress of the Hate Crimes bill, for which Obama has voiced his support.
The Obama Administration has in recent weeks made references to the number of crises that the president has inherited along with the Oval Office, including the global financial crisis.
However, Socarides pointed at those very crises as offering what he called a "change moment" that could be employed to make "substantial progress on gay equality."
Wrote Socarides, "As an adviser on gay rights to President Bill Clinton during his second term, I know how hard it is to achieve real progress.
"We learned that lesson acutely during Clinton’s abortive first-term attempt to allow gays to serve in the military, an outcome for which he is still paying a steep legacy price," Socarides added.
"But recent victories on gay marriage, a youth-driven paradigm shift in public opinion and the election of our first African American president make this a uniquely opportune moment to act."
Speaking more specifically to the urgent policy issues that Obama must manage, Socarides wrote, "I understand that the president has his hands full saving the economy.
"But across a broad spectrum of issues--including women’s rights, stem cell research and relations with Cuba--the Obama administration has shown a willingness to exploit this change moment to bring about dramatic reform," Socarides noted.
"So why not on gay rights? Where is our New Deal?"
Socarides identified the Clinton administration’s misfired attempt top integrate the military fully, which led to the compromise measure known as "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell," in which, in theory, gay troops are allowed to serve their country in uniform as long as they decline to disclose the truth about their sexuality.
However, Socarides wrote, delaying decisive action on DADT is "a bad strategy."
Wrote Socarides, "President Obama will never have more political capital than he has now, and there will never be a better political environment to capitalize on.
"People are distracted by the economy and war, and they are unlikely to get stirred up by the right-wing rhetoric that has doomed efforts in the past," Socarides continued, going on to add, "And people are willing to try new approaches. "
The very fact that marriage equality is no longer a phenomenon limited to the coastal regions, but has come to heartland state Iowa, constitutes "an opportunity to get ’undecideds’ to take another look not only at gay marriage but at gay rights in general," Socarides argued, citing Tom Harkin, an Iowa senator, as saying that people across the nation may find the recognition of gay and lesbian families in Iowa to be a reason to "think anew" on the matter.
Comparing the current president to his former boss, Socarides wrote, "What made Clinton such a transformational figure of inclusion was his constant willingness to talk to and about gay people.
"When he said, ’I have a vision and you are a part of it,’ you could feel his sincerity."
Socarides suggested that Obama not only resume talking about GLBT issues, but that he do so unflinchingly.
Socarides also wrote that Obama ought to "move swiftly" on issues pertinent to GLBT Americans, including the hate crimes legislation and DADT. "Ten years have passed since Matthew Shepard was killed," wrote Socarides.
"We have endured 15 years of ’don’t ask, don’t tell’ discrimination.
"We have waited long enough."
Socarides also prescribed the appointment of "a high-ranking, respected, openly gay policy advocate to oversee government efforts toward lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality," in much the same way that Socarides himself served the Clinton administration.
"This is especially important because, unlike Clinton, who had gay friends such as David Mixner, Roberta Achtenberg and Bob Hattoy around to nudge him, Obama has no high-profile gay senior aides with a history in the gay rights movement," wrote Socarides.
Socarides also advised that Obama should take bold and definitive action to secure GLBT Americans’ rights, writing that the president "should champion comprehensive, omnibus federal gay civil rights legislation, similar to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, outlawing discrimination based on sexual orientation and granting a basic umbrella of protections in employment, education, housing and the like (rather than the existing piecemeal approach to legislation).
"Such a bill should also provide for federal recognition of both civil unions and marriages as they are authorized by specific states."
The reason for acting without delay according to Socarides, has more to do with making good law than rushing policy into place.
"Taking these steps might spare the country the trauma of devolving into a pervasive and divisive debate over gay marriage, which, after all, is not the only issue of concern to gay and lesbian Americans," Socarides wrote.
A May 6 New York Times article also questioned Obama’s lack of outspokenness on recent gains and pending legislation affecting gay and lesbian Americans.
The article noted, "Two of Mr. Obama’s potential Supreme Court nominees are openly gay; some advocates, irked that there are no gay men or lesbians in his cabinet, are mounting a campaign to influence his choice to replace Justice David H. Souter, who is retiring."
