DISQUS

Gray Hair Guy · 5 months ago

Great work, Joe and John. I only wish that other blogs would cover this issue as well as you do. While I agree that the lgbt community should withhold $s, I would suggest that we have an alternative fund to fight these laws. I would suggest that when Dems ask for money, reply that: "I regret that I can no longer support Democratic candidates because all my political contributions are going to support efforts to gain civil rights for ourselves. When the United States has achieved that end, I will consider providing support to Democratic candidates. Thank you for your attention." It would be stronger if we indicated which organization we were supporting. Any suggestions?

Gray Hair Guy

rickwla · 5 months ago

I just sent this letter to the president. I suggest that everyone who's posted or read a comment here do the same. They need to hear from us.
------
Dear Mr. President,
I have been following closely your administration's plan for full civil rights for the countless LGBT Americans that supported your campaign with time, energy, and lots of money.

I am completely offended by your lack of any action or concrete steps to advance the many promises that you made to us during your campaign. I kept hoping that sometime in June, gay pride month, we would finally see some action.

The Department of Justice's brief filed in the DOMA case on 6/12/09 was the most insulting and demeaning work I have seen in a long time. It was a complete betrayal of the gay community. It was homophobic in the extreme and something I would have expected of the previous administration.

The LGBT community is up in arms about the contents of that brief and the very need for DOJ to be defending DOMA. We are not stupid. We know that you had a choice in defending this odious law given that many constitutional scholars, including Laurence Tribe, believe at least some sections of DOMA are clearly unconstitutional.

You took our money, time, and votes and made what are now clearly empty promises. The few statements that we have heard from your administration since the brief was filed have only made things worse since the claims are disingenuous in the extreme. The damage this has done to your relationship with this highly political community is great.

It has been made worse having happened during gay pride month and on the anniversary of Loving v. Virginia, a court decision that made the marriage of your parents legal across the country.

We expect leadership from you and your administration. We do not expect bland statements that any progress on our issues is strictly up to Congress or that you must defend all laws, even though we know that DOJ has already decided to not defend other laws since you took office. (e.g., marijuana laws in states that have legalized its medical use).

We expect to see you take concrete steps this year regarding DOMA, ENDA, and DADT. We will not accept more promises. We will not keep silent any longer. We will not support your administration if you do not take steps to correct the damage that has already been done to the LGBT community.

You are the leader of the Democratic party and you need to lead on all Democratic policies, especially those related to civil rights given your historic presidency.

We need to see you address directly the issues that the gay community supports. The DOMA brief needs to be withdrawn. If you do not directly address this whole mess soon, there may be no hope of ever regaining our support. We will support progressive candidates at the local, state, and national level rather than Democrats.

Donald Hitchcock · 5 months ago

Thanks for writing this. Sharing this letter with a list of LGBT donors who are outraged regarding the briefing.

Steve_in_CNJ · 5 months ago

i think the 60s would have been very different if JFK and LBJ had filed racist briefs supporting jim crow and then sat idly waiting for the dixiecrats to introduce civil rights legislation. and didn't they have a lot on their plate?

ChrisSF · 5 months ago

Amen. After all, isn't there a war in Vietnam and a crisis in Cuba, and don't we need to worry about putting a man on the moon by 1970? We just can't possibly do it all at once. Oh wait, we did that AND passed 2 civil rights bills at the same time. Wow, government can do more than one thing at the same time! Owie, my head hurts! Math is hard. Can we go to that Georgetown cocktail party now?

fredndallas · 5 months ago

So freaking true. Isn't this President a sad, sad spectacle on this issue -- or any issue that requires some character and courage. Absolutely amazing.

cowboyneok · 5 months ago

excellent points.

MPetrelis · 5 months ago

HRC TO PICKET DOJ

Ah, wouldn't you love to see a headline like that, that was real? Hell, wouldn't you one day like to see Gay Inc leaders taking a multi-pronged approach to advocacy - from issuing forceful press releases to noon-time pickets - toward the Obama administration and our federal agencies?

Well, you have to be a pot-smoker to think of such headlines and actions because we aren't going to see the leaders of our largest DC-based professional advocacy organizations,HRC and NGLTF, and other groups like Lambda Legal, ACLU, P-FLAG, GLAAD, Freedom to Marry, GLAD, et al, and their many donors and members and just regular LGBT community members show up for any sort of visibility action on Monday at the Department of Justice.

(Do Gay Inc leaders know the way to DOJ headquarters at 950 Pennsylvania Avenue?)

As John Aravosis informed us on Friday about the Obama DOJ defending the Defense of Marriage Act, using arguments alleging banning gay marriage is good for the federal budget, and invoking incest and marrying children, the gay community was again relegated to second-class status on the Obama administration's agenda. We also learned last week that a joint statement was issued by Gay Inc over the matter.

You won't find a single call-to-action suggestion in HRC's response.

What Gay Inc forget to say one word about was action. You know, that small element that helps grease the levers of democracy in securing equal rights for minorities? Simple non-violent actions, including press conference in front of federal agencies and the White House, phone call and email bombardment of the DOJ press office, picket lines during business hours, and other creative methods of civic engagment.

They are not part of Gay Inc's tool-kit for creating legal and social changes. The only engagement Gay Inc wants from the community is the opening of the checkbook.

