Sunday, October 11, 2009
Homo The Pajama-Clad, "Internet Left Fringe"
Posted by Dominic Holden on Sun, Oct 11, 2009 at 7:08 PM
As AMERICAblog has reported, NBC's chief Washington, D.C. correspondent John Harwood says that—according to the White House—the president doesn't take today's Equality March seriously:
Barack Obama is doing well with 90% or more of Democrats so the White House views this opposition as really part of the Internet left fringe.For a sign of how seriously the White House does or doesn't take this opposition, one adviser told me those bloggers need to take off the pajamas, get dressed, and realize that governing a closely divided country is complicated and difficult.
And here's the video:
- Joe Grande at the White House
I'll take this with a grain of salt—since we're listening to Harwood's characterization of "one adviser." That said, the Obama Administration isn't simply being calculated in addressing one issue at a time—he's so busy with everything on his plate, you know, he can't deal with DADT—but he truly doesn't give a shit about LGBT people. His administration chose Rick Warren to give his inaugural invocation, his lawyers filed a homophobic legal brief defending DOMA, and now his advisers are marginalizing scores of Americans—people including Grande—as pajama-clad fringe bloggers. And when did it become such a sin to be blogger in pajamas?
Via Pam's House Blend.
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1
Allow me to defend the president.
I want him to repeal DADT, I do. But I also realize that it's not the most pressing issue facing him right now.
With all due respect, Obama has more on his plate than "just" health care reform. Remember the war in Iraq and the worsening war in Afghanistan? There's a Climate Change summit coming soon in Copenhagen, and he has eight years of devastating denial to deal with. (Odd how the Stranger treats climate change much like Bush treated climate change- "If I don't recoginize it, it's not there"!).
Then there are the other international hotspots like Iran and North Korea -don't know which one is going to overflow next. He's also made nuclear disarmament a high priority, and -oh yeah- don't forget things like the US economy and employment (now at 10%).
Shortly after taking office, Clinton tackled America's deep seeded homophobia and tried allowing gays and lesbians in the military. It lit a fire under what until then had been a relatively political neutral segment of society -the military- and united them into fervent opposition "unlike ever seen before" (that's the quote I heard and though I can't cite it now, do some research and you will find). Clinton quickly backed down, issued DADT.
The rest of his presidency was marked by three things: constantly hounded by a rabid right wing (infuriated with his attempt to allow G&L in the military); constantly trying to appease them by passing their agenda (WTO, NAFTA, increased military spending, increased military action around the world, making him arguably the most Republican Democrat in history); and third, losing Dem majorities in the House, Senate, and Governships, paving the way for 8 years of GWB.
So excuse me if I understand why he isn't making DODT/gay rights the most pressing issue of his presidency.
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I want him to repeal DADT, I do. But I also realize that it's not the most pressing issue facing him right now.
With all due respect, Obama has more on his plate than "just" health care reform. Remember the war in Iraq and the worsening war in Afghanistan? There's a Climate Change summit coming soon in Copenhagen, and he has eight years of devastating denial to deal with. (Odd how the Stranger treats climate change much like Bush treated climate change- "If I don't recoginize it, it's not there"!).
Then there are the other international hotspots like Iran and North Korea -don't know which one is going to overflow next. He's also made nuclear disarmament a high priority, and -oh yeah- don't forget things like the US economy and employment (now at 10%).
Shortly after taking office, Clinton tackled America's deep seeded homophobia and tried allowing gays and lesbians in the military. It lit a fire under what until then had been a relatively political neutral segment of society -the military- and united them into fervent opposition "unlike ever seen before" (that's the quote I heard and though I can't cite it now, do some research and you will find). Clinton quickly backed down, issued DADT.
The rest of his presidency was marked by three things: constantly hounded by a rabid right wing (infuriated with his attempt to allow G&L in the military); constantly trying to appease them by passing their agenda (WTO, NAFTA, increased military spending, increased military action around the world, making him arguably the most Republican Democrat in history); and third, losing Dem majorities in the House, Senate, and Governships, paving the way for 8 years of GWB.
So excuse me if I understand why he isn't making DODT/gay rights the most pressing issue of his presidency.
2
Obama is a big disappointment. From not pursuing the 'public option' to making deals to enrich the pharmaceutical industry, and his inaction in stopping the enforcement of DADT, I am sorry that I voted for him.
Why is it with majorities in the House and Senate and having a democrat as president we have to wait for them to make deals with the Republicans?
Sorry, our 'fierce advocate' for LGBT rights is nothing more than a shake-down artist. I will not be fooled again.
He must earn my money and vote. I will not vote for him as the lesser of two evils in the next election. I'll skip that vote if necessary.
