DISQUS

AMERICAblog: Dan Savage: "President Obama is a fierce advocate of gay rights the same way I'm a ladies' man. He isn't, and I'm not."

  • RitornaVincitor · 3 weeks ago
    "Obama could have made a difference". Here is a man who should know what it means to be excluded from marriage because of who you are. During the lifetime of Obama's black father and white mother it was illegal for them to marry in most States. It was still illegal for mixed-race couples to marry or cohabit or even have sex in more than a dozen States until Obama was six years old. Here is a man who can speak with authority on discrimination of all kinds. And here is a man who promised to be a fierce advocate for gay rights. And here is a man who played the gay community for money and votes, and then failed to deliver. He doesn't even support gay marriage. It's a disgrace to his presidency and to Obama the man.
  • AdamK · 3 weeks ago
    OMG! Dan Savage is helping the Republicans! And it's all John Aravosis' fault!
  • RitornaVincitor · 3 weeks ago
    As we saw clearly last night, this administration is a fierce advocate for gay complacency.
  • RitornaVincitor · 3 weeks ago
    "This has never been about hating gays". It's just that knowing gay people can get married ruins marriage for everyone else. Not that there's anything wrong with being gay. It's just that we respect marriage and want to keep it respectable. Not that gays aren't respectable.

    What a load of crap!!
  • the crustybastard · 3 weeks ago
    I don't hate Christians.

    I just think that their irrational beliefs in a demonstrably false religion is proof that they should be considered legal minors. As minors, they shouldn't be permitted to marry, adopt, enter into binding contracts, etc.

    They should have all the protections available to children and the insane. See? I'm very tolerant.

    I don't hate Christians.
  • RitornaVincitor · 3 weeks ago
    Lol! Imagine, say, a Santa Clause that we teach children to love, but this Santa Clause doesn't just visit us once a year. He is everywhere, and comes down every chimney at the same time. And we must believe in him for the rest of our lives.
  • pender · 3 weeks ago
    Here's a hint: any single dudes in the employ of Catholic Inc. have a prior of like 90% to be gay.
  • troy3 · 3 weeks ago

    Bravo.

    An excellent point on the similarities between the bigot crowds *and* their arguments.

    The DNC and Vague Advocate are about to send for the accountants to look at how much money they really could lose if the lgbt money doesn't arrive.
    It's happened before, hasn't it? As a consequence of lgbt's presence *everywhere* in society, there have always been at least some of us who have money, which we give at a slightly elevated per capita. And what with the size of the US middle class, proportionally, we end up contributing a fair bit collectively.

    I still think at least the sit-in needs to get brought back, as well.
  • zenks · 3 weeks ago
    Nicho, treadmonitor, Summer Sterling, Pender, and otherrs,
    Do forgive me. I recognize that "racist" was too strong a word to use. The anger is there, from you and from me. You are not happy with what is happening and I was not happy with what I was reading. I am a black grandmother who came to the U.S. from an Apartheid laden country 40 yrs ago. . Thus to someone like me, the "impatience" I detect and was saddened by appears like true ignorance from your end. I understand. I need to still check out what "troll" means. Does not sound good as I felt some imagined drops of spit on me.
    Like I said, do forgive me, I happened upon this site for whatever reason and I will leave you forever in, Peace?

    Thanks for the education.
  • threadmonitor · 3 weeks ago
    zenks, here is some more education for you:

    When you comment from the perspective of a person's race, then it is you who is being racist. When those of us here who are critical of our president's action without regard to his race, we are not being racist.

    In fact, editors and readers and commenters of this blog worked very hard to elect our first mixed-race president and the night of his election made us joyful.

    Obama's race does not play into the reality of his presidency and our disappointments with it.

    You are welcome to continue commenting, but baseless insults will not be tolerated.
  • zenks · 3 weeks ago
    MR. Threadmonitor,
    I was sure that I was apologizing for my words in my blog. Did you think I was being sarcastic, re:education? No I was not. I was very serious.
    I am very sorry to have angered you. It is very obvious that many in this blog worked hard to elect the President.
    That is where the frustration comes from.

    Am too old to be scolded like a child. But maybe to you I sound like one but I am not.
    I will continue to be saddened tho it will never stop me from voting for all your rights.
    I will not spend any more of my time here it was quite a "trip"??
    Good luck to all.
  • gypsy78 · 3 weeks ago
    Zenks, I may have missed you, but as someone who myself grew up under Apartheid in the 80's I have also seen first hand the cruel injustice of pure racial hate. I was lucky in that I was white, but as disgusting as the comments and attitude of the majority of my family and fellow whites were to non-whites, the only prejudice that topped it was their anti-gay bias. Comments to the effect that 'at least the blacks know how to treat moffies' (moffie = SA insult for gay man) were not uncommon. It was through this lens that in my teens during the negotiations I was a strong supporter of the ANC's positions in the negotiations, I recognized the hate directed to black people would be turned on me if I revealed my secret. (BTW that support made me very unpopular with friends and family). I know I was lucky in being able to hide it, but it comes from the same place. Nonetheless count me among those who is bitterly disappointed by Obama. He has not just been passive in his support for our community, but the DOMA brief and his stated position on marriage have done us real and lasting damage. He is playing political games and triangulating and it's going to be his downfall and understandably we do not want to support a fair-weather friend like him.

    Some of the reactions here may be angry. But that anger is justified. In 2009 in the USA discrimination is enshrined in law, just as is was in SA until 1994. That Obama is not fiercely advocating is to his shame.
  • terrya · 3 weeks ago
    I'm glad Dan Savage is on our side. That was outstanding...and yes, I laughed out loud when I heard the "I'm a ladies man" comment...

    And I know what you mean about some of the bigots setting off your gaydar. Ralph Reed used to set off my gaydar, big time.
  • Butch1 · 3 weeks ago
    Dan doesn't mince words but, he does clean them up for "prime time" TV. ;-)

    I like listening to him when he is on a program, one always knows he is going to say something that essentially shuts up the host. ;-)
  • rduke · 3 weeks ago
    Dan spoke the truth and never batted an eye. Let's see the DNC respond to this video.

    The elephant is in the room. The DNC and Barrack Obama have screwed us again.
  • chris_i_am · 2 weeks ago
    As a Black Gay Man

    FUCK DAN SAVAGE!

    He might be for the caucasians gay for not for us Black gays!