In May, Joe Solmonese of the Human Rights Campaign told the New York Times about the Obama White House's agenda for us:

"They have a vision. They have a plan."

Oh, yes they do, and it involves screwing us over in federal court with outrageous, stigmatizing arguments. It may be a lousy plan, but the White House has one for us.

But what about the HRC and the Gay Inc plans and visions for the LGBT community? Is there such a plan? I have not seen it, and if one exists, let's discuss how successful (what an inappropriate word to use related to HRC/Gay Inc), our groups' plan is for advance our equality agenda in Washington.

As far as I know, the last time Solmonese and HRC staffers left their plush Rhode Island headquarters for any sort of weekday, daytime protest was back in September 2007, and they attended and spoke at a rally in Washington on behalf of the Jena 6 teenagers in Louisiana.

Maybe the Jena 6 protest organizers could work their magic again and force Solmonese, HRC and Gay Inc to get out of their suites and into the streets.

fredndallas · 5 months ago

The community activist Saul Alinsky folk would say both you and the organizations you cite are the problem You (like me) being an activist trying to raise hell on blogs, in letters and phone calls to media, to elected officials, etc., and not with your warm body showing up to personally protest and to knock on doors and get support for our community from your neighbors.

Uncomfortable as that is (for me too), I think they have a point. Those are the kinds of things I did in younger days. Still, your point is spot on about how worthless most of the organizations are, though I would disagree about ACLU which I think is remarkably effective, and perhaps others specifically designed for court action.

Warm body raise hell media visible action is needed and we ALL need to participate, but I think we MUST get some national coordinated leadership first.

Donald Hitchcock · 5 months ago

6.Individual involvement and grassroots action are paramount to success and must be encouraged.

www.thedallasprinciples.org

Seansmith · 5 months ago

Ok, so now we (all two of us who didn't) definitely know where this administration stands. They are our enemy. And they aren't 'just' our enemy, they are our vile, treacherous, backstabbing enemies. Who does this to a large part of their constituents?

So what now? I think firstly, we need to build a $$$ withholding coalition. Several groups (labor, teacher, pro-choicers, environmental) are already on our side, but we now need them to "fiercely advocate" with us by standing next to us, clutching their pocketbooks in unison.

Nothing will get this administration's (and all democrats) attention more than this. We need to get the word out, stand with us, please. If we don't send a clear signal now that we're not going to take it, we're honestly throwing 8 years of improvement in our civil rights down the drain. We've already done that with the previous administration, no way can we do it now. We must stand together and fight.

BoulderBitch · 5 months ago

I agree. I'm very inspired by Harvey Milk's work. It is all coming full circle now. This is it. This is our time. We should be inspired by Milk's legacy of activism, and demand our equal rights...or CAST OUR VOTES WITH THE INDEPENDENT PROGRESSIVES. Votes and campaign contributions are the only currency that the Dems (and all politicians) care about.

Panties in a bunch · 5 months ago

Yes, By all means VOTE GOP!!!!

Newt/Sarah '12!!! Newt/Sarah '12!!! Newt/Sarah '12!!!!

tomtallis · 5 months ago

Ever heard of Green? The GOP isn't worthy to eat my Scheiße.

timncguy · 5 months ago

I have two comments here.

1. It is now time to DEMAND that Joe Solmonese tell us exactly what that "secret plan" was that the white house described to him and he was so happy about.

2. I guess I see now that it was no accident that the pride proclamation had a call to action in it that specifically EXCLUDED the White House. When they called for citizens and congress to work to advance our issues, they intentionally left Obama out ofthat work.

I think Rachel Maddow and Keith Olberman need to play the video of Obama promising to be a fierce advocate at the top of the program every night. Olberman could just do it in the same way he continues to announce the number of days since Bush announce victory in Iraq.

Savage8862 · 5 months ago

Apparently Obama is going to promise the GLBT community that he will pass ENDA, and repeal DADt and DOMA during his second term because he can then hold that promise over our heads in the hope that we continue to donate to his reelection campaign.

Gridlock · 5 months ago

I'm sorry, but fuck that.

Pass it this term, or you don't get re-elected with our money. Simple as that.

Hold that over his goddamned head. He wants to play games? Make him flinch first.

fredndallas · 5 months ago

I don't know how the numbers and funds stack up, but I absolutely agree. Let this arrogant ego giant homophobe, so convinced of his political "cleverness", know that he DOES have a horse in this race:

44. 2009 - 2013 Barack Obama, Democrat
The first African American to be elected President. As a sitting President, his failure to win the Democratic Party nomination in the 2012 election was unprecedented. Replaced by Populist Progressive ??, who went on to become the 45th President, the election marked a major turning point in American political balance as the country became decidedly more progressive in a backlash against conventional politics. Causes often cited as reasons for Obama's failure to capture the stunning potential which brought him to prominence, include his failure to challenge major banking powers, his refusal to pursue those responsible for torture and war crimes in the previous administration and his baffling abandonment of progressive causes on which he had run, including equality under the law for GLBT citizens.

An_American_Karol · 5 months ago

And after the election he will talk about studies and research first...

ScottLanter · 5 months ago

I fully expect the Obama sycophants to now be saying:

"We, the glbt community, must allow Obama to put any civil rights issues on hold for at least three years because of the urgent crisis in Iran. He has too much on his plate right now to stop terminating gay soldiers or stop comparing gays to child rapists. Stopping such homophobic policies is just too time consuming."

leliorisen · 5 months ago

What is really bizarre is that, at the Advocate site, one would never know how awful John Berry's response was.

