Well isn’t this just so nice of him: President Obama tomorrow will sign an executive order directive granting workplace benefits to the same-sex partners of federal employees. What’s that? An executive order actually catering to gay rights? Amazing. And while we applaud Obama for, you know, finally making good on a single promise to the gay community, here’s the rub:
It’s seriously late. And it’s not enough.
Obama had the power to issue this order on his first day in office. He chose not to. Only on the heels of vehement criticism from the gay community and mainstream media — from Don’t Ask Don’t Tell to his vile defense of the Defense of Marriage Act — did he decide to act. Yes, we expect our president to listen to our concerns — but the order, while benefiting thousands of federal employees, is also a chance for the White House to trumpet how much it’s done for gay rights.
When it hasn’t done shit.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
This order — which gives health care and other benefits to gays (just like straights have been enjoying for decades) — is meaningful could be meaningful. It’s been a long time coming, and it will end much hardship for untold numbers of gay Americans and their families. It’s also the absolute bare minimum Obama could do to show he’s hearing our cries for equality, our demands that he keep his campaign promises.
His defenders will point to the order as a clear sign that Obama is supporting GLBTs. But when Obama signs the order in a press-heavy ceremony tomorrow morning in the Oval Office (you bet your ass he’s going to milk this for some friendly press coverage), he’ll be showing it’s just more of the same: The bare minimum to satisfy the gay community. We can only hope any media covering the event makes serious note of how short Obama still falls on his commitments to us.
And let us be clear: This is a starting point, but there are miles and miles to go. The heat won’t be relaxed a single degree, Mr. Obama. Your pen better be busy.
UPDATE: Ugh, it gets worse. Turns out this is only a “memorandum,” which means it expires when Obama leaves office. Also, there won’t be any of those little “health benefits” tied to this, because of a little something called DOMA. You know, the policy the Obama administration defended last week? Same thing goes for Don’t Ask Don’t Tell: Eligible military servicemen and women won’t be able to receive these benefits, whatever they may be.
(Comments fixed.)
michael
So gay partners will get not get separate but equal they will get separate but less, almost nothing. Pull your contributions from Obama and the Democrats right now. Urge any allies you know to do the same. I am spreading the word through all venues I can find. Call the Democratic party, call the White House, we can bring them to their knees. Obama is fucking up bad. He does not know what he is doing so let us show him the way.
“Freedom is NEVER voluntarily given by the oppressor, it must be demanded by the oppressed” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Rob
The Advocate article notes that the memorandum also won’t be providing retirement benefits, again, thanks to DOMA.
I hope the Obama Administration doesn’t think it can restore good relations with the gay community by signing an executive memorandum that temporarily extends relocation benefits to gay Federal employees’ partners.
hyhybt
Well, it’s a start. An excessively late and weak start, but a start nonetheless.
Now, if it turns out to be the finish as well…
Michael W.
This is meaningless, much like the first six months of the Obama presidency.
SM
@Michael W.:
You all are a joke. Obama has done more for gay rights in his first 5 months than the last two administrations including Clinton.
You all expect Obama to accomplish something in a few weeks that you have FAILED AT EVERYTIME.
Dennis
There are conflicting reports about what will and will not be covered under this plan…If this is a memorandum granting relocation and other minor benefits temporarily, BFD, Obama’s still on the shit list and this does nothing to change that. If this is an Executive Order conveying health benefits and other more meaningful benefits on a ‘permanent’ basis, it’s much more a step in the right direction. More to be revealed at the press conference…
Ian in Bangkok
Obama still makes me proud of my fellow Americans to have elected such a gifted, intelligent, broad-minded and mature president.
And while I want MY president to act and service MY AGENDA NOW, MOST fortunately my agenda is in more capable hands than mine (or the hammy fists of the writers of this piece for that matter.) Obama’s talent in coaxing social change from Americans sould notbe underestimated – nor rushed.
mixed-fruits
@Ian in Bangkok: Dear Ian, while you are having fun with tourist dollars in Bangkok, most of us live in the US. And the fact is that what is happening is that the administration seems to be leaving all of “our issues”, all of the promises Obama made for the second term. I have issues and needs now that can’t wait either.
I can’t get married, I can’t sponsor my long-term partner for immigration, I can’t be on his insurance, nor can he be on mine. If something happens as he visits one of the states for which we don’t have the hospital permission slips, I am screwed, because I am not “family.” And these problems are not any less real than those of the other Americans. And they need some action NOW!
Michael W.
