Oct 18, 2010

President Obama/No Political Pandering: We are all born God´s Children--No to Sexual Orientation Discrimination

Barack Obama, President of The United States of America
"You know, I am not obviously — I don't profess to be an expert. This is a layperson's opinion. But I don't think it's a choice. I think that people are born with, you know, a certain makeup... We don't make determinations about who we love. And that's why I ink that discrimination based on sexual orientation is wrong."  President Barack Obama

¨This is seemingly a big deal, the President publicly supporting the idea that one is born gay. As a Constitutional scholar he certainly understands the legal consequence of such a statement (mainly that sexual orientation is immutable and should be treated like race or gender for equal protection purposes). As a politician, he appreciates the consequences of making such a statement. Knowing all that, he made a statement that we should be treated equally.

The real question is, so what?

There is a rift in the gay community, those who believe that the President is working hard on our behalf, and those that believe he hasn't done nearly enough. It's not easy having a friendly administration. The expectation of immediate results, of complete intolerance for any discrimination, sweeping reform and celebration in the streets is a nearly impossible one to meet. But shouldn't he be doing something other than making statements on MTV?

In my very humble opinion, what we have right now is a President who believes in democracy, and in the democratic process. And the democratic process rarely provides quick results. Despots provide quick results. Dictators provide quick results. George W. Bush ignored the democratic process in favor of implementing his every whim, stomping over the judicial and legislative branches in the process. And I, for one, despised him for that.

We all wish the President would sign an executive order killing DADT once and for all. We all await the day Congress kicks DOMA to the curb and passes ENDA. And those days will come. The steps already taken — LGBT folks working in the White House, legislation passed over the past year and a half — deserve attention and applause. For some, it's not enough. But to have a President, soon to be a Presidential candidate again, state that being gay is a legitimate part of a person, that we are all born God's children, and that discrimination based on sexual orientation is not an American sentiment should not be dismissed as empty political pandering.¨ read it all, HERE

· Thanks to Maia Spotts
· Thanks to Change.Org, sidebar
· Thanks to Gay Rights, sidebar

4 comments:

June Butler said...

Leonardo, the "you knows" and "I don't profess to be an expert" make Obama's statement look weak to me. But he's certainly better than the alternative.

Leonard said...

Right! Mimi, I think he thinks he speaks with less arrogance (which is partly true) but, it´s time, to speak with more confidence and stop with the impression of ¨whatever¨...we´re way passed ¨whatever¨ and he best start asserting more firm yes and no´s before he puts the world to sleep with his sense of ¨fair play¨...afterall, peoples lives are on the line, LGBT peoples lives are on the line both at war and at home (two fronts).

Leonard said...

ALSO: There is a certain standard of basic enlightenment that President Obama is in a very good position to assist the world with...LGBTI brothers, sisters, family and friends are persecuted badly in Africa (as we know as a result of the unholy trash that comes out of the foul mouth of +Orombi and many of his pals at the Anglican Global South)...President Obama, by saying matter-of-fact statements about ¨all of Gods children being equal¨ is making a very BIG and HELPFUL statement for the tolerance and acceptance of LGBTI people tormented in Africa by thieves and despots...by those demonized at Church by clergymen with blood on their hands and fear/hate generating taboo soiling their hearts, President Obama offers a great contrast...more, more, more help is needed (or $$$ must be cut off to Museveni and assorted other military dictators who promote harm to LGBT and heterosexual women). Have you ever noticed the Heterosexual SLEEZE advertised on the front page of The Red Pepper tabloid/Uganda (owned by family of Museveni).

June Butler said...

What can I say, Leonardo? There are those who believe Obama goes about his politicking in the right way, that he will accomplish more with his moderate stance.