I know that Mr. Eleveld wants to be able to get future interviews with Berry, but c'mon...how about a follow-up question with cojones?

If we are gonna keep lying down and rolling over when we get told to 'beg,' what else should we expect than the back of the Administration's hand?

timncguy · 5 months ago

yep, why wasn't there a follow-up question to find out what happened to Obama's promise to be a FIERCE advocate and use the Bully Pulpit to advance our issues?

mamazboy · 5 months ago

Did the Advocate ask this asshole about the TONE of the fucking brief? The level of homophobia it showed? The hate? Bastards.

Conshieguy · 5 months ago

We need to go to DC for a sit-in. Not a march - that's just walking around, having a nice day, and going home. No change will come from that. We need to go to the national mall, in front of Congress, and not go home. For however long it takes - days, weeks - put ourselves on the news and the national agenda day after day after day until we get our rights.

fredndallas · 5 months ago

So there it is then.

Community organizer Barack Obama has his hands full being President, don't you see? So now the "community organizing" is up to us, apparently. To gain a better understanding of Obama, we all really need to read and study Saul Alinsky's work. From the little I know, there is a real schism between tactics of "community organizing" and activists (like me & many here probably) who expect our elected representatives to represent us and our leaders to lead on those issues that they pledged support for, as well as to preserve and protect the freaking Constitution. The "community organizer" mindset sees a different tactic to accomplish change, apparently. I've noted this orientation in other political strategists to an astonishing degree -- seriously almost to the point that the means are more important to them than the end. And I'm NOT kidding.

I'm absolutely fascinated with the revelations from these interview excerpts and what they imply. It has been obvious for some time that candidate and President Obama has an internalized-homophobia- driven push/pull emotion about gay equality. He has repeatedly demonstrated it by consistently slamming us immediately after he has made ANY affirming statement. I infer it is apparently the only way he can cope with the internal conflict between a progressive intellect and an immature and insecure deep personal fear of some kind.

So I've been wondering how in the world he was going to rationalize this all out for himself. After all, he's put himself in one heck of a box and the excuses are more and more transparent.

I think he's given us the amazing answer: We have his progressive support, but not just now; He really wants to help, but he has to follow existing law; Our time will come, but he has to get re-elected first; He supports getting the laws changed for our equality, but we have to do all the heavy lifting. On and on and on, ALL of which allow him to still CLAIM to be the great "progressive" but at the same time to condemn us (our rights) with faint praise. (He thinks he is so freaking shrewd -- or he is so compensating for dysfunction, that he doesn't even see it.)

In either case, if you think about it, it is an amazingly deft use of intellect to sort through a maze of personal fear emotion and dysfunction. At least we now have a better clue of what he is up to and perhaps why -- hopefully enough clue that an intelligent strategy can perhaps be crafted by/for the community.

Personally I (lifetime yellow dog Democrat) am reflecting on withdrawing support of him in any future candidacy if we do not start having equality progress on a federal level soon.

In considering that, I realize that virtually all of the issues for which I voted FOR him have been stark disappointments already: civil liberties, exposing war crimes, challenging the mega-banks, financial bandits, etc. And on many or most of the issues I feared Republican damage, I'm not at all sure Obama isn't just as bad. .

A mess.

Any solution to it needs some careful thought, community consensus and power. Candidate Barack Obama has repeatedly said that the electorate should force him to do the right thing.

OK, Mr. Obama...meet the gay folks!

Steve_in_CNJ · 5 months ago

i'm not a life-long democrat, but i'm a life-long observer of homophobia. homophobia is when a "fierce advocate" decides to come out in favor of "hospital visitation rights" in 2009.

trinu · 5 months ago

As I recall he hasn't even done anything to promote that. Not even after his promise to use the bully pulpit to do so.

Gary SF · 5 months ago

Yeah, it is because he is only 'comfortable' with our 'lifestyle' when we are in the hospital dying.

csnet · 5 months ago

"The president does not have the option to oppose existing law, at all, no exceptions, zero, nothing -- Berry claims."

As Gridlock noted below:
"Lets see, on the financial front he's letting the people who gorged at the trough and ruined the economy set the new rules, on the environmental front the proposals are being watered down to the point of uselessness, on the torture front, well, let's just say so far he's worse than Bush.. wtf is left? Foreign policy? There's been nothing going on till about right now!"

This administration vigorously defends DOMA while:
1. Perpetuating financial fraud and massively funding those who commit it.
2. Mocking environmental law by gutting new effective proposals.
3. Ignoring defense of U.S. Treaties regarding torture and war crimes.