The article also made note of the fact that Washington, D.C. had adopted a policy of recognizing marriages for gays and lesbians granted in places where marriage equality is legal, even though the district itself does not provide marriage equality.
New York state observes a similar policy, and is thought to be a candidate for soon legalizing marriage equality, along with New Jersey and New Hampshire.
The article also noted that on the issue of health concerns internationally, Obama had met criticism from those who wanted to see more money go toward AIDS prevention and treatment.
The article noted, "Social issues like same-sex marriage bring together deeply held principles and flashpoint politics, and many gay activists, aware that Mr. Obama is also dealing with enormous challenges at home and overseas, have counseled patience."
But some are losing patience: the article quoted David Mixner as asking, "How much longer do we give him the benefit of the doubt?"
But there are signs that, as predicted, the administration’s quietude on GLBT issues may be about to end; the article reported that a May 4 meeting at the White House included GLBT leaders, such a the Human Rights Campaign’s president, Joe Solmonese.
Solmonese, for one came away seemingly reassured, saying, "They have a vision. They have a plan," the article reported.
But that plan seems to be geared for a careful and gradual deployment, lest Obama alienate any of the constituencies with which he has forged ties: African-American pastors, people of faith, moderates who might view GLBT equality as too "liberal" for their tastes, and the GLBT community itself.
Already, conservative Christians are looking for Obama to speak out against marriage equality, which would be consistent with Obama’s message during his campaign.
Hope Church’s Bishop Harry J. Jackson, Jr., was quoted as saying, "If he meant what he said about marriage [during his campaign] then I think he has got to stand up and be a president who acts on his beliefs."
However, Obama is still seen as a pro-equality president; the article quoted openly gay lobbyist Steven Elmendorff, who remarked, "We’ve elected probably the most pro-gay president in history; he’s very good on the issues but he is not good on gay marriage."
However, Elmendorff went on to say, "From the gay community’s perspective, he and a lot of other elected officials are wrong on this.
"My view is that over time, they’re going to realize they’re wrong and they’re going to change."
Indeed, time may be of the essence, with gradualness being a watchword. The article quoted Obama campaign adviser Tobias Wolff, who reckoned that the president "has a genuine sense that in order to move these issues forward you need broader buy-in than you are going to get if you poke a stick in too many people’s eyes."
And there’s 45 states that don’t allow Gay marriage.
And there’s 45 states that don’t allow Gay marriage.
...queers will never be satisfied...the more “rights” they get, the more they’ll demand....they’ve bought into the whole victimhood concept...same as negros....what they really want is for us to approve of their sexual practices.
Homo’s equal 2% of the American population my butt crack.
No way. There is a hell of a lot more of these perverts than that.
I think the gays have figured out what we have known about the sneaky little bitch since he started campaigning.
The way to fight them is not over marriage, but over what is taught in schools. This fight is about to get a big boost from our side. Stay tuned.
They won’t be satisfied til EVERYONE is having GAY SEX.....in PUBLIC!
*yawn* what do they want now?
All I know is that the next time layoffs come around I’m declaring myself bisexual. I’d go with gay but I’m married.
Then I’ll claim that laying me off is creating “adverse impact” - unintentional discrimination - against me as a bisexual man...person...whatever.
This is my 4th time in the layoff barrel in 20+ years and I’m getting sick of it.
Straight sex is awkward enough. Maybe that's what we need: here kids, this is what your school says is good and wholesome. Blech!
...20 years ago my attitude was live and let live when it came to queers.
...10 years ago my attitude became one of disgusted annoyance.
...now my attitude is pure hostility towards anything they demand.
AMEN BROTHER!!! The Gays have pushed so damn hard that I have disgust for most of them. Same thing with ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS! When they atrted marching with MEXICAN FLAGS....THAT WAS IT!
The moral decline of America
With Gay Issues in View, Obama Is Pressed to Engage
The New York Times | May 7, 2009 | SHERYL GAY STOLBERG
Posted on 05/06/2009 8:33:28 PM PDT by presidio9
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2245855/posts
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