http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2009/06/29/obamas-remarks-at-white-house-stonewall-event Comments On: Obama's Remarks at White House Stonewall Event by Dan Savage en-us Copyright 2009 The Stranger. All rights reserved. This RSS file is offered to individuals, The Stranger readers, and non-commercial organizations only. Any commercial websites wishing to use this RSS file, please contact The Stranger. webmaster@thestranger.com (The Stranger Webmaster) Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:01 -0800 Mon, 23 Nov 2009 05:00:00 -0800 Foundation http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss
If you want ACTION though, you're going to have to take ACTION yourselves.

Not your friend.

YOU. Physically.
Posted by Will in Seattle]]> Tue, 30 Jun 2009 10:29:19 -0700 The Stranger
Thanks for the link.
Posted by kim in portland]]> Tue, 30 Jun 2009 09:57:48 -0700 The Stranger
I'm not happy per se, but so long as some sort of progress is being made I can't go anarchistic.
Posted by MC_crackin]]> Tue, 30 Jun 2009 09:35:12 -0700 The Stranger
And I wonder if you have the vaguest clue how democracy works. Our representatives respond to what they hear from their constituents (or they are supposed to). So we are doing what we need to do, which is raising our issues, pressuring politicians, and keeping the issue in the forefront.

Concern trolling like yours always seems to subtly imply that we should STFU. But doing so just lets all those legislators forget about the issue. It doesn't pressure them or convince them to take any action.
Posted by gexxor]]> Tue, 30 Jun 2009 09:23:08 -0700 The Stranger
The bigger picture shows that GLBT rights are nearly inevitable. http://www.stat.columbia.edu/~cook/movab…
I don't take that inevitability to mean that we shouldn't hold Obama's feet to the fire. The faster he/congress/the DOJ actually do something, the better. History won't look back kindly on massive fuckups like the DOMA brief or the DADT discharges.
Posted by pants37]]> Tue, 30 Jun 2009 08:22:39 -0700 The Stranger
Obama does have a lot on his plate. Am I happy about this? Not really. Joe Biden's wife made it to the GLSEN awards dinner and did the schmoozing for crap's sake. The second lady or whatever the VP's wife is called seems to care more, and more punctually, than the actual president. I'm definitely not thrilled.

But Obama is running two wars, an economy, and every other issue that pops up. He really could do something, namely sign something, but #51 is right. Not everyone who voted for Obama likes the LGBT community. It is a ridiculously inflammatory issue in several parts of the nation, and while the blogging/blog commenting communities may be centered in at least gay-friendly states, the people who want DADT in place, DOMA defended and gay people shipped to Canada or someplace else are out there. Not necessarily wired in 100% of the time, but they're out there, and they have mondo political sway.

Obama shouldn't make a swift move in a public fashion on this, as much as we'd like him to. He's going to do this, but not in the spotlight, and not without being sure it won't impact the party. The Dems have always been good (or at least better than the Reps) at holding together solidarity in the party. Obama knows that adultery, drugs, violence, and so on will be bad moves for him AND his party, so he's taking the same approach with this issue.

We also need to back up and think about things for a minute. I'm angry that I can't grow up and marry who I want where I want, and that I can't visit any future partner in the hospital, but there are other issues to consider here, and the LGBT community (myself included) shouldn't think only of itself.

Finally, will everyone commenting shut the hell up about little quirks in language or things that haven't been said? Seriously? It's annoying, and immature, and what 4chan is for. Calm down, sit down, and write your congresspeople a letter if it bothers you so much either way.
Posted by MC_crackin]]> Tue, 30 Jun 2009 07:17:09 -0700 The Stranger
Think you're absolutely right. Thanks for bringing some perspective.
Posted by Confluence]]> Tue, 30 Jun 2009 06:52:53 -0700 The Stranger
i honestly don't think that obama is going to make a big show out of extending rights to the glbt community. it's too contentious an issue right now in this country. i'm guessing he wants the clear majority in the house and 60+ votes in the senate for a repeal on DADT. when he gets that, the bill will probably pass through both houses in a matter of days and be on his desk on a friday afternoon.