While some say the President must pick his battles, it appears that those decisions have been made. Rather than vigorously and courageously rally support for a promised change, what is being delivered are high sounding speeches coupled with an appalling enforcement of the same illegal, corrupt, lying, hypocritical, destructive administration policies of the prior administration.

jasonut29 · 5 months ago

I keep reading why we should put up with the Dems putting our issues on hold. Well I for one will NOT vote for a democrat if nothing happens. I'm from Idaho so me not voting for a Dem likely has no change one way or the other BUT there is a small shift in this state and I don't expect the Dems to take power BUT I will not be a part of any change if I can't see the national changes we were promised. Obama and the democrats need to see us holding back and refusing to accept the backseat. We are being screwed again and at some point we have to say we've had enough.....I have had enough already. DADT, DOMA, ENDA....any one of these would make a change in attitude for gays and if he can't come up with someone soon he will have lost ALOT of support.

ugaworldtraveler · 5 months ago

My vote in the Georgia primary for Hillary Clinton looks better and better. She knew that the Republicans would scream at anything progressive and kept letting accusation fly against her husband until something stuck. Her attitude was more like fuck 'em, they are going to stand for anything a Democrat proposed. She was right about Obama being too naive to be President, all of his overtures are to his opposition and there is little movement on ending the war in Iraq, standing up to the corporations, advancing civil rights, or providing health care. I voted for him, but only after he was the only choice against eight more years of destroying this country.

Indigo · 5 months ago

Second term? Just say no.

stephanie · 5 months ago

Obama's disingenuousness on this issue is horrible. It just seems like one too many instances where he has gone back on his word since taking office.

Keep up the pressure, John and Joe.

Seansmith · 5 months ago

I think people like John, Joe, and Pam are going to have to take the helm of this net/grassroots organizing, with significant help from all of us. There are many people, gay and straight, who support us on this, but we're all splintered out everywhere. There needs to be communication and coalition between our gay media so we have One Voice.

I (and I'm sure many others) would do this myself but I don't have the networks nor prestige of the likes of you three. There must be a way you guys could reach out to all progressive media types, gay or straight, and began to build a unified coalition that gets messages out together with one voice.

Maybe you guys all could start an open thread on each of your sites so its members can give ideas about how to build that coalition. Obviously, ALL of us will rigorously fight for our rights with you but we need people with a base to lead.

Our major lobbying groups are not going to do this so it's up to "us," the net and grassroots, and you guys are some of the most recognizable faces of "us." I'm sure you have lives to lead but I truly feel that if our grassroots don't take the helm, nothing will be done.

So I ask all of you with a substantial reader base that holds the means of getting our message and advocacy out, please, do so, but do so together. All of us who read and advocate in our own circles will join the fight.

I feel like this must be step one.

fredndallas · 5 months ago

I urgently agree and very much hope those who have demonstrated leadership will agree to carry it much farther -- all the way. It easily could be the most important thing they do in this lifetime.

Pragmatist · 5 months ago

Look, our choices are this:

1.) Obama

2.) A democratic challenger (highly unlikely, unless Obama completely screws everything domestic up. But in that case, Democrats are screwed anyway)

3.) A Republican who - unless the party changes drastically - would be even worse.

We have to work with what we have. That DOESN'T mean rolling over, but it doesn't mean flouncing off in a huff, either. We ARE here. We ARE queer. We DO deserve our rights, and we need to keep working that point, over and over, wherever and whenever we can. That means working to get more gay-friendly candidates (of whatever party) elected to office.

If nothing else, We can win in the court of public opinion, which means the politicians will follow. But we've got to be smart and persistent about it. And - and this is that part that scares me the most - at least borderline unified.

Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Or even the mediocre.

Gridlock · 5 months ago

He's not even that. He's sub-par.

Pragmatist · 5 months ago

Oh Bull. On gay rights issues, yes. He's sub-par. But there's lots of other things going on where he is good, mediocre, or even good. Which is better than across-the-board abysmal, which is what Bush stood for, and what McCain would have been. In my opinion, Obama was never more than a toehold in the true rebuilding of America.

leliorisen, you are 100% correct, and I should have been more clear: We need to increase the progressive population in Congress in '10. The more the progessive caucus gains, the more Obama will tow the line, and the Dems will go along because they have to.

Gridlock · 5 months ago

Lets see, on the financial front he's letting the people who gorged at the trough and ruined the economy set the new rules, on the environmental front the proposals are being watered down to the point of uselessness, on the torture front, well, let's just say so far he's worse than Bush.. wtf is left? Foreign policy? There's been nothing going on till about right now!

What's he done that's right? Stem cell research. Bout it. His half-assed showy fanfare of closing GITMO was one big fat fail.

Yeah, so far so good. I suppose it's better that McSame and Caribou Barbie aren't starting a new war somewhere, but really.. where's the change? Where's the audacity?

Sitting right in the middle not stirring, that's where.

usagi · 5 months ago

Yep. Oh, and this is officially the Obama recession now as far as I'm concerned. I might have cut him some more slack on that point but incestuous pedophiles types aren't noted for our patience. Someone in the administration should search YouTube for video from the final days of disco to see what happens when you piss off the queers.

Gary SF · 5 months ago

Yeah, like how he wouldn't let the single-payer advocates participate in the health care discussions, or how torture is now OK.

I'm not saying McCain would have been better, I just saying that in almost every area excepting international relations, there is plenty to hate about Obama.

leliorisen · 5 months ago

I think you are barking up the wrong election.

We need to look to 2010 and only put our money and resources into Progressive candidates who are not part of the establishment. I have already decided to not give another dime to the party in general, but only individual candidates,

Of course, we needed McCain to lose. We could not let the GOP pick the next Supreme Court justices. But we can start working to make sure that those in the Democratic Party are actually candidates that serve our interests.

Rahm Emmanuel has crafted a very deliberate strategy, in my opinion, of throwing gays under the bus to help make Obama look centrist.

