Not even a full day after delivering his State of the Union speech, the president appeared at a town hall in Tampa and fielded a question from a Hecter, who asked, “All right, I’m Hector and I’m a student at UT. And my question is, last night you talked about repealing Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, and my question is what are you doing now to put in motion so that same-sex couples and homosexuals are treated as equal citizens of the United States, i.e., same-sex marriages and the thousand-plus benefits that heterosexual couples enjoy after marriage?” Heh. What’d you think the president had to say?
More platipussies! Oh, we mean platitudes! From a White House transcript:
Look, as I said last night, my belief is, is that a basic principle in our Constitution is that if you’re obeying the law, if you’re following the rules, that you should be treated the same, regardless of who you are. (Applause.) I think that principle applies to gay and lesbian couples. So at the federal level, one of the things that we’re trying to do is to make sure that partnerships are recognized for purposes of benefits so that hospital visitation, for example, is something that is permitted; that Social Security benefits or pension benefits or others, that same-sex couples are recognized in all those circumstances.
I think that we’ve got to — we actually have an opportunity of passing a law that’s been introduced in Congress right now, and my hope is this year we can get it done, just for federal employees and federal workers. A lot of companies, on their own, some of the best-run companies have adopted these same practices. I think it’s the right thing to do and it makes sense for us to take a leadership role in ensuring that people are treated the same. (Applause.)
Look, if you are — regardless of your personal opinions, the notion that somebody who’s working really hard for 30 years can’t take their death benefits and transfer them to the person that they love the most in the world and who has supported them all their lives, that just doesn’t seem fair. It doesn’t seem right. (Applause.) And I think it’s the right thing to do.
Okay, look, guys — listen, everybody. I’ve got to take off.
The audience screamed back: “NO!”
Know what wasn’t in there? Any mention of his own previously stated beliefs that he doesn’t support gay marriage. So what he appears to be supporting here, then, is federal recognition of civil unions. Or are we jumping the gun?
How about we take this to the next level?
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Dirty Ole Man
*BIG YAWN* :what a queen this one is:
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again;
If you think this President isn’t the best advocate
we’ve had in decades for Equality, then take your ass to
the next Tea Party Rally and vote through your anger and
pessimism. If the Gay voting block was so important to Obama,
he’d be asking for it! Instead, we gave him our vote along with a list of demands we’ve NEVER asked of any other President. We settled for that bullshit policy Bill Clinton gave us and remained quiet for the 15 years! Give this Man a chance to clean up the green shit George Bush left on the bathroom floor!
Obama’s heart is in the right place, and I believe he will deliver.
Jeff R
The President has always favored the complete repeal of DOMA, which would mean federal recognition of all marriages valid under state law. Last June he also very formally endorsed the equal benefits bill for federal employees that he referenced today, which is entitled the Domestic Partners Benefits and Obligations Act of 2009. No news today.
1EqualityUSA
Dear Old Man,
Sometimes I feel that way too, but then sometimes it feels as though the gay community has been had by politicians so many times in the past, with Clinton being our worst advocate, that it’s very difficult to reconcile. Pop-Snap, a reliably decent mind who posts fantastic words, says that he is going to give Obama another chance if DADT is rolled back. I am just not there yet. The Supreme Court appointees matter the most to me. We are so stuck. If democrats bleed enough from our lack of support, they might work harder for our votes and available money. Disenfranchised is the word.
MitchNYC
The goal posts just keep on moving wider and wider.
gayfamilyvalues
I did my taxes today and was told that my being married to my partner cost me 4K in taxes got to love the Good old USA
Brian NYC
So the President can dance, so what? Don’t expect anything LGBT-related – we cannot get past the US Senate. If you like dancing, keep watching the President. If you actually want to make a difference think of some new ideas. Our movement is so old (old ideas and tactics) it is about to pass away.
Think. Please.
Karanis
What a grudging answer to the guy’s question…
thomesings
When I heard the dadt line in the sotu last night, I had some hope. But this tidbit here .. it feels like he’s trying to put up minimum effort. I felt last night like .. just a sotu mention was big; but the follow here, it cut my hope-o-meter down, a half notch.