Why is it with majorities in the House and Senate and having a democrat as president we have to wait for them to make deals with the Republicans?
Sorry, our 'fierce advocate' for LGBT rights is nothing more than a shake-down artist. I will not be fooled again.
He must earn my money and vote. I will not vote for him as the lesser of two evils in the next election. I'll skip that vote if necessary.
4
Managing a closely divided country!
Hah, George Bush did that for 8 years with only 31 percent of the population supporting him.
Odumbus needs 2/3rds of Congress, the Supreme Court, giving away the Treasury to Wall Street plus a Nobel Prize to justify his reign.
Hah, George Bush did that for 8 years with only 31 percent of the population supporting him.
Odumbus needs 2/3rds of Congress, the Supreme Court, giving away the Treasury to Wall Street plus a Nobel Prize to justify his reign.
5
@3 Actually I do: In less than 2 years I'm moving to Spain regardless of what Obama does. As my partner of 10 years is not a citizen, and we don't have the right to marry (and the immigration rights conferred by marriage) we cannot live together here in the US.
I value many of the wonderful things in the US: Our innovation, our diversity, our optimism, our can-do attitude, etc. Hell, we elected a black president!
But I refuse to live where I pay taxes and am treated as a second class citizen. More importantly, I refuse to live away from my husband.
I hope for the best, but I have to say that my disappointment with Obama aside, I am very disappointed with how easily so many Americans are swayed by obvious lies and rumors.
We have become a country that values ignorance and that is another reason to leave.
I value many of the wonderful things in the US: Our innovation, our diversity, our optimism, our can-do attitude, etc. Hell, we elected a black president!
But I refuse to live where I pay taxes and am treated as a second class citizen. More importantly, I refuse to live away from my husband.
I hope for the best, but I have to say that my disappointment with Obama aside, I am very disappointed with how easily so many Americans are swayed by obvious lies and rumors.
We have become a country that values ignorance and that is another reason to leave.
6
Remember when Bush called 1 million antiwar protesters a "focus group"? How different is that from the Obama administration calling 300,000 LGBT rights marchers "pajama-clad Internet left fringe"?
9
@1 See if Obama had sat down with people and said that, I think that while people would disagree, at least they would feel that the President understood their concerns. Instead he insults people.
11
@9, good point about the issues @1 raises.
His agenda is large, but the generals and bankers have had no trouble getting his ear. Meanwhile, rendition continues, torturers are cozy, Iran's in our sights still, and Obama's held tight to all those secret powers Cheney arrogated to the presidency. He's a good guy, but no hero.
We're certainly the most media-savvy voter constituency he's let down so far. Even if we don't win, at least we can say we blew the whistles the loudest. Go pajamaboys go!
His agenda is large, but the generals and bankers have had no trouble getting his ear. Meanwhile, rendition continues, torturers are cozy, Iran's in our sights still, and Obama's held tight to all those secret powers Cheney arrogated to the presidency. He's a good guy, but no hero.
We're certainly the most media-savvy voter constituency he's let down so far. Even if we don't win, at least we can say we blew the whistles the loudest. Go pajamaboys go!
12
#1 As I'm sure MLK would agree, before you can save the climate you must first save a human. Before you can treat other nation's peoples as equals you must first treat your own people as equals. Before you demand that some other nation clean up it's harsh treatment of its citizens clean up your own nations treatment. MLK did not say those things I did. And surely Pres Obama's FIRST priority is AMERICA, not the climate, not Iran, not Iraq, not bombs. Gay Americans are suffering now and Obama has the power to stop that suffering. Obama ALONE has that power. He's not stopping other peoples suffering and yet he can.
13
Come on Dom (and Dan), enough batting down straw man arguments. The point is that Obama's administration is concerned that taking on these issues now would scare away voters.
So forget about pajamas and plates. Do you or do you not think that taking on DATD or DOMA now would strengthen the Republican's hand in the 2010 and 2012 elections?
That question, inconvenient as it may be, is kind of important, and the answer has huge implications for the future of gay rights and the country as a whole.
So forget about pajamas and plates. Do you or do you not think that taking on DATD or DOMA now would strengthen the Republican's hand in the 2010 and 2012 elections?
That question, inconvenient as it may be, is kind of important, and the answer has huge implications for the future of gay rights and the country as a whole.
14
Why is President Obama responsible for repealing DOMA? Won't it require a Congressional act? I haven't seen it proposed there. I know that one of the road blocks for getting of Don't Ask, Don't Tell is the code of conduct for service members, something that only Congress can change. The President is always going to be the focus of citizen frustration and anger, but the Democratically controlled Congress deserves blame too.