Maybe I am wrong, but I will believe Obama is truly on our side when I see it.

An_American_Karol · 5 months ago

I agree, I'd like less talk about fierce advocacy and more fierce advocacy..even plain advocacy would be okay.

leliorisen · 5 months ago

One more thing...answer me this. You say we have to win back the court of public opinion.

In the case of DADT we have it, where even Conservatives polled are significantly in favor of allowing gays to serve openly. In NATO, only Turkey and the U.S. discriminate.

So, that being the case, why is it so hard to rescind DADT? Why not start the dialogue? And why not issue a stay on any future discharges until the policy gets reviewed?

We have the court of public opinion on this. What the Hell are we waiting for?

Pragmatist · 5 months ago

We're waiting for leadership on the progressive front. Not just Gay/Lesbian leaders, but a progressive coalition. We can't allow ourselves to pigeonhole, or be pigeonholed, especially on civil rights and social justice issues.

The same energy and power that brought Obama to office must be harnessed to further our progressive agenda.

Leslie · 5 months ago

Work with what we've got? Just what did we vote for? What did he say during his campaign? The democrat we helped elect is no different than the other two choices = no choices.
SILENCE = DEATH. Remember? (HIS) SILENCE = (OUR) INVISIBILITY. Leadership is speaking to avert a crisis, not reacting to one.

Mass. · 5 months ago

We need to focus on 2 things:

Focus on electing state senators and state represenatives that will enact gay marriage in states that do not have constitutional bans on equal marriage. If this can be done in Maine and New Hampshire, it can happen in more states.

Secondly, we need to work hard to find a Democratic, real pro-gay, candidate to take on Obama in 2012. We need to pour all of our money and energy into this candidate. In the meantime, Obama gets no support from us on anything. I've never seen anyone throw us under the bus so quickly.

John · 5 months ago

Poor as I feel I donated to Obama's primary and general election campaigns. I now see that the return on my investment would have been far greater had I took that money and shoved it down the toilet.

I don't see why, with 60 Democrats in the senate and two moderate Republicans who side with us on at least two of these gay rights measures (Susan Colllins & Olympia Snowe do vote our way on ENDA), Obama cannot sign into law a bill forbidding sexual orientation-based discrimination in employment or why he cannot sign into law a bill amending our current hate crime laws to include protection for those who are victimized because they are gay or transgendered.

Is the president waiting for the day when this is so uncontroversial everyone, Republican as well as Democrat, would vote for it?

If the president fails to sign into law two gay rights bills by the end of the year (whether it be hate crime legislation, ENDA, UAFA, the misleadingly and misnamed DOMA repealed in whole or in part, and/or the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" I will vote for the Green Party candidate or, failing that, Mickey Mouse.

pjkool · 5 months ago

What John Berry is saying is that the administration doesn't have the courage to lead.

Pragmatist · 5 months ago

Exactly! And that's why we need to force them to lead.

Don't forget - FDR was elected as a moderate. He was forced to the left by the righteous anger of the people.

Civil rights and social justice for all is on the shoulders of the people who want a just society. WE need to make the change that Obama apparently only talked about.

tlsintx · 5 months ago

wow. might have to tell Mr. Obama, you're on your own...

tomtallis · 5 months ago

That tears it. I reregestering as an independent tomorrow. I'm also sending a copy to our local Democratic party with a forceful letter with a copy to the White House and Nancy Pelosi. I will not vote for any Democratic nominees (or Republicans, who are after all the scum of the earth) in 2010 unless that brief is withdrawn AND its authors fired.

mamazboy · 5 months ago

I'm with you, tomtallis. I'm outta here. Fuck the Dems. They're as bad as the goddamn Republicans. Worse because they always lead you to believe they're better. The Repubs don't bother with such bullshit.

caphillprof · 5 months ago

Firing the author of the brief would be a very important first step. We need to show the bureaucracy down to the lowest gs-7 to the highest political appointee that they can't fxxk with us.

postdamnit · 5 months ago

No Gay Rights, No Gay $$

Butch1 · 5 months ago

Nope. It's time to cut bait and run. There is plenty of time to start a grass roots effort to show these charlatans that we find their "bait and switch" run for the presidency, insulting. We will not wait for them to do the right thing and we will not support them to continue to deny us our rights. It's time to start protesting in the streets. We need ACT UP to dust off their organization and start showing up at events to embarrass this president and every person in Congress who has the ability to pass legislation. I can not believe to punish us, they are also, taking off the table the hate crimes bill, ENDA and the others. Let's punish them by not donating one penny to any of them. No supporting us / no money.

leliorisen · 5 months ago

I think we need to put pressure on the Frank's and Baldwin's in Congress to make a little noise.

I think we need to demand that groups like HRC earn their money by confronting statements like this head on.

I was one of those who worked to get Obama elected. As bad as he has turned out to be on a whole host of Progressive issues, we could not let McCain pick the next Supreme Court justices.

Having said that, I am witholding further support and money from the Democrats until I see that they actually care about gay issues.

At every Pride rally this month, let's let Obama and the Democrats know what we think of them. Loudly.

John Aravosis · 5 months ago

Lelio! Wow, long time. Yes, I think it's time we heard from our elected leaders, and it's time for the groups to start making some public demands.

leliorisen · 5 months ago

Yeah, I am going back to my roots John. Glad to see you have been doing great!