I want to believe .. that .. Change will come to America. But I feel like it’ll only happen if the dems can keep strong congressional majorities; they are destined to lose some, but if they can hold the majorities, maybe. I don’t feel like he’s going to push too hard for us. I mean, it’s not like we’re about to vote for the bigot party, after all.
The Olsen/Boies v Prop8 case is a lot more hopeful to me. When I read about Boies’ crosses, I get goosebumps. I don’t wish any harm on the current justices, but if a right winger resigns I’d feel more certain about our fate.
Josh_Texas
@thomesings: Blacks have had (in some ways) a similar problem – there’s is racism and our is bigotry. BOTH are hatred.
In 1964 America passed the Civil Rights Act. That’s 45 years ago. It did NOT end racism. In fact, the latest polls confirm that 30-40% of Americans are STILL racists. LAWS do not change minds.
Whatever happens with the Perry Trial it will NOT change any minds. WE need to do that. But, we are just too lazy. Instead, we want to wish and hope that the Courts or the Democrats will set us free. They won’t and we have 50 years of evidence to confirm that.
thomesings
@Josh_Texas: I know. But I tried to relay that argument to a black friend once and he was not hearing it. Well, i’m naive, but I want to be hopeful. I want it to happen. I want marriage equality to come to pass, so that when I’m ready it’s available. I want all the laws to accept me for who I am.
Socially — well I’m in nyc where we’re pretty widely accepted (besides the fact that a guy called me “marry cone” or something, earlier today). I feel like, amongst the populace, we’ve hit or nearly hit critical mass (especially among younger people and as the fogies pass on). I think the pols are the laggards.
Josh_Texas
@thomesings: It’s the old people and their old ideas. We’re waiting for them to die. Hopefully we can do better than just wait.
Oh, don’t move to Texas – the wait will be much longer.
Andrew
Obama = Jimmy Carter
John K.
Let’s not trash Obama just to trash him. He’s moving on DADT. He can’t do everything at once. He’s not a dictator. I believe if he could wave his hand and pass all of the things we want (including marriage, but perhaps not), he would. But the reality is he just can’t, so we keep the pressure on and hold him accountable for things he realistically can do. I was extremely disappointed that he took so long on DADT because I do believe he can get rid of it with the stroke of a pen (at least as an alternative if Congress does not cooperate with the current plans), but I said he wouldn’t lose my support if he got it done by the end of this year, and I stand by that. We have to see if he actually delivers, but he’s moving. Keep on him, but don’t throw patience COMPLETELY out the window.
Cam
No. 1 · Dirty Ole Man said…
*BIG YAWN* :what a queen this one is:
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again;
If you think this President isn’t the best advocate
we’ve had in decades for Equality, then take your ass to
the next Tea Party Rally and vote through your anger and
pessimism. If the Gay voting block was so important to Obama,
he’d be asking for it!
____________________________
He is asking for it you fool. The gays boycotted the DNC fundraiser, and within 3 days of the announcement Obama grants gay federal workers rights they hadn’t had after not moving on that. they got HRC to come out and say that nobody should criticise the White House until 8 years were over and the backlash from the community had HRC issuing a correction within 24 hours, they sent Barney Frank out to try to mollify us and he got attacked by the community. The fact that the White House has been trying to get all of the gay liasons out to passify us does show that they take notice. But then again, I’ve read your posts and you’re pretty much only on here to defend the White House and call everybody a racist who doesn’t agree with you so you really aren’t interested in the facts are you?
RomanHans
There is absolutely no way of denying that this statement of Obama’s is bullshit:
“[W]e actually have an opportunity of passing a law that’s been introduced in Congress right now, and my hope is this year we can get it done, just for federal employees and federal workers.”
Can ANYBODY actually consider this progress? Equality . . . for FEDERAL EMPLOYEES? And he goes on to say, “You know, corporations are usually pretty cool about benefits for gays!”
Obama would never have outlawed slavery. Because, you know, a lot of masters were really nice.