@Dennis: It’s a memorandum, Dennis. Most sources that originally reported it as an executive order have since corrected it or are in the process of doing so.
It would be illegal for him to do anything more with DOMA as law.
D-Sun
As far as bone-throwing goes, this is a pretty half assed attempt.
This isn’t even one of those fancy bones they pump full of extra flavor, and vitamins and whatnot. No, this is more like a little turkey bone that he’s flicking off the side of the table to give the dog something to chew on so it will stop barking at him.
bobito
Yup, @D-Sun: smells just like a sop tossed to the dog to keep it from whining so much.
Vanhattan
@SM: Actually I agree with Michael W. that Obama is going to have a meaningless tea and crumpets party tomorrow evening to show THE GAYS that he cares…but about what?
I used to be a Federal Employee so I know what benefits are important and which ones are not. I finally quit when I realized that my partner and I were paying double for everything when my peers were not. The following benefits are what was/is important and what Obama will NOT be giving same sex government partners tomorrow:
1. Health Care
and should I die before my partner:
2. Social Security Spousal Survivors Benefits
3. Spousal Survior benefits to my Federal Pension
4. Tax Fee Spousal Inheritance Rights to my 401K
I am sure tomorrow will see none of these granted. Any other benefits he grants are next to worthless and not even worth paying the caterer for tomorrow evenings memorandum signing ceremony.
Please wake up and stop showing yourself to be such an ass by critizing people here who actually know what they are talking about.
SM
@Vanhattan:
You are the ass…idiot.
I had a front seat view for Prop 8 in Orange County and I campaigned harder for gay rights in areas where you all are not liked than gay people did. The gay community blew it the fuck off.
Fucking idiots like you are why I wont do it again.
Liz
Don’t be stupid. Don’t fall for Obama’s garbage.
All Obama wants is to salvage the fundraiser and money the LGBT community
willwon’t donate after his continuous demonstration of bigotry, contempt, and hatred of the LGBT community since he asked Donnie McClurkin to go to South Carolina and denounce gays because Obama is too much of a coward to do it himself.Vanhattan
@SM:
You seem to equate everything Obama with the failed Proposition 8 campaign.
You were not the only person fighting hard in the trenches agaist proposition 8 so quit claiming that you were the one and only.
Obama has failed us on many levels that have absolutely nothing to do with proposition 8. Your sense of logic is quite flawed to say the least.
And telling people that they are idiots and an ass and a shit does not a good argument make.
GradStudent4Life
I am a 25 year-old African-American psychology graduate student and counselor for GLBTQ youth in New York state and I absolutely abhor this site and its resident Obama-bashing trolls! As much as I would love to deny that my vote for President Obama was a secret wish that he would usher in not only an era of meaningful self-actualization for racial-minorities but for gay Americans – it was.
I would venture to say that as a black man, I’ve been fortunate never to have any reason to feel unequal to my caucasian peers but as a homosexual – full equality under the law has yet to come to fruition. However, as I look into the eyes of countless homeless gay teens and disaffected young adults, I can’t deny the compelling fact that we now have a president who has done and possesses the potential to do more for them and me than thought possible. While I join our brethren in our struggle for equality, I can’t help but feel shammed for the spurious and specious hate mongering that often finds a welcoming home if not instigated by this very site. I applaud those who fight on my behalf for what is truly an injustice, but I can’t help but feel jaded by those in our community who would cut off our nose to spite our face by chastising President Obama – as they obviously believe as so many lobbyist do we should be one issue voters (as important a cause to be fought for can be like human rights is). Your vote was little more than a hope to purchase what we all fight for in our own way – but your methods chose to be destructive to the better good and in your wake many will be lost surely – in your ends justify the means tactics.
TANK
The cat is the out of the bag. we’ll get nothing but token gestures and empty rhetoric this go around, and the next if it even happens…which I have serious doubts about. Wait and see has gotten us where with the democratic party? Over thirty five years of nothing, that’s what.
SM
@TANK:
One of the arguments in the DOMA brief was that the federal government saves money by declining to recognize same-sex marriage. Obama just made that argument much harder to make because the federal government now pays for partner benefits.
No, this is good…you all are just to emotional to see his ability to chip away at social issues in this country where MANY do not agree and will fight it.
rick
is a fucking republican running this site now? i mean really. half of the stuff posted here now sounds like it is coming from a right winger trying to pretend to be gay or matt drudge.
if the guy running things wants to bash obama so much, might i suggest he find a job at politico or one of the other right wing i hate obama sites.
rick
@SM: nice to see someone that makes some sense.
i think obama knows exactly what he is doing.
i also think that some of the jerry falwell/pat robertson lawyers are still writing briefs.
rick
@GradStudent4Life: i love you man. nice to see i am not alone with my disdain for the obama bashing.