I actually have been blogging pseudonymously on mostly Progressive issues for the past 5 or 6 years, but thought it was time to resurrect Lelio Risen, and focus on glbt causes.

I will be on here quite a bit.

Good work on this blog. It's very impressive.

KarenMrsLloydRichards · 5 months ago

That nice Tim Polenta feller is lookin' kinda good right now. For 2012.

Joker · 5 months ago

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,151...

WOW, I guess that old saying ´´ you get what you ´´paid´´ for really has a meaning after all.

MPetrelis · 5 months ago

why have HRC and NGLTF failed to announce a press conference or picket line at DOJ on monday or this coming week?

http://mpetrelis.blogspot.com/2009/06/hrc-ngltf...

leliorisen · 5 months ago

Perhaps they do not want to miss out on the next cocktail party? Just hazarding a guess.

Gridlock · 5 months ago

May they choke on their delicious shrimp canapé's

Mike Z · 5 months ago

It's clear that things are now reaching a tipping point in terms of gay Americans' tolerance of this administration's inaction on gay rights issues. The question now is: what do we do about it? Do we just blog and post comments on message board and send emails? (Not that those aren't helpful, but clearly they're not sufficient.)

The gay community needs to organized, like we've never organized before. This is something that needs to come from the ground up, and not with the meddling of HRC and other ineffectual "leaders". This is about letting the Obama administration know that they have seriously screwed up on gay rights, that we're going to call them out on their inaction, and that there will be consequences for it (at the very least, withholding financial support from Obama, and maybe the Democrats as a whole.)

MPetrelis · 5 months ago

john asks:
>Anybody still think these people are committed to doing something, anything, to help us secure our civil rights?

is he asking that about HRC and NGLTF?
;-)

i'd sure like to see a plan, a vision from _our_ orgs about how they plan to push Obama and Co into doing the right thing for us.

Mike Z · 5 months ago

Trust me, there's no plan or vision coming from them. If there is, it's probably not a very good one.

If any effective action is going to take place, it's going to be from the non-"organization" people.

left and proud · 5 months ago

We keep hearing about the Administration, but I want to hear from the Stonewall Democrats, Young Dems Stonewall Caucus, the DNC, party leaders in the states....is the position they now take or are they willing to stand up to the Obama Administration.

Will it be about principle or kissing butt....unfortunately I suspect I already know the answer.

ScottLanter · 5 months ago

It's not really fair to demonize Eleveld. She's the only one at the recent White House Press Briefings confronting Gibbs on gay issues.

cowboyneok · 5 months ago

I'm torn. I'm actually thinking about resigning from the Democratic Party over this. I'm not sure whether I should remain as co-chair of my county's party or resign... I'm torn because I'm wondering if it would be better to stay in the party, and keep trying, or just tell them I've had it and walk away?

An_American_Karol · 5 months ago

That's a touch decision for you, cowboyneok. I know how hard you worked for the party.

cowboyneok · 5 months ago

Yea, I don't want to go because "the going got tough" but I also don't want to continue to work for a party that is not willing to work for our rights. It would be different if I could think of ONE THING this administration has done for equal rights or fulfilling his promises towards us.

An_American_Karol · 5 months ago

cowboy, you're eloquent. Why don't you write a letter to President Obama and ask him what you should do? Ask him what he would do if he were you.

cowboyneok · 5 months ago

I might just do that. It would be cathartic even if I never got a response.

An_American_Karol · 5 months ago

tough decision

Gridlock · 5 months ago

Go with your conscience. If you think you can make a difference, stay. If you don't, leave.

Just don't kid yourself, and if you go you make it absolutely crystal clear why.

cowboyneok · 5 months ago

Yea, if I go I will resign via a letter and state very clearly why I feel like I need to go.

mirth · 5 months ago

FWIW, cowboy, the Democratic Party is MY party and I'm staying to at least try to get rid of the neo Dems. But until then they do not get any of my $.

cowboyneok · 5 months ago

Maybe thats the way to do it. No more $$$s... Lord knows, I've given enuf up until now.

Steve Pipenger · 5 months ago

Canada is looking better and better. Who know that "change" meant lack of balls and more of the same.

Leslie · 5 months ago

He doesn't even have time or political capital to just talk about issues now that he is in the White House and we helped put him there?!

Maybe next term? There won't be a second term.

Denying us rights saves the government money?! What? We get rights in years when the government can afford it? They're taken in way in poor economic terms?

Might as well be a "guest" worker in my own country.

Canada is where we're headed. Our investments and retirement too.

tomtallis · 5 months ago

We're headed for Austria (my hubby is an Austrian citizen). My investments have been there for some time.

Tony · 5 months ago

It is a gross misrepresentation to say that DOJ does not have to defend laws. It does. It does not have to advance specious arguments. There is a legit criticism of Obama, but you are overplaying it and losing credibility. Can't wait to read your response if Prez Palin (god forbid) refuses to defend ENDA.

John Aravosis · 5 months ago

I'm sorry, so the top aide to Bill Clinton who actually did this for a living is just making shit up about how the Oval Office worked? You know better, right?

What's a gross misrepresentation is what you wrote in your first sentence. No one said the DOJ doesn't have to defend laws. What we said is that when an important political and social issue arises, one that the president cares about, the DOJ makes an exception, provided the president asks them to, provided he cares.

