We’ve already established Easter as the gayest of Christian holidays. Now President Obama is making sure we’re able to partake in the festivities. The White House’s annual (and 131-years-old) Easter Egg Roll will have a select number of tickets just for GLBT families, though it’s unclear how many and who’s getting them. It’s enough to make you think Obama cares about gay families! [AP]
Alec
This is obviously only symbolic but, um, is Barack Obama still a horrid bigot or not? I’ll wait for Bill Perdue to weigh in.
Raven
Although we have to change the laws we also have to change hearts and minds. Obama is helping that by showing gay familes and being inclusive. The shine has worn off President Obama but I think he is smarter than we give jim credit for.
ousslander
He is bigoted against gays when it comes to marriage. It’s funny when a conservative is he is a rabiod theocrate but Obama, he’s secretly for us.
Mike
Please, do you really believe the President of the United States, in a time of crisis, is thinking about who gets invited to the White House “Easter Egg Hunt”???
He would never even touch a decision like this. It would be made by the social secretary’s office, and they make decisions they think the president would hopefully be okay with.
doro
Dear Mr. president don’t bother inviting us gay folks, we’ll never appreciate any gesture you make towards us, to us it’s more fun to Obama bash! but I guess you are used to being bashed by now right? I mean Sean Hannity/ Coulter et al made you develop a thick skin. So I am asking you Mr. pres, advocate for us LGBT’S in any way you can, don’t be turned off by our constant punches. It’s just that we are so tired of being left behind that we were hoping you’d single handedly solve our civil rights problems within three months in office.
Steve
@ DORO
YOU TOOK THE WORDS RIGHT OUT OF MY MOUTH.
The Lesbian Mafia
Barack invites vicious hateful homophobes to the White House as well.
He does not support gays marrying. If Anti-miscegenation laws were still enforced, Barack would not be able to marry anyone because he is half white and half black. I’m glad he now benefits from American liberty. LGBTQ on the other hand have had the constitution amended to discriminate against them, are raped and murdered on our streets and the an overwhelming percentage are suicidal because of this societal discrimination. Yet, Obama states openly on many a public forum after forum that he believes marriage is a union between a man and a woman because GOD IS IN THE MIX and somehow some gays still think he’s really for us?
It’s time for Barak Obama to start walking the talk. He promised CHANGE, and to be a fierce advocate of gays. So far, DADT – hold your breath till about 2012, gay marriage – bye bye to that. Prop 8 – hello reality.
Thanks but he could keep his rotten Easter eggs. He already stinks to high heaven of bullsh*t.
InExile
@The Lesbian Mafia: All of Obama’s religious ties has always been a great concern to me. How can you court the religious right and the LGBT community at the same time when the religious right’s goal is to destroy us!
On Whitehouse.gov there are lots of civil rights listed but our community leaders are not pushing for all of those rights in a forceful way. I am not defending the President but some of the blame for nothing happening lays in our own hands.
While watching the movie MILK, the gays & lesbians were being told it was not a good time and they should wait for rights. Well, not much has changed, now we have the financial crisis, 2 wars, and a horrible economy so because of these issues it is OK to keep waiting??? When these “serious” issues are solved there will be new ones to justify LGBT waiting. The time to act is now while we have a democratic majority. When is the march on Washington DC for equality?
Elijah
Blah blah blah. This is meaningless tokenism…Massa inviting us up on the porch for a couple of hours. Gays attended during the Bush Reich, too, there just weren’t “tickets set aside for them” that could be used for propaganda. Remember the lesbian couple invited to ride his train to the Inauguration….funny how only The Gays paid any attention to that and so many are still defending him even tho, functionally, legislatively he’s thrown us off the train and under the bus again. It’s way past time we rated THIS Pres only by contrast with others. What’s HE DONE?
From the comments by gay parents in the full AP article, it seems it’s not just their children who still believe in fairytales and don’tget yet that their ostensible host is as phony on actualizing gay equality as the guy in the bunny suit. Massa & the Mrs. can keep their Easter eggs…and their invitations to the White House Poppy Garden to keep us asleep…to keep us from demanding, “How about some changes to LAWS?” How about stopping sending out statements bragging that you still don’t think those families you’ve invited [and will no doubt be posing for meaningless photo ops with] deserve marriage? Something’s rotten in DC and it ain’t the eggs.
