“Sonia Sotomayor’s life is proof that all things are possible. And when she ascends those marble steps to assume her seat on the highest court of the land, America will take another important step towards realizing the ideal that’s chiseled above its entrance: Equal justice under the law.” Those were some of the words Barack Obama delivered last night in Las Vegas at political fundraiser. And no, he was not delivering a stand-up routine. You wouldn’t be faulted for thinking it was a comedy act, since that whole “equal justice under the law” thing was not followed up with even a single mention about Prop 8, which assured the hundreds of thousands of gays living in California would not receive equal justice under the law.
Obama carried on about important things like fuel efficiency standards and improving education, notes Patrick Range McDonald, but had exactly zero time to devote to Americans’ civil rights. Literally, not a single word, which is even less than Press Secretary Robert Gibbs offered yesterday.
Will that be the case today in Los Angeles when Obama hits the Beverly Hills Hilton? Demonstrators, who will be rallying outside the hotel today beginning at 6pm, certainly hope not.
andy
I’m so over him and his party of hypocrits. Next election please.
SteamPunk
His administration has flip flopped a bit on issues (military tribunals, anyone?) but I don’t think gay marriage is one of them.
After all, even when he was just a presidential candidate, he openly said many times that he thinks marriage is between a man and a woman. I may not agree with him, but he certainly hasn’t flip flopped on the gay marriage issue… unfortunately.
Tony
Maybe it is really as simple as that he really hates gay people.
InExile
All this President has to do is speak out on our behalf to move mountains, he does not have to do ANYTHING else. But I guess he genuinely couldn’t care less about gay rights!
InExile
QUESTION: Do any of you find Obama’s timing of his Supreme Court choice curious? Maybe he announced his pick yesterday to minimize the press coverage for LGBT issues like Prop 8????????
Alec
@InExile: Yes, it was in the planning stages for months. The CA Supreme Court informed him of their imminent decision ahead of time with a personal call so that he could undermine it all with this nomination. That’s also why North Korea began testing nukes again.
wondermann
Are you guys taking your meds?
BradK
Remember when we used to say “Silence = Death” — and it meant something?
No, I didn’t think so.
They had it right in NYC yesterday: “Yes WE Can and No, YOU Can’t”
M Shane
Maybe it’s time that American gays rethought the issue. Most Europeans think we are crazy since we could get all we want by proposing laws that don’t start religious wars; which is what so many people appear to want so that they woun’t look different.; Well you do, even moreso because you don’t respect yourselves. All you marriage fanatics should crawl out of the closet and stop trying to be assimilated; I get tired of this right wing routine.
‘Equal justice under the law ‘ does not change the definition of marriage. If one of you wants a sex change there may be an issue. It is not a given that the interpretation applies to anything but a man and a woman.: breeding stock.
Sorry we can get what we want by not insisting on our sameness to the world-since it’s not there. Respect yourselves as being different and many be the rest of the world will.
andy
I don’t mean to come off as harsh, but this is ridiculous. Why is it still ok to discriminate against gays? We pay our taxes (some 100k+ a year), do our community service, are devoted to each other (17 years) and have been together longer than are straight friends and family BUT we are made second class citizens by the federal government and it’s laws… in effect literally marginalized all because of some religious hocus pocus that for intents and purposes is garbage and should be kept out government. I gave money and support to Obama because I thought he was going to be different, maybe I was victim to the rhetoric of change. I will probably vote my single issue and take my vote and money elsewhere even if it means another bush. I have one life to live and I’m gay and at the mercy of a Homophobic government. Sorry but this is my opinion.
Alex
After I heard that quote, I changed my sign for our Prop 8 rally here in KC to say “Equal Protection Under the Law” and “XIV Amendment”. The truth is it doesn’t really matter what Obama says/does. Now that he’s Prez, he’s the establishment, and no one really believes he’s against gay marriage. Give him hell in WeHo, but then it’s time to get to word doing some real organizing to actually get us some fucking equality.
InExile
@Alec: He had to know in advance, get a clue! He could have delayed his announcement by a day but he did not! Just another way to sweep us under the carpet!
Betrayed
Having a politician promise the world and then not deliver…. well, that’s pretty much politics as usual isn’t it? So much for “hope” and “change”. amirite?
Michael W.
@Alec: LOL
holla
@Alex: “no one really believes he’s against gay marriage.”
Well I, for one, think he really might be against gay marriage. Why not? Because he was the “most liberal” in the senate? He has said time and again, even noting that history may prove him wrong, that he does not think same-sex marriage is something that should be created. I have every reason to believe him when he says this, becuase there much more ambivalent ways of distancing oneself politically without saying directly that you oppose it.
Just because many of us like Obama on other issues doesn’t mean that he’s really hiding his true feelings on this one because we disagree with him.
Lance Rockland
Obama is fucking us.