D-Sun
Obama and the Democratic party in general are starting to remind me of one of those carnival games where you throw balls at some bottles, climb a wobbly rope ladder or try to land a rubber frog on a lily pad…You pay the guy running the thing, you play, and you win. Then when you think you’re about to get one of those cool giant stuffed animals, the guy behind the counter pulls out a crappy plastic ring and tells you that if you want to get the big prize you have to win X amount of times. So you play again, and again trying to get one of the cool prizes, while the guy behind the counter keeps telling you “maybe next time!”
You never win the big prize, but they at least send you home with a dinky little teddy bear so you’ll think you have a chance at that game, and you’ll come back and spend more money next time.
And they get away with it, because their only competition in town is that traveling carnival with the crazy old barker standing out front with a bullhorn, screaming about how much he hates you, and who will actually take away the prizes you won inside on your way out.
Wayne
Now it seems that a White House staffer admitted that this is just a bit of Damage Control thrown together at the last minute (because they never really had a plan in the first place) to help save a DNC fundraiser that gays are pulling out of in droves in protests of Obama’s atrocious DOMA defense.
Money. It’s the only thing they care about.
DuttyBarb
Hello again,
Whining much, Queerty. This kind of pre-menstrual bitchiness is enuf to bring tears to my eyes with laughter. How many times have i told you people that Gay marriage will never and can never be on the same par as normal marriage. You guys are dissing the one president who cares enough to go out of his way to do something for you. Its so messed up and ungrateful..for real.
Do u have any idea what republicans will do to him on this? Do u realize how many Americans will go over to their side because they do not want to support a president that condones gay marriage? Do you know that a majority of Americans do not support gay marriage? Yeah and that includes Democrats.
Kindly note by Americans i don’t mean only West HollyWood or whatever gay haunts you pple have.
This will affect Obama negatively in the future..and could hurt him significantly if he wants a second term..so don’t be stupid.
He is sacrificing a lot for ur side. While i support the DADT repeal, ENDA and Gay marriage will earn him a lot of enemies and i mean a lot. So unless you will like a republican president who i can promise will not only crucify you all as well as destroy the small rights you have..Queerty et al…SHUT UP!!!!!!!
InExile
Well Dammit Hillary, you made all those promises about Federal rights to State Department employees, now I have to write a Memo. I’ll write this memo for you since everyone knows you keep your promises. Please don’t make any more promises to the gays, it’s bad enough I had to make that laundry list of promises just to get their votes and contributions. We’ll do a big splashy press conference so progressives think I am keeping my promises. Yes,yes Hillary I know I copied your promises, maybe we can get to those next term.
InExile
@DuttyBarb: If he does not KEEP HIS PROMISES, he will not deserve a second term.
Gerard Priori
So many Obama apologists coming out of the woodwork. If you still support the jackass in the white house, perhaps you can make him do the right thing. I think he’s a useless asshole, so he’s not likely to listen to me. No use complaining to those of us who think Obama represents nothing more than business as usual. America needs a leader. Obama doesn’t come anywhere close to fitting the bill. If you think there’s hope for him as a leader, then go support him. Talk about whining, you lot come across as nothing more than babies who are upset that we don’t like the president. Yes, I hate him and think he’s a shitty president. Nothing you say is likely to change that. Now go out, work with Obama if he’s so great, and prove me wrong.
hand
I wish that some of these Obama apologists were presenting their argument in real life so that I could laugh in their face.
Jamie
@InExile:
HA! Great comment. 🙂
galefan2004
@GradStudent4Life: We don’t hate Obama because he is black. We hate him because he is a do nothing politician that will say whatever it takes to get a vote and then not live up to half of what he said. The black community should hate him even more because if he ends up being an absolute asshat all of his presidency every white voter from now until the day I die (some 30-50 years from now most likely) will look at how bad Obama was in office and use that to judge black people inadequate as president. The black community would have been much better served if their first black president was someone like Colin Powell than Obama.
galefan2004
@SM: The problem with your bogus logic is two fold. 1) This memorandum doesn’t extend survivor or health care benefits (which are the only two costs worth considering) and 2) OBAMA’S TEAM WROTE THAT BRIEF!!!!!! Make no doubt about it, Obama’s team wrote that brief, and to even start to consider the “cost” of repealing DOMA in terms of benefits makes the argument that federal agencies should all be staffed exclusively with gay employees because they are cheaper to maintain than straights, and let me know when that happens.
galefan2004
@DuttyBarb:
This kind of pre-menstrual bitchiness is enuf to bring tears to my eyes with laughter.