remember how many times in his campaign people were going mad over how slowly he would act on things? i think this is the same sort of deal. of couse it's a little more troubling when people's civil rights are actually at stake.

and another thing: if the obama administration sticks it neck out too early on one of these issues and a bill fails, then the cause will likely be set back YEARS because people weren't willing to wait months to do it right.
Posted by john b]]> Tue, 30 Jun 2009 06:16:53 -0700 The Stranger
If you are committed to not ruffling the feathers of your religious/bigot friends, you can't give us anything.
Posted by gexxor]]> Tue, 30 Jun 2009 05:58:34 -0700 The Stranger Posted by bernsteinrich]]> Tue, 30 Jun 2009 04:33:43 -0700 The Stranger Posted by fendel]]> Tue, 30 Jun 2009 01:13:54 -0700 The Stranger Posted by I laughed when you got owned.]]> Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:52:30 -0700 The Stranger Posted by Partly Cloudy]]> Mon, 29 Jun 2009 23:22:16 -0700 The Stranger Posted by ohemgee]]> Mon, 29 Jun 2009 23:18:08 -0700 The Stranger
He's saying right there he wants us to keep on him. He needs to be judged by his actions, not his words, but words are all he's given us. When he keeps his promises most of us will be happy to support him again. I'd rather be lobbying my Congresspeople on health care, but he's not moved on my civil rights, so I'm gonna yell loud and long until he does.
34 hours til I'm standing in front of the White House.

protestforhumanrights.com
Posted by Enigma]]> Mon, 29 Jun 2009 23:04:09 -0700 The Stranger Posted by California]]> Mon, 29 Jun 2009 22:47:20 -0700 The Stranger Posted by REM]]> Mon, 29 Jun 2009 21:59:34 -0700 The Stranger
Like the course of action has been settled upon. Just like the norms that they throw at us have been settled upon.

It's all hypocritically hilarious.


Posted by Parker Todd]]> Mon, 29 Jun 2009 21:21:25 -0700 The Stranger
BTW, I don't claim responsibility for supporting any of the following, but I want to give shout outs to Pride Foundation, Gay City Health Project, Lambda Legal, HRC, KUOW, KPLU and others.
Posted by Partly Cloudy]]> Mon, 29 Jun 2009 21:18:57 -0700 The Stranger
But I think it's important to point out that the only reason that dialogue is happening - the only reason Obama made those campaign promises and is being forced into awkward press conferences on GLBT issues - is because the community there is so vocal - because of the likes of Dan and Andrew Sullivan doing precisely the things that many of the posters here are criticising them for doing.
Posted by Aussie Steve]]> Mon, 29 Jun 2009 21:14:33 -0700 The Stranger
What have you done for this cause, other than commenting on cluster-fuck blogs?

What have you done?
Posted by Dan Savage is rich and angry]]> Mon, 29 Jun 2009 20:55:05 -0700 The Stranger
Here's a tip: this isn't Craigslist. People aren't desperate.

Get a new icon.
Posted by Dan Savage is rich and angry]]> Mon, 29 Jun 2009 20:52:31 -0700 The Stranger
but status of the holdouts is here:
http://docs.google.com/View?id=dc5pbmw3_…

give 'em a call.
Posted by Kevin Erickson]]> Mon, 29 Jun 2009 20:51:53 -0700 The Stranger
Hey it's good to get your perspective. One of the many things that's so infuriating about the lack of action on GLBT rights is that we're so far behind other nations, especially in allowing soldiers to serve openly, non-discrimination laws and recognition of family rights.

We're #23! just isn't very catchy.
Posted by Original Andrew]]> Mon, 29 Jun 2009 20:51:25 -0700 The Stranger Posted by Partly Cloudy]]> Mon, 29 Jun 2009 20:47:44 -0700 The Stranger