Chitown Kev
@Elijah:
Elijah, Obama can do many things, he cannot throw us off of the legislative bus.
Now Congress can do that. And inasmuch as Obama can use the bully pulpit, he can influence Congress; he can even propose legislation.
60 days, dude. 60 days and he hasn’t solved all of the world’s problems. Hell, even Jesus Christ’s ministry took 3 years, if the anonymous Gospels are to be believed.
The weird thing is, I have heard this same type of thing from some Latinos, thinking that immigration reform should be done by Obama NOW! So it’s not a gay thing, everyone has high expectations for this president (and the same was true of Clinton, to be fair). He still has at least 4 years to get shit done.
Steve
Us latinos are also still waiting for the immigration reform Mr. president. The only difference beween gays and latinos is that latinos are not beating him down for not having solved immigration issues within his first 3 months in office and we are not hurling racial slurs at him too like this website often does..
Elijah
@ Chitown. I get your “Once Elvis Always Elvis” attitude toward him, but, once again, your broad brush is recklessly painting over the facts.
1. I didn’t say “off the bus,” I said under it; a metaphor no less appropriate for its weariness. Exalting Rick Warren was such an act; sidetracking Bishop Robinson with tokenism was another; the superfluous, effective “1 man/1 woman” press release about Iowa’s court victory was another. When the daily speech machine also known as Barack Obama has yet to even mention us, when Secty Gates reveals they haven’t even had any private discussions about convincing the Pentagon to support Congressional DADT repeal, I don’t think it unreasonable to challenge the self-proclaimed “fierce advocate for gay and lesbian Americans.”
2. Exactly what is your threshhold? At what point will you stop simply updating your excuses? 90 days, dude? 120 days, dude? Ah, I see…”4 years.” Sorry, that is unacceptable to me, indefensible and strategically ludicrous and self destructive. Then it will be, “No, he can’t piss off any of the bigots now, he’s got to get relected.” Then it will be, “No, the 2014 midterms are coming up; we have to give him until after that.”
3. Far from just “60 days,” he’s had FIVE MONTHS…since the point on Nov. 4th when his election was certain…. to mount that pulpit…or film another YouTube episode of the Barry Show…or interject in one of his many interviews…or simply redeemed [in part] the Iowa bomb by adding:
“And because I believe that all gays & lesbians should receive equal rights under the law, I’ve instructed Secretary Gates to immediately begin to prepare our military for repeal of DADT that the majority of Americans support and that I will work with Congress to implement. Likewise, I am instructing the IRS, Immigration, and every other relevant federal agency, to work with Congress to repeal DOMA. My legislative staff will be meeting Monday with the leaders of the Senate & House to pass a fully-inclusive ENDA & the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes bill.”
Now how many MINUTES would that have taken? The possibilites of legislative success with all of them is beside the point—DADT and DOMA repeal are impossible without his actively championing them and ENDA and hate crimes are problematic without him——but he’s SAID NOTHING related to ACTION except for creating these scenarios:
“You can’t discharge me—we rolled Easter Eggs on the White House lawn!”
“You can’t deny us a marriage license—we rode the Inauguration Train!”
“You can’t fire me—I have a picture taken with the President.”
“Why am I bleeding to death through my YES WE CAN t-shirt?”
Finally, you know “immigration reform” is far more complicated than any of the Top Four gay issues. Nevertheless, that DOESN’T excuse his not having at least mounted the pulpit about it either.
Chitown Kev
@Elijah:
You know what Elijah, you are just being a dick.
First of all, I have been pretty citical of Obama myself. Shit, he’s from Chicago, he’s embarrasing me. Especially on your item #1, which I wholeheartedly agree with.
Personally, I think it’s a case of Obama trying to prove his “blackness” to himself but of course, I am not supposed to say that.
Second of all, Obama has always worked with this kind of deliberation at things. And I mean at everything…
As far as what you call my excuses, from jump street, I said 100 days and I will render a judgment. If I remember correctly, that was about how long it took Bill Clinton to throw us under the bus and he more or less kept us there for the rest of his Administration. Simply apply the same standard to Obama that yuou did to Clinton, that’s all.