=======
You must laugh a lot then bitch because its what you are filled with. You know what makes me laugh? Someone that thinks that their comments on a gay blog, that are filled with hate and stupidity, have any effect what-so-ever other than to make us all laugh. Don’t blame me your man thinks my ass is hotter than yours.
================
How many times have i told you people that Gay marriage will never and can never be on the same par as normal marriage. You guys are dissing the one president who cares enough to go out of his way to do something for you. Its so messed up and ungrateful..for real.
—————-
Thank you for your opinion. History has proven you wrong. We already have marriage equality in 8 states in about 40 years of fighting for it. It took AAs over 100 years to achieve their rights. We will fight till we get ours. You will be dead then, hell hopefully you will be dead tomorrow you decaying-assed diseased troll, but it will come. You are on the losing end, and that is why you need to come here to bash gays while you still can. Its ok, it gives us something to ridicule.
———————
Do u have any idea what republicans will do to him on this? Do u realize how many Americans will go over to their side because they do not want to support a president that condones gay marriage? Do you know that a majority of Americans do not support gay marriage? Yeah and that includes Democrats.
———————-
For starters, the Republicans will do nothing, because they are far from dominated by the radical right wingers that cost them their entire party (which you are a part of) and are finally realizing that if they want a chance in hell of winning an election in the next 40 years they need to be moderate. More Americans have left the Republican party over the last 10 years than have joined them because of their radical views so none will actually go to his side (even in the mid-west: see IOWA). The funny thing is that the majority of Americans do support gay marriage, they just don’t want to see it forced to be performed in their churches. Times changed, the majority of America supports us not you.
=====================
Kindly note by Americans i don’t mean only West HollyWood or whatever gay haunts you pple have.
=====================
I live in small town Ohio, and its pretty damn friendly here right now. I come from an even smaller town in Ohio, and that place is now friends to the gays with the majority of it voting Democrat and guys walking down the street holding hands left unscathed. Its not just West Hollywood bitch.
=====================
This will affect Obama negatively in the future..and could hurt him significantly if he wants a second term..so don’t be stupid.
He is sacrificing a lot for ur side. While i support the DADT repeal, ENDA and Gay marriage will earn him a lot of enemies and i mean a lot. So unless you will like a republican president who i can promise will not only crucify you all as well as destroy the small rights you have..Queerty et al…SHUT UP!!!!!!!
======================
Bitch, the nation supports ENDA and the repeal of DOMA. The REPUBLICANS support the end of DOMA. The very fucking guy that wrote DOMA supports the end of DOMA. The Republicans are now realizing that DOMA itself goes against the roots of their party because you can’t champion a small central government and strong state governments then strip powers from the states. Dick Cheney, who is the current god to the Republicans, supports gay marriage. Rush Limbaugh, who is a hot bag of air does not, many more actual voters listen to Dick than Rush, so in the end you lose again.
Aaron Khan
Queerty is being annoying with this Obama Hating spree.
andy
I unfortunately grew up in South Orange County and was OUT in my highschool back in the early eighties. I also helped run the Very First OC gay and lesbian Film Festival back in the early nineties, called “behind the orange curtain”, and picketed the student government of UCI to not let the military recruit on campus based on their discrimination of Gays. Please stop flaunting your credentials. Anyway, I’m disappointed by Obama’s lack of actions on the part of Gays and Lesbians. Why is it still ok to legislate discrimination against us? DOMA basically undermines this “FIRST” gay friendly move of his and I wonder well why doesn’t he start with the fundamentals like DOMA and DADT so that everything else can follow suit in logical order. It was under the democrats that both these were ratified and I’m hoping that the DEMS could at least undo these horrible injustices to start! Again for the first time I gave money to a candidate,(2000$) and frankly I don’t think I will be doing that again unless some of my HUMAN RIGHTS issues are addressed. I’m tired of being part of a legally sanctioned underclass. It is ridiculous that the US isn’t the front runner on these issues.
lamar25
After reading several of the comments, I am deeply saddened by the hate many have for our President because he is not pressing gay rights as hard as he should. I hope everyone will understand there are so many issues America is facing (i.e. Iran, Israel, North Korea, universal healthcare for all, etc). I think our president will tackle gay rights but I dont see it happening during his first year. I really dont see the big deal with DOMA. It simply states that marraige is defined as a union between man and woman.