Your president screwed us. People are pissed. And no amount of spin is going to cover what he did to us on Friday. You don't compare people to incest and pedophilia and spin it away. Sorry Charlie

Jason · 5 months ago

Ya. Like when Roberts (now Chief Justice) didn't defend an affirmative action case. Like when the GOP won't defend gay rights as soon as their back in power. If you can't beat em, join em.

Edith · 5 months ago

The inimitable French have the perfect expresssion: plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose...

Scott · 5 months ago

I don't understand. What here is news?

Of course there aren't the votes in a democratic congress to repeal DADT; otherwise it wouldn't be in place.

ScottLanter · 5 months ago

Right now over 70% of the public support ending DADT. That includes a majority who consider themselves Conservative Republicans! What are you claiming the politicians are afradi of?

Scott · 5 months ago

You misunderstand. I fully acknowledge bipartisan, popular support.

I'm just saying Congressional Democrats are clearly no friends of the GLBT community.

ChrisSF · 5 months ago

Wow, another Rahm troll. When will this blog have some actual commenters?

Chris · 5 months ago

WHAT THE HECK?? I'm sorry what is going on here? Did you read the article? Of course, he can't guarantee when stuff is going to pass, that's Congress. I can't guarantee when Sotomayor is going to get approved by the Senate, but I know that she will. Now that goes without saying, of course Obama should provide leadership on the issue (which is where he's lacking now), but exactly what do you want him to do, when there's no votes in the Senate or heck, even the house on the issue? Do you want him to open himself up to attacks on these issues by pushing it now, prematurely?

As for the DOMA brief, it was unnecessarily hurtful, but I'm sorry, it was inevitable. I think Larry Tribe is a bit more prominent expert as compared to you or Richard. Jeez, push for the issue, but don't turn a friend into an enemy needlessly.

Chris · 5 months ago

EDIT: I mean Larry Tribe (who's one of the most progressive con. law scholars in the country) stated that the DOMA brief was inevitable. He's been saying it for months, he knew the administration had to defend it. Perhaps, in your haste to attack Obama, you should have noted this fact.

John Aravosis · 5 months ago

As I noted above, Larry Tribe never worked one single day in the US government. He does not have anywhere near the knowledge of a top aide to the president, when it comes to what literally happens when a president is presented with these cases. Tribe is an expert on the law, not on what actually happens inside govt.

ChrisSF · 5 months ago

Larry has been backpedaling from those comments; maybe you and Rahm need to revise your remarks after the morning meeting.

John Aravosis · 5 months ago

Prematurely? It will also be premature if you have no strategy for victory, and no intent to do anything, ever. He's the president of the freaking United States. Do you see him sitting on his ass when the stimulus bill came up for a vote? No. Is he sitting on his ass while the health care debate is going on? Well, okay, a little. But to suggest that he can do nothing to influence what happens in Congress is simply ridiculous. He is as powerless as he wishes to be.

What do I expect him to do when more people support gay marriage now than oppose it? What do I expect him to do when 70% of the country supports repealing dont ask dont tell? How is he walking into a buzz saw by publicly pushing for things he campaigned on, things that the majority of the country no longer opposes?

Unncessarily hurtful but inevitable? He invoked incest.

And I've got news for you. Larry Tribe is an expert on the constitution, he's not an expert on how the Oval Office works. Top aides to the president, they're called "special assistants" (look it up), know a hell of a lot more about what the president actually does in these cases than a Harvard professor, a brilliant one at that, who never worked on day of his life in government. So yes, I'll take the word of an aide to the president of the United States over a Harvard professor when trying to determine what the president of the United States literally does in his office all day, versus theoretically what he can possibly do according to the books.

Chris · 5 months ago

In terms of strategy, I've heard this being asked, what exactly are you looking for? Do you want him to say go door to door? Protest? Leadership, is, as you say is needed, but what I don't understand, is what are you asking him to do, specifically?

As far as Larry Tribe goes, you know he was involved in Bowers and Lawrence. Don't you think he would blast Obama if he thought he could do something? He knows the Constitution. He may be wrong, but calling him a "liar" simply because he doesn't advocate that Obama can direct the DOJ to that, isn't exactly honest either.

As a broader point, let's assume Obama hypothetically refuses to defend DOMA. His refusal to defend it wouldn't be seen as honorable or just or full of support of equal rights, it would be seen as political. It's not the same as the other cases you've cited in the past. Those cases weren't defended for honorable reasons, they were defended because the executive branch felt either their rights were being infringed or other laws were in conflict. Horrible precedent would be set if Obama just let the challenges go. Imagine, the year is 2012 or 2016. We've elected Sarah Palin or Mike Huckabee (god help us), and challenges are being brought against the successful repeal of DOMA, and they're let go. You may argue the impossibility of the predicament, but they could simply point to Obama's actions and that would be it. Congressional Law would become a political plaything for ALL politicians. I'm sorry, regardless of the nobility of such actions, that's not something I want done.

As for the statements within the brief, I'm not defending them. They were abhorrent, but I doubt they were made with malicious intent. I agree with Sullivan on this, they were negligence, in which the DOJ handed off a case to a bushie who argued it to the same degree he used to in the previous administration, with no thought as to what it would cause. I guess we'll know one way or another with the case that comes up in MA.