NO obama
This is just too funny! you guys voted for him!, remember that? Mcain/Palin could have done more for us. Maccain is an honest man, remember he fought for all our rights at war . He is a POW, He has a record of fighting for the rights of all Americans. I don’t know why Americans, the media and the rest of the world is smitten with Obama, everyone is f***kn in love with the guy even though he has no experience whatsoever. I don’t understand liberals, I just dont.
Elijah
@ NO OBAMA:
While regretfully unable to deliver it with the accompanying slap, in the famous words of a Cher character, “Snap out of it!”
We didn’t vote for McCain for several reasons, any one of which—and not all of them were because he was a homophobic dinosaur— was reason to not vote for him.
But rehashing them is just as irrelevant to this discussion as Chitown’s defense of Obama by attacking Clinton [for the record, it was officially 6 months, and we bounced on and under the bus for 8 years].
I agree that Obama has a pattern of “deliberation,” but an explanation is not an excuse, and there have been plenty of examples of his acting on other far more complicated issues, even in those “60 days.”
Chi: Why would he need to “deliberate” bully-pulpiting passage of ENDA when you, yourself, equated the federal law to what he’d already cosponsored [for a time] in Illinois. Ditto hate crimes.
Repeat, there has been NONE of the “deliberation” on DADT, he, himself was talking about more than five months ago.
While DOMA repeal alone is simple in concept, what most Messianic gays don’t get is that that will just be the first step to getting those 1000+ federal rights/benefits to gay couples. Minimally, it requires legislation [which could be a part of the same bill] to explicitly define what constitutes a federally recognized couple.
You want to keep toasting marshmallows and singing “Kumbaya” and I want to hold his feet to the fire NOW.
Whichever one of us is closer to what needs to be done [or not done], the fact is we’re no better off than we were January 20th.
Dabq
@NO obama: You really are mistaken dude, this is one of the most anti-Obama places outside of Fixed News and right wing talk radio! Obama thread, the venom flows freely! They want it NOW, the only thing that matter is what they want, NOW, the other problems mean nothing that the man is trying do deal with after 8 years of mismangement and the pass given Bush.
Chitown Kev
I smell a lot of Mormon bullshit on this blog today. This should have been expected, given our victories the past few days.
lawrence
@DABQ
You are absolutely right. This blog is competing with fixed news and drudge report on who is the best Obama basher. Too bad fixed news is the number 1 cable news TV. So you see, there is red hot market for Obama bashers. Next time lets vote for the most gay friendly person on the ballot. I hope we get someone more gay friendly than Obama, Cant wait to see who that might be.
Ousslander
@Dabq: Anti-obam, only until very recently during the compaign 90 percent of commenters were riding his jock hard. Its just now some r experiencing buyers remorse.
You think the uaw is worrying bout us n talking us up to him, every groups wants it now. Obama was the one who said not to wait on his antiquated time table that gays should hold is feet to the fire until we get what we want n need.
An please everyone talking about immigration reform, lets stick to gettinng equal rights for us citizens
Dabq
@Ousslander: I have no problem with people questioning what he is doing, but, to me its pretty funny that people think the man can be all things to all people in a mere 77 days with two wars and an economy in the tank, but, I guess to some who voted for him, those are moot issues.
If he does not act on issues that are of concern to you and the others who really, really, don’t like him as evidenced by some of the not so nice posts, in 2012, you will have a choice between, Romney, Palin, Jindal, Palwenty (sp), Barbour and or Gingrich to vote for since one of those will be running against him.
John from England(used to be just John but there are other John's)
Obama needs to DIE.
He is WORST the BUSH et al.
F*CK the fact that he has been the ONLY American president to talk about Gays on his speeches and ON his site.
Because he said he DOESN’T support gay marriage BUT is pro GAYS..
HE MUST F*CKING DIE.
Please KKK take this bastard away who has single handledly RUINED America, more so then 8 years of Bush and all the dying Iraq, Arghanisatani’s, Hurricane Katrina etc etc people.
Agree with ya’ll.
On the money.
Lets get rid of the worst ever president who has DARED to patronise us with…erm..TALKING about US.
DIE OBAMA!
BRING BACK BUSH!
OR BRING HILARY WITH DADT!