Maybe our fight shouldn’t be for marraige but for civil unions as our first step or better yet greater equality that doesn’t involve civil unions or marraige period?
This president has done more than Bush has ever done. Let’s stop being delusional and look beyound our own selfish agenda.
Spherical Time
@DuttyBarb: You realize that Obama doesn’t support gay marriage, right?
So, the right won’t do anything to him for supporting gay marriage because he explicitly doesn’t support it. At all.
Spherical Time
@lamar25: You don’t seem to understand. We don’t hate him. We voted for him and we like him a lot.
However, he isn’t doing what he said he would do for us, even up to the point of instructing others to look into matters that involve the gay community. That shouldn’t take much of his time to do but he hasn’t even done that.
For a president that has shown an amazing ability to do lots of things all at once, there seems to be one specific area where he isn’t moving much at all. Maybe he doesn’t want to waste the political capital, maybe he is too busy. Whatever the reason, if he wants to continue to wait patiently (and continue to raise money for him and the Democratic Party) he needs to tell us when to expect some actual movement.
Pickles
I’m crabby about all this BS as well. So I’ve written to the The President every day this week. Maybe y’all could post here THEN as a part of habit, SEND AN EMAIL TO THE PRESIDENT TO LET HIM KNOW WHERE WE STAND. If you don’t tell them, they don’t know. It’s easy, takes less than a minute and here’s the address : http://www.whitehouse.gov/CONTACT/ -Just do it, guys and gals.
Jaroslaw
Would someone explain to me why the brief on DOMA was done at all? What made this necessary? PS – Joe Solomonese’s letter to the President debunking it was very well written.
Dabq
@galefan2004: I don’t think you hate him for being black as you use common sense in your disdain for him, but, a couple of months ago up in here, the n-word was flying and flowing faster than it would at a klan meeting and people wishing ill to him and a few sick ones to his family and hardly a peep from the other posters, just keeping it real, and, oddly enough the spouting off of MLK by some posters on this site is beyond twisted.
Jerry Priori
@Jaroslaw: Why the DOMA brief was filed at all is also something I’d like to hear explained. The apologists want us to believe that the Obama Administration has no time for us, which is why we’re not seeing action on gay issues. The DOMA brief shows that his administration does, indeed, have time. They may not have time to help us secure our rights because they have been so busy denying them. The “no time” argument is pure bullshit.
emb
This in no way makes amends for the Administration’s inexcusably aggressive and proactive defense of DOMA and DADT. It’s a bone thrown in panic as GLBT donors jump ship. Only money matters to Dems or republicans, hope and change and audacity notwithstanding. GLBT donors should not give a dime to these people until Obama (who I supported in the election) fulfills the promises he made during the campaign (back when he wanted our money and our votes) to end DADT and eliminate DOMA.
Jaroslaw
DABQ – I read this blog several times a day – there are always a few idiots but I hardly think the N word was used more than at a Klan meeting. Most controversial or hot button issues on this site get pretty heated exchanges going back & forth so I find it hard to believe; also that posters hardly uttered a peep in protest.
I’m willing to be corrected if you can quantify your assertions.
galefan2004
@lamar25: Your argument had merit, and hell I even supported it before the brief against DOMA. Apparently, by your argument, Obama has much more pressing matters to get to then to worry about our rights, but when we try to fight for our own rights he can drop everything to take us to court to defend DOMA. That is where your argument lost all merit.
Andrew
@DuttyBarb:
That’s the problem with doing half-measures, such as this. It’s a “no win” for Dems and POTUS. He’ll still get a rash of shit from the GOP, right-wingers, religious freaks, and the memorandum is largely a token bit of damage control. So it’s a loss-loss. Not much of good at the price of a whole lot of freaky-hyperbolic-gay-agenda bullshit that we’ll now have to hear. I’m no Obama-hater, but he’s done this on other issues as well. Half-steps that just give fodder to his opponents but don’t really move a progressive agenda forward.
galefan2004
@Spherical Time: Speak for yourself. I personally hate Obama. He is giving a black eye to the Democrat name because not a single one of his original policies has actually worked yet (time will tell about the economy) and his foreign policies make it seem like we should have just rewrote the law and kept Bush for 4 more years. Any president that is Bush-lite on foreign policy, and can’t live up to any of his campaign promises should be hated. If he keeps going, in 2 more years the House and Senate will have a Republican majority and in 4 more years there will be a Republican president as well. Obama is going the way of Bush Sr with his promise anything to get elected but break those promises the first second you need to approach.
