Thursday, July 16, 2009
Politics Another Obama Nod Toward the Gays
Posted by Eli Sanders on Thu, Jul 16, 2009 at 5:34 PM
I'm not sure this speech snippet merits the banner treatment that HuffPo is currently giving it—after all, Obama made a similar move a year and a half ago at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. But in any case, here it is, President Obama defending the gays today in front of the NAACP. (And, it's worth noting, generating a good amount of applause.)
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2
This is a great speech--the nod to gay rights is cool (wish he would have mentioned trans folks too, but still cool), but i think the best part is the links he's drawing between racial discrimination and economics. Wish he'd gone further that direction.
3
Nobody's contesting that Obama gives great speeches - that's how he was elected. Actions speak louder than words, however, and he needs to show that he has teeth when it comes to his social policy.
5
right, he hasn't done anything to expand gay rights, except that he's done more than any other president in history in the first 6 months of his term.
8
Sorry, but if the first six months of the Obama administration actually disillusioned anyone, it was only people who very badly needed to be disillusioned.
I'm willing to march and shout for gay rights (and I'm not gay) because I believe in them unequivocally. It would be great if someone were to provide the leadership necessary for that to happen.
Look, yes, Obama is a centrist. He is, I think, further to the left intellectually than he is in his role as President. And I say this having lived in Chicago in his district and knowing who he was well before the speech at the 2004 convention. But that doesn't matter: it is absolutely true that his official positions on issues I care about leave a lot to be desired.
But he is not the King of America. No one is. And not only does his presidency represent a major shift leftward in American politics after the mess that was the 2004 election, it represents a huge opportunity for interests further to the left than the administration to be really heard.
Obama's presidency is not the answer to every public policy that the left finds objectionable. But it is a vastly more favorable time in which to advocate for leftist causes.
Please note that shitting on Obama and his motives is not a genuine leftist cause.
Seriously: I would love it if someone stepped up and started an advocacy movement in favor of gay marriage. But I'm terribly sick of this "Obama betrayed us! Who knew that politicians tell people what they want to hear?" line.
I'm willing to march and shout for gay rights (and I'm not gay) because I believe in them unequivocally. It would be great if someone were to provide the leadership necessary for that to happen.
Look, yes, Obama is a centrist. He is, I think, further to the left intellectually than he is in his role as President. And I say this having lived in Chicago in his district and knowing who he was well before the speech at the 2004 convention. But that doesn't matter: it is absolutely true that his official positions on issues I care about leave a lot to be desired.
But he is not the King of America. No one is. And not only does his presidency represent a major shift leftward in American politics after the mess that was the 2004 election, it represents a huge opportunity for interests further to the left than the administration to be really heard.
Obama's presidency is not the answer to every public policy that the left finds objectionable. But it is a vastly more favorable time in which to advocate for leftist causes.
Please note that shitting on Obama and his motives is not a genuine leftist cause.
Seriously: I would love it if someone stepped up and started an advocacy movement in favor of gay marriage. But I'm terribly sick of this "Obama betrayed us! Who knew that politicians tell people what they want to hear?" line.
10
I came here specifically to see Slog's reaction and was disappointed to see Dan not bitching about something in the speech.
@7
You do realize Obama isn't a legislator?
@7
You do realize Obama isn't a legislator?
12
It's a good thing that the gay community are empowering themselves. If Obama suddenly said 'HEY ARKANSAS! GAY MARRIAGE IS COOL NOW!' he would piss a lot of people off and create a huge backlash toward the gay community. Cultural social change cannot and will not happen overnight. I honestly cannot see the president personally changing many people's views about gays even if he were to go balls out and support full marriage rights and....well I guess that's it, huh? It would be only bad things. It's too bad people like Dan are trying to step on his shoulders and turn HIM into a boogyman. It's fucking detrimental to everyone.
13
@10 You do realize presidents (usually) propose legislation to further their agendas, don't you?
With the Congress Obama has, he should be going balls to the wall on everything and see what sticks.
With the Congress Obama has, he should be going balls to the wall on everything and see what sticks.
15
an obama administration lasting 8 years.
a romney administration starting in 2012.
which is more likely to get marriage rights passed, duh?
a romney administration starting in 2012.
which is more likely to get marriage rights passed, duh?
16
The nation's highest ranking proponent of active discrimination against gays and lesbians has the nerve to say that we shouldn't be discriminating against gays and lesbians.
His hypocrisy is showing.
His hypocrisy is showing.
17
Fiercy speaks pretty. That's all that matters. Just learn to ignore his two faces and concentrate on listening to the pretty words.
19
One of the interesting observations was that commenting on posts dropped when SLOG went totally gay for a few weeks there.
Didn't stop me from posting, of course, but America has more pressing matters, like oh I don't know, two wars, a massive recession, and the fact that the banks are ripping us all off.
Get used to being 19 or 20 in the list of top 20 things America is focussed on. At least you're on the list ...
Didn't stop me from posting, of course, but America has more pressing matters, like oh I don't know, two wars, a massive recession, and the fact that the banks are ripping us all off.
Get used to being 19 or 20 in the list of top 20 things America is focussed on. At least you're on the list ...
20
17 and 18: Believe it or not, words do actually fucking matter. I know that concept is alien to you, but there is a substantive difference between a politician saying "gays live in sin" and one who says "our gay brothers and sisters need to be treated as equals." When people hear the president taking a positive stance on gays, it actually causes people to take notice and perhaps even embrace a similar outlook. So top being dumb ass douchebages and start acknowledging the power of rhetoric.
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