Woo!
jose
@JOHN FROM ENGLAND
Man, you have no idea how many bloggers on this site wish the the turkish guy with the knife got the president. The hate they have for the president is palpable. Do you Obama promised us latinos immigration reforms. 70% of us voted for him and yes He still has not uttered a word regarding immigration since his election. Visit our blogs, nobody hates him coz we know he is a newbee who’s three months old. Dude has got 4 years to work on our issues. But my gay brothers take the price for being the meanest m**f*** when it comes to Obama. I truly think there is more to it.
Elijah
Thanks for sharing your “soils himself” moment with us, John.
afrolito
Give this man a fucking break. He’s been President for all of 60 days, not 5 months like the moron above claims. No matter who won the election on nov 4th, George W. Bush was President until jan 20th 2009. What power for change was Obama supposed to weild with his magical wand before then?
As far as inviting the gays to this easter hunt, i’m willing to bet he had a hand in making that possible. He may not be pro gay marriage outwardly, but he is not an enemy of gay people. Do any of you think McCain would have even considered fags for this gay ass egg hunt??
Hell, i’m gay, and could really give two shits about marriage (gay or straight).The world has bigger fucking problems than whether gays can marry in vegas like our hero Britney Spears.
strumpetwindsock
@jose:
That’s interesting… a very interesting study in contrast.
The funny thing is when I first scanned the post I half thought it was serious until I read John’s byline (I knew he was from England, but I had no idea he was so Swift).
IMHO, turning down the POLITICAL opportunity of a state event just because your nose is out of joint is both blind and stupid. You do nothing but hurt yourself.
I don’t care if you hate the man for whatever reason, he is not only your president – he is your head of state.
Since your country is not a monarchy perhaps some of you (not all) fail to understand the distinction.
The Lesbian Mafia
@InExile: I just want to say … readers of the gay male blogs seem so much more informed and educated on the issues. Even at the risk of heaven forbid “disagreement”. Lesbian blogs are about as informative as the MSM. Rachel Maddow Worship, the L Word, Obama worship w/o any question.
I don’t know how you’re going to take this but it’s not just the religious right wing who are out to destroy us. Half of Baracks supporters ran into that voting booth and voted Yes on 8. Democrats. Not just religious democrats, or African Americans, or Asians, Latinos, Mormons, Caucasions etc. … it was half of his entire constituency who were the deciding factor in stripping civil rights away from LGBT. He spoke directly to his constituency for 2 years stating over and over again the he does not support gay marriage. When election day came, of course they listened to him. He’s a powerfully persuasive person to some. They would jump off a bridge if he told them to.
I don’t know what the answer here is. I do know that open bigotry especially from a president, must be critisized or we are dead in the water. The “it’s only been 2 months” cliche is tired. He can walk and chew gum at the same time. The gay community was hit very hard on election day, the constitution was ammended to strip gays of civil rights. Obama played his role in insuring Prop 8 passed. The Mormoms were using his pictures on anti-gay marraige brochures and they were publically thanking him for standing against gay civil rights. If gay people can’t put the pieces together on that, I don’t know what to say. Eventually, the community will wake up it’s a matter of time.
Tim
No. 26,
The answer is simply time. About 20 years. We will have 100% full equality then if things progress on their present course witout any acceleration. Unfortunately, I’ll be about 70 by the time I can marry my partner of 22 years, and he’ll be 85.
What scares me is a Nazi like Gingrich becoming President in 2012 or 2016, a scummy little antiChrist like that wouldn’t lose a second of sleep sending us to the camps to be gassed.
Audrina
Well, we have a choice in 2012.We can vote very wisely for the best possible president who can stand up for gay issues and who can utter the magic words: “i support gay marriage”. I hope that person will be on the ballot beside Obama. Lets wait and see. Either way, I’m pretty confident that Obama has my vote in 2012, for a variety of reasons not just gay ones.
dap
He is a nigger and you are fag’s, us hillbilly’s dont have to like you. You will never “win” our hearts..only make us gag at the thought of your indecent behaviors. Christ died for your sins..and mine. REPENT AND YE SHALL BE SAVED.
Chitown Kev
@The Lesbian Mafia:
You are absolutely right.
Although I think it was 36% of California Democrats that voted for Prop 8, not 50%. Ethnic minorities were an important part of that plus union workers. many of whom are Reagan Democrats.