Cam
Gee, the New York Times writes ONE frigging article on his gay rights failures and two days later he does this. Of course, this is something that should have been done the first day he was in office. Probably Hillary doing it over at the State Dept. embarrassed him into it as well.
The fact is, because of DOMA the benefits are still unequal to the benefits of hetrosexuals. But I’m sure that HRC told Obama “Just do this and we’ll try to keep “The Gays” from bothering you for a few years.”
Captain Freedom
It’s not just the fact he has thrown gays under the bus. This President is continuing the war expansionist policies of Bush/Cheney and last time I recalled he now has no intention of pulling our troops out of Iraq by his first term.
Obama is the biggest sham we have ever fallen for and now we must correct this by pulling every LGBT donor from the DNC. Until Democrats treat us as equals, they won’t get my money, my time, or my vote.
Cam
@lamar25: you said “After reading several of the comments, I am deeply saddened by the hate many have for our President because he is not pressing gay rights as hard as he should. I hope everyone will understand there are so many issues America is facing (i.e. Iran, Israel, North Korea, universal healthcare for all, etc). I think our president will tackle gay rights but I dont see it happening during his first year. I really dont see the big deal with DOMA. It simply states that marraige is defined as a union between man and woman. ”
______________________________________________________
Please stop trying to pretend that the President is too busy for Gay Rights. Preparing and writing up that brief AGAINST us, and FOR DOMA for the Court took time. If he was so busy he could have told the Justice dept. to not defend the policy. THAT would have saved time. Additionally, as far as Iran goes, he has issued a few words and said the U.S. needs to stay out of it. Well gee, THAT doesn’t seem to be taking too much time does it? Now the New York Times writes ONE article critisizing his gay rights failures and TWO days later he gives benefits to Domestic partners. Seems like the squeaky wheel at least gets a little grease now doesn’t it?
As for you not seeing what the big deal about DOMA is….change the wording to “One White Man, and ONe White Woman.” Or “Between one non-Latino man and one non-Latino woman”. Would it mean something to you then?
galefan2004
@Andrew: Honestly, what the hell do you expect from a guy that showed up and voted present on over 100 hot issues? The time to bitch about Obama was during the primary not now. If you couldn’t see Obama for who he was during the primary then there is no reason to complain now. By the time of the general election it was to late because I still support Obama much more than InSain/Pain.
Kurt
Obama is giving federal employees all of the rights and benefits he is able to do by law (in a few federal agencies, these have already been negotiated by the union). Health Care, retirement, Social Security Spousal Survivors Benefits, and Tax Fee Spousal Inheritance Rights to a 401K would all require Congress to pass legislation.
Federal employees already have the right to partner survivor benefits for benefits to a retirement.
InExile
@Cam:Love the last two sentences of your post! Shows the issue in a different light for those who do not get the DOMA thing.
Andrew
@galefan2004:
Not sure what you’re advocating… Should I just become mute for the next 3.5 years? He was elected, he’s in office, I’m a citizen, the only thing I can do now is stay informed and stay active in trying to move a progressive agenda forward. Part of that includes informed criticism of policy. If it sounds like “bitching”, that’s because I’m a tad jaded. lol Cheers.
Doug
Whats Obama waiting for? This feels like Obama throwing us a scrap from the table when we are hungry to be invited to the meal! Its long overdue Mr Obama and the Dems who control congress, You take us for granted at your own peril! You know you have the power and opportunity now to invite us as equals to the party so do it and quit throwing us scraps… We are tired of being treated like second class citizens and used like cheap lowlifes based solely on our sexuality.
KD108
The outright Obama hatred is getting more than a little ridiculous on this site. There is a difference between holding your elected officials accountable and just being whiny. I’m just as frustrated with the lack of progress on LGBT issues that this administration has made so far, but I have far more faith that this administration will do more good for the LGBT community and the country than the alternative (McCain) would have. I don’t understand why we’re so quick to throw the Dems out and have bitch fits just because in 6 months during an economic crisis they haven’t managed to get to us. While I feel that providing equal protection under the law is a priority that should never have to wait for a “convenient time” and we should hold Obama to his campaign promises, being bitchy isn’t going to change anything. I feel like dismissing this administration at this point is just premature. The DOMA brief was messed up, but the case that it was trying to dismiss was one of the weakest cases to go against DOMA with in the first place (which could leave DOMA in place for a long time if it went to court and failed), so it could well be a strategic move (although executed VERY POORLY) to fight the DOMA battle in a better position. Extending the benefits he can (because congress would have to step in for health etc., not to mention DOMA still being in the way) is some progress, we just need to demand more without being outright disrespectful. We need to act like we give a shit about the rest of our country and stop being such one issue queers who give up on people who could be allies prematurely. Hold him to ENDA, DADT, DOMA, Trans-benefits, hate-crimes and all the other issues important to LGBT community, but this is not the way to go about it and I’ve been tempted to unsubscribe from Queerty numerous times over the past few months due to BS like this. We have a long road ahead, don’t fuck it up.
