DISQUS

Butch1 · 4 months ago

I am beyond my patience of having "others" telling us how we should feel or act. If this came from any of our so-called, "leaders", they need to STFU and figure out how to grow a spine so we actually see equal rights in our lifetime.

RitornaVincitor · 4 months ago

I'm an Obama fan, so don't get me wrong, but I don't think we need to get over our angst over Obama. I think Obama needs to get over his angst about us.

citizen spot · 4 months ago

Yes, I agree. But when he brought on Rahm and the rest of the DLC crowd and the Summers/Geithner wall street cronies into his administration, I knew then that things were not going to bode well for the people who actually voted for him.

RitornaVincitor · 4 months ago

Yes. Some of the problems stem from his staff and advisers. For the country as a whole I think he's going to be marvelous. I'm not so sure about gay rights. So far - not good at all.

mtiffany · 4 months ago

"I'm an Obama fan..."
And that's the problem. Stop being a fan and start being a citizen and be as skeptical of him as you would his predecessor. Since we're the voters and he's the office-holder, he owes us, not the other way around.

RitornaVincitor · 4 months ago

Well, yes. Good advice. I started off as a Hillary fan and was very skeptical of Obama. Once the campaign was over I grew to like and respect him more and more. On gay issues I was always concerned, starting with McClurkin way back in the campaign. In fact I was practically hated for bringing up all the warning signs on gay issues. I still think there is some internal conflict at work in the man. But he is brilliant, and I have hope.

sonofloud · 4 months ago

It's working.....the more noise we make the more attention we get.

jasonut29 · 4 months ago

You hit it on the head...we're simply tired after only8 months of being lied to and crusified. I voted for the man because he was going to make a change and all I see is more of the same. I see the repub (yuk) talking inclusivness and the Pres hasn't the proverbial b..ls to move forward with a Congress that is controlled by support and when the nation is moving to support of many of the things he promised to changed...I'm no longer patient because my belief in him has deminshed to a non believer. We need to continue to make noise in every place we can (peaceful) to get his attention and make him understand we will not support him or his party without some real action on their/his part to live up to the promises. I came from a very conservative family who also supported the man and his party this year BUT I doubt it will happen twice without some fulfillment on his part.

annoyed · 4 months ago

No, actually I'd be upset because of the stuff not getting done, even without the rest. The rest kind of goes with that, that is if you're not canceling the bad stuff, you might feel obligated to do things like MAKE UP REASONS IT'S NOT THAT IMPORTANT (that is, it doesn't have to be done now). And yes, verbalizing those reasons comes across as sabotage, but to me the problem is that it's not getting done, that basic civil rights for gay people is trivial or political suicide, or whatever, who gives a s--t. If we have to wait until there's no crisis-de-jour (war, economy, terrorist act, financial issue, health care--yknow, the thing married GAY PEOPLE HAVE TO PAY EXTRA FEDERAL TAXES ON--, social security and medicare funding issues), in other words the perfect sunny day, it'll never happen (not even on the perfect sunny day).

mtiffany · 4 months ago

"Our problem with the president isn't that he hasn't yet fulfilled all of his promises to the gay community..."
What promises? I don't remember him making any promises to us other than vague happy-talk about "progress" and plausibly deniable implied passing references to "equality." Anyone care to give some examples of concrete promises Obama made to us where the word "promise" or one of its synonyms was used without weasely qualification or impossible precondition?

John Aravosis · 4 months ago

Actually, they had, I believe, 8 specific commitments to the community that were on the campaign web site, then got moved to the White House Web site, then a few months ago got erased, thus the scandal over that at the time.

jmundstuk · 4 months ago

I have my helmet and chest protector on, so here goes: We are not the most important people in the world; our issues are not the most important at this time. Healthcare reform is. Direct this organizing, angry, forward-thrusting energy toward reforming the health care system, because if the reform is defeated, every other "progressive" initiative, including gay issues, will be harmed. I know it's satisfying to flex new muscles and to be angry, but we are now part of a governing coalition -- yes, we are! -- and need to function like we know it.

caphillprof · 4 months ago

You've got this absolutely backwards. Repealing DADT has huge support and would be easy. Healthcare, as always, is hard. If you can't do the easy stuff then there is noway you can do healthcare.

You're alleged "governing coalition" is not working. Perhaps if you would remove the helmet and chest protector, you might better observe the reality of this sad situation.

AdmNaismith · 4 months ago

I agree we are not the most important people in the world, but our problems (which are not just our problems) are an easy fix A few simple bills and we're out of everyone's hair. But until then, this wheel is just going to keep on squeakin'.

Oh, healthcare is an easy fix, too- expand Medicare to include everyone. done- next!

caphillprof · 4 months ago

The He's too busy for gay people argument is utter nonsense. If we're fighting two wars then the involuntary discharge of two gay service members a week is insane. It's because we are fighting two wars (and are always fighting wars someplace--often in "secret") that the DADT policy is an urgent priority, trumping even this woebegone half-measured healthcare change.