Steve_in_CNJ · 5 months ago

regarding your last paragraph: you will realize how wrong you are about intent as the weeks go by and obama has said nothing about the filing. now imagine if JFK had filed a racist brief in 1963 supporting Jim Crow laws... instead of giving a historic speech ushering in the civil rights era.

ChrisSF · 5 months ago

Wow, you got those talking points from Rahm just right. Can I get on that email list too?

RichardS · 5 months ago

My apologies to Hillary......... I gave my vote to the wrong person. Obama's promises to the LGBT community was nothing but BS. Obama is afraid of the republicans attacking him if he does anything on DADT or DOMA..... and there goes his second term...... that's of course, assuming he was going to do anything about DADT or DOMA in the first place, which now clearly looks like he hadn't...... Hillary isn't afraid of the rethuglians....... Obama's scared shitless of them. I wish I had seen that in the primaries... at least i would feel better about having wasted my vote on Obama. We won't get anything out of this administration.....this term.....and probably nothing the second term either........ when he's a second term lame duck, he'll have even less of mind to do anything for the LGBT folks...... Don't be surprised if we're still talking about DADT and DOMA in 2012.

ScottLanter · 5 months ago

What people forget is that dozens of soldier like Jose Zuniga, Army Soldier of the Year, came out in the early 90's when DADT started. Since then, there have been *DOZENS* of studies and many reports and analyses by various agencies. Every time I hear a politician say "Oh no, we can't rush such a controversial issue. We need to let the military leaders study it" - I WANT TO SCREAM!!!!! It's already been studied for over a decade. How much goddamn time do you need Obama?

Matthew Munson · 5 months ago

Unless Obama helps pass DADT repeal, ENDA or repealing DOMA, the LGBT community should do nothing and sit home like how the evangelicals said they sat home and did nothing in 2006. I am not expecting an unicorn and a gold plated chalice, but at least one major reform in his first term at least if he delivers nothing, he should get nothing from the community.

I bet the majority here are Democratic party supporters and or progressives, if so then donate to friends like Senator Feingold or Bernie Saunders instead of donating to Obama.

He used the community for money and votes, and if he can not deliver then he should not be worthy of our attention. In California he was very passive about his disapproval of Proposition 8 even though the Yes on 8 people used his luke warm language against us maybe that was a good sign that he was not really supportive of our issues.

The economy is not like it was in the last two years, our checkbooks have different purposes now.

whomod · 5 months ago

i expected that was the case. Waiting until either year 3 or year 7 to do something about gay rights. It sucks but it is very pragmatic election strategy wise.

They're looking towards the next election already, or at least at 2010 and honestly, I can't fault them. If you have Republicans back in power over culture wars, there's not a damn thing you can do about anything, never mind gay rights.

Steve_in_CNJ · 5 months ago

sounds like the obamanauts are getting a little nervous... keep looking for excuses if it makes you feel better. i especially like excuses for delaying legislation (DADT) that has more bipartisan public support than health care.

Deano · 5 months ago

I am wondering if a key point to Berry's interview is that Obama will wait until his second term, when concerns about re-election are no longer an issue, to fulfill his promises regarding DODT, DOMA, etc. Although it's a travesty to put off rectifying these civil rights injustices, it unfortunately does seem to make political sense for Obama to wait. I am not agreeing with such a decision, just that I wouldn't be surprised if that was the game plan. And it seems Berry is implying as much himself. So, I guess the question is, in the bigger picture, is such a time table acceptable?

Gary SF · 5 months ago

Nope. First off, the time is right to repeal DADT. With 70% of the population supporting its repeal there is no need to wait. And as we know, the composition of the House and Senate will not always be as it is now.

Secondly, I won't vote again for Obama, nor give money, and neither will thousands of other LGBTs and our supporters. Yeah, I know, the Republicans are so bad. What you all don't seem to understand that as of now, when it comes to actions, THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BUSH AND OBAMA ON LGBT ISSUES.

I have never voted my 'self interest' in an election - it is always about the 'bigger picture.' Not so next time. IT IS MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY.

So if you want to see Obama elected, you better pressure him to work on LGBT issues, because we are getting ready to work against him. You can never start too soon to plan for the next election.

And Obama has pissed off some very creative queens.

Bill · 5 months ago

But all this is predicated on one BIG assumption....that Obama will win again in 2012. At this point, I'm not at all inclined to vote for him again, and I'm not going to fall for the pre-election pandering to the LGBT community that he will no doubt be doing in earnest. If he can't show me ONE SINGLE THING that he has done to HELP the LGBT community in his first term, then he doesn't deserve MY gay vote for a second term. As the saying goes, fool me once........

ChrisSF · 5 months ago

But hey, he supports the hate crimes bill. You should scrape and grovel and be thankful for that crust of bread and your cup of water.

meowomon · 5 months ago

He is doing tous what the Rethuglicans did to the anti-abortion christians. Used us to get out the vote and then gave us the boot. Guess what Obama? You won't have me to kick around. Fuck off.

ChrisSF · 5 months ago

Wow, this guy Berry is our fierce advocate before the "fierce advocate"? Jesus Christ, we really were no worse off with Bush and the Log Cabiners. OK, John Berry, keep drinking that Kool Aid and putting out those Rahm talking points, and you'll stay on those Georgetown cocktail party invite lists! Otherwise, it's the political wilderness and bad videos at JR's for you.