emb
Now I REALLY want to know which GLBTs and friend pay between $1,000 and $30,000 to attend the DNC’s LGBT Leadership Council dinner on June 25. At this point, and after this sad-ass attempt at tossing us a bone, ANYONE who gives money to Obama or the DNC is no friend to this community. Of course I realize we’re marginally better off with Dems than repubs (though after the Admin’s court performance on DADT and DOMA I’m not really so sure any more), but obviously our money talks louder than our butts in the street. Not a penny until DADT and DOMA are gone, as promised. A dwindling handful of federal rights for same-sex partners for three or seven years just won’t cut it.
emb
@KD108: Good thoughtful comments, KD, but I think there’s a difference between being politically proactive in our pursuit of justice and being self-destructive. I support Obama, even though his policies across the board have been generally a huge disappointment–way too much bowing to the conservatives in the name of one-sided bipartisanship, for instance–but I see nothing wrong, uncivil, or destructive about leveraging our one strength — our dollars — to move our interests up a little on the list of priorities. If he hadn’t taken proactive, public, and nonapologetic stances against us, if he’d offered the tiniest hint that our interests were on the list somewhere, if he paid at least as much attention to his lesbian and gay supporters as he has to the christian right, I might feel more charitable. As it is, he hasn’t, and I don’t.
Blue
@SM: Please, cite your examples of his great benevolence.
Kurt
“This feels like Obama throwing us a scrap from the table when we are hungry to be invited to the meal!”
The problem is an expectation that the President should respond to your “feelings.”
The President is not throwing scraps from the table instead of giving us a meal. He is doing everything he has on his table. If you want more, write your member of Congress.
Jerry Priori
On the Shit List, the best shit is still shit. Saying the Democrats are better than the Republicans on gay issues is like saying you prefer diarrhea over constipation. When it’s all shit, does it really matter if the Democrats’ or the Republicans’ smells worst?
The Democrats were never our friends. For me, they crossed the line several years ago, so I don’t support either party for anything. That others are waking up to the reality that the Democrats are lying scumbags, too, is nice. It’d be even nicer if our leaders weren’t all lying scumbags, but that seems to be asking too much. There hasn’t been a president in my lifetime who I didn’t hate. That Obama is proving more of the same is no surprise.
charlie-o
I don’t know what benefits Federal workers receive, so I’m having a very hard time figuring out just which benefits might be extended to same-sex partners. If it doesn’t include health care benefits, what could it possibly be? If federal workers can already designate a survivor for retirement benefits (as do almost all large corporations with defined contribution pension plans), what else is there? Bereavement leave? (I’m really not posturing here; I’m genuinely baffled.)
If this turns out to be an empty gesture just to try to mollify us right before their big LGBT fundraising event, I don’t think it will work. It would be far better to do nothing at all than to try to patronize us once again.
KD108
@Jerry Priori: The Dems have ROYALLY fucked up on numerous occasions, but at least “playing to the base” isn’t going to involve constititional amendments to ban gay marriage, not even considering ENDA, keeping DADT on the books, ignoring hate crimes, and taking away what little rights LGBT people can scrounge up in the first place. I can’t stand that this is a two party system where both sides are pretty much identical, but at least for now, the Repubs are playing to the Southern Strategy of race baiting and homophobia so we wouldn’t be able to even HOPE for shit from them. Maybe we can get enough momentum to shed more light on more parties so that this corrupt political system run by the super-rich can be dismantled, but until then, I’ll take this diarrhea over constipation any day. I’m frustrated at the lack of progress with the Dems for LGBT folks, but I have a lot more faith that they’d actually do something to help our community as opposed to causing even more damage to it (and trust, this memorandum, although pretty much useless since you’d need congress for real benefits, is A LOT more than we’d be getting from the Rethugs other than the finger).
edgyguy1426
@SM: Here we go again with the self aggrandisement. Ugh, I’m so sick of it. SM, when you’re not in here calling us idiots and cowards, I’m suprised you have any time to do all this supposed work on our behalf at all! I for one wouldn’t be disappointed if you did go and support the opposition- I’m tired of being berated and bashed by a straight guy on Queerty.