16
@13: Well said. Establishing a long-term progressive government is more important than getting every item on the progressive agenda enacted RIGHT NOW.
And while, yes, Obama is capable of putting more things "on his plate," he really needs a couple objective policy successes before he throws his hat in another ring. As everyone pointed out after he won the Nobel Peace Prize, he really hasn't accomplished that much yet, even if his policies do show promise.
As for priorities, I see it this way: 1) The economy cannot possibly take a back seat to anything at this point. The US's standing in the world and continued quality of life depends on this getting fixed; 2) The wars in Asia and the Persian Gulf cannot be ignored either. The handling of both has damaged the US's international standing, and contributed to instability in the regions surrounding those conflicts; 3) Health care reform has been a major issue in the US for many years. Still, Obama's role in this is seen by many as policy adventurism, as the political will for fixing this is dubious. He is probably sticking his neck out here more than anywhere.
Same-sex marriage is absolutely a human rights issue. There is no doubt about that. But it's also a relatively recent issue. Debates about nationalizing health care were already relatively mature by the time that Stonewall happened.
And while, yes, Obama is capable of putting more things "on his plate," he really needs a couple objective policy successes before he throws his hat in another ring. As everyone pointed out after he won the Nobel Peace Prize, he really hasn't accomplished that much yet, even if his policies do show promise.
As for priorities, I see it this way: 1) The economy cannot possibly take a back seat to anything at this point. The US's standing in the world and continued quality of life depends on this getting fixed; 2) The wars in Asia and the Persian Gulf cannot be ignored either. The handling of both has damaged the US's international standing, and contributed to instability in the regions surrounding those conflicts; 3) Health care reform has been a major issue in the US for many years. Still, Obama's role in this is seen by many as policy adventurism, as the political will for fixing this is dubious. He is probably sticking his neck out here more than anywhere.
Same-sex marriage is absolutely a human rights issue. There is no doubt about that. But it's also a relatively recent issue. Debates about nationalizing health care were already relatively mature by the time that Stonewall happened.
17
Teabaggers for gay rights?
Found this while looking for documentation of the march.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/allison_dc/…
Any good links for a video overview of yesterday's events?
Found this while looking for documentation of the march.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/allison_dc/…
Any good links for a video overview of yesterday's events?
18
I'm pretty confident Obama will deliver on his promises to the GLBT community and think he's likely right that he needs to deliver on health care and the economy first. Also, the equation of a statement from one "advisor" whatever the hell that means, as the voice of the administration, is absurd. Obama spoke directly to the folks in D.C. for the march. That's hardly treating them like a fringe. And to ignore that he actually met with and addressed gay activists in person the night before the march, and to instead pretend that unnamed advisor, rather than Obama, speaks for the administration on how he views those who he met with, is simply, unequivocally, pathetic. No doubt when don't ask don't tell gets revoked, along with advancement on multiple other issues, there will be many who pooh pooh it as too late, too little. Me, I'm glad we have a strategic thinker as president who has a long term game plan for how to best advance the issues rather than simply pulling a Clinton immediately and making the situation worse.
19
Guys -
The commentator nailed it. We don't matter. Our relationships, our rights, our mistreatments are pretty much inconsequential in the world of politics. There are too few of us and we still concentrate in democratic districts, making us even less relevant. If we all dropped dead tomorrow virtually every district we lived in would stay "blue."
Sometimes despair is liberating, in an awful, solemn way.
The commentator nailed it. We don't matter. Our relationships, our rights, our mistreatments are pretty much inconsequential in the world of politics. There are too few of us and we still concentrate in democratic districts, making us even less relevant. If we all dropped dead tomorrow virtually every district we lived in would stay "blue."
Sometimes despair is liberating, in an awful, solemn way.
20
"Obama is a big disappointment."
I would agree with this, except I saw this coming. The guy is not liberal. He was always going to be about the DLC and triangulation bullshit. We had candidates who could have done much better. Historic, yes. Change, no.
I would agree with this, except I saw this coming. The guy is not liberal. He was always going to be about the DLC and triangulation bullshit. We had candidates who could have done much better. Historic, yes. Change, no.
21
@19: "The commentator nailed it. We don't matter...There are too few of us."
So, it's gays against everyone else, huh? The number of Americans supporting gay marriage is slowly creeping towards the 50% mark, and guess what - most of them are straight people. One of them is in the oval office right now.
So, it's gays against everyone else, huh? The number of Americans supporting gay marriage is slowly creeping towards the 50% mark, and guess what - most of them are straight people. One of them is in the oval office right now.
22
Wow, you morons didn't realize the wacky left are just useful idiots to us moderates in Dem Party?
May I suggest you vote Palin 2012 then?
May I suggest you vote Palin 2012 then?
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