You know all these conspiracy theories that float around Queerty i.e., this or that person is a shill in here for one or another organization?
I have to believe now SM is an Administration ‘yes man’ here every day to keep us in our place.
Tony
Except for healthcare. Fuck this douchebag. No gay dollars for this empty suit and his man armed beard of a strap on wife.
edgyguy1426
@GradStudent4Life: Potential means nothing if it is squandered. If these: “Obama-bashing trolls!” are YOUR tactics, then you’re no better than the ones you’re criticizing.
edgyguy1426
@lamar25: Then you’ve come to the wrong site, because it’s all about our own agenda.
Joe Plumber
I got to tell you, you gay folks are the most whiney and miserable people on this planet. Nothing is ever any good in your eyes. No wonder nobody likes you, because your just not very likeable.
edgyguy1426
It’s not impossible to compartmentalize our feelings towards the president. We disdain him for some things, admire him for others. I’m very proud of him in some respects, but our civil rights are not for sale, ‘busy’ is no excuse for a president-not that he himself has used it, but others here absolving him of his inaction have.
You can not claim the title of Fierce Advocate, or even advocate (small ‘a’ ) from what we’ve been promised and what we’ve been shown so far.
edgyguy1426
@Joe Plumber: …so you’re here because……………?
rick
QUEERTY IS BEING OVER RUN BY FAKE GAYS OUT TO BASH OBAMA.
THIS SITE MIGHT JUST ALL WELL BE LINKED TO DRUDGE. DRUDGE READERS DO THE SAME EXACT THING, GO TO ANY STORY THERE AND BASH OBAMA IN THE COMMENTS SECTION.
edgyguy1426
Check out the posts in the Advocate, etc. It’s no different there. But if you only limit yourself to Drudge and Queerty, I can see where you’d have a narrow scope of view.
Sandogg
@SM: Obama pissed in your Kook-Aid, and you’re still drinking it.
Ian in Bangkok
@mixed-fruits:
Not sure what you meant by “while you are having fun with tourist dollars in Bangkok” (which tourist? whose dollars?)but if it is type of belittlement/diminution of my 23 years of non-resident status designing and manufacturing furniture in Thailand based on some ignorant assumption of yours associated with sordid Bangkok stereotypes, then (for lack of a better term) “f*** your assumptions and stereotypes! If I misunderstood your writing, then my apologies.
Beyond that, I still am not sure what your whining is about and why you are directing it at me. My Thai “partner” and I have been together for 14 years and while we are anxous to get married and for him to have some type of American citizenship status as a result, we can show patience, maturity and exhibit and understanding of thesocialcomplexities that are being worked out with these issues and understand that it will take time to work themselves out and that 5 months our of Obama’s mandated 48 is not enough to judge and vilify him based on the apparent (stress on “apparent” – what makes you think we can know everything that’s going on?)lack of progress on our narrow agenda. He’s doing a lot more good than any other candidate that ran could have done.
Finally, simply because I don’t reside in the US like “most of [you]” doesnt’ justify you alienating/belittling my and my partner’s needs to get married, achieve immigration status and obtain insurance – nor does 5 months of a president’s term justify crucifying the one president who most likely can achieve OUR agenda – albeit not as quickly as we demand.
M Shane
I don’t know where Queerty was all the time when Obama said that he was not supportive of gaty marriages, but Civil Unions. His blocking a case that would clearly lose from the court is common sense.
Gay people sat around while DADT was enacted in the first place when anyone withan I.Q over 80 could see that it was a formula for failure- this is one of a number of underhanded Clinton moves for the right wing.
Obama has to work hard to undo all of the insisdious harm done before him.
For Chist’s sake he’s movng for Health care legislation and some selfish and not so bright queens think only of closet issues like marriage.
Marz
I don’t believe we are here to bash Obama. I do believe that we are here to demand that our president start stepping up to the plate. If anyone should understand the importance of equal rights, I would think that it would be our first African American President. Clearly he was not faced with the same prejudices as not being able to get married to our first lady nor have children. And it is never wrong to demand your “God” given rights and to question our leader. After all, WE voted for him.
tim
quit bitching, you fucking FAGGOTS and DIKES!
Be thankful for any pittance you undeserving, pathetic excuses for human beings already get!