Obama: “I’m a ‘Fierce Advocate’ for Gay and Lesbians" (2009)

[denem]

It is something I have been consistent on.

How we laughed and ridiculed him back then: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x5805576

Yesterday Obama congratulated Michael Sam, first openly gay player drafted by NFL http://edition.cnn.com/2014/05/10/us/football-michael-sam/ Should he chose, Micheal will be able to marry, have his husband recognised under federal law, and be ‘comfortable in his own skin’, much as the President and Michelle are today.

But looking back, it is not the stands the President has taken over the years, not even embracing Stonewall in the arc of history towards justice. No, it must be carrying with him, two of the more conservative communities in America: African Americans and Latinos. Today as many AAs support marriage equality as white Americans. In 2008, we would have been incredulous.

Maybe Obama could have not have done it without the Tea Party. Never before have the good ‘ ol boys been so isolated. Whatever. South Carolina 2008 is but a footnote to a world we have behind. Congratulations Mr. President. Congratulations Michael Sam.

[struggle4progress]

1. Oration in Memory of Abraham Lincoln (Frederick Douglass 1876)

Delivered at the Unveiling of The Freedmen’s Monument in Lincoln Park
... Viewed from the genuine abolition ground, Mr. Lincoln seemed tardy, cold, dull, and indifferent; but measuring him by the sentiment of his country, a sentiment he was bound as a statesman to consult, he was swift, zealous, radical, and determined ... Few great public men have ever been the victims of fiercer denunciation than Abraham Lincoln was during his administration. He was often wounded in the house of his friends. Reproaches came thick and fast upon him from within and from without, and from opposite quarters. He was assailed by Abolitionists; he was assailed by slave-holders; he was assailed by the men who were for peace at any price; he was assailed by those who were for a more vigorous prosecution of the war; he was assailed for not making the war an abolition war; and he was bitterly assailed for making the war an abolition war ...

For Obama, Lincoln was model president
updated 7:14 p.m. EST, Sun January 18, 2009
By Ed Hornick
CNN
... On January 10, he and his family visited the Lincoln Memorial ... Obama will also be the first president to use the Lincoln Bible for his inauguration since Lincoln used it in 1861 ... Obama told CBS last year that he was studying up on Lincoln ... "There is a wisdom there and a humility about his approach to government, even before he was president, that I just find very helpful" ...

[GeorgeGist]

2. Silly choice of words ...

fierce - adjective \ˈfirs\

: very violent

: eager to fight or kill

: having or showing a lot of strong emotion : very strong or intense

[Motown_Johnny]

3. Isn't it possible he had strong emotions about equality?

It may have been exactly the correct word.

[denem]

5. The Fierce Urgency of Now

We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history there is such a thing as being too late. - MLK

[Cha]

52. What's "silly" is your post.

[MannyGoldstein]

4. And the moment that polls showed most Americans favored gay marriage

He favored it too, as did Hillary. And told his DOJ to stop fighting against it.

[struggle4progress]

6. "... Few great public men have ever been the victims of fiercer denunciation ... He was often

wounded in the house of his friends. Reproaches came thick and fast upon him from within and from without, and from opposite quarters ..."

[MannyGoldstein]

9. So, for the record, you agree with my post? nt

[struggle4progress]

11. Dunno. Were you expressing an opinion, attempting to make a factual claim without supplying evidence

to support the claim, or just trawling for some gratifying reaction?

[MannyGoldstein]

12. A factual claim to add perspective

to the OP.

[struggle4progress]

16. June 2009

... NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2009 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month. I call upon the people of the United States to turn back discrimination and prejudice everywhere it exists ...
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Presidential-Proclamation-LGBT-Pride-Month

[struggle4progress]

17. June 2009

Obama Invites Gay Rights Advocates to White House
By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG
June 22, 2009, 4:59 pm
... when Mr. Obama announced a package of domestic partnership benefits for federal workers, several prominent gay and lesbian political leaders attacked the president for failing to extend full health benefits, saying that the initiative was a mere token effort that included benefits that had already existed ...

[struggle4progress]

18. September 2009

Barack Obama gives a nod to same-sex couples in his Family Day proclamation
September 28, 2009 | 6:39 pm
"... Whether children are raised by two parents, a single parent, grandparents, a same-sex couple, or a guardian, families encourage us to do our best and enable us to accomplish great things ..."

[struggle4progress]

19. October 2009

Obama to gay group: 'Still laws to change, hearts to open'
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Obama delivered a rousing speech Saturday night to the nation's largest gay rights group, praising the gay community for making strides in equal rights and pledging to deliver on major campaign promises that some say he's left on the back burner. "This fight continues now and I'm here with the simple message: I'm here with you in that fight," Obama told the applauding crowd. The Human Rights Campaign issued a statement praising the speech, saying it was a "historic night when we felt the full embrace and commitment of the president of the United States. It's simply unprecedented." Obama called for the repeal of the ban on gays in the military -- the "don't ask, don't tell" policy ...

[struggle4progress]

20. February 2010

Obama condemns Uganda anti-gay bill as "odious"
WASHINGTON Thu Feb 4, 2010 12:07pm EST

[struggle4progress]

21. April 2010

Obama Widens Medical Rights for Gay Partners
By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG
Published: April 15, 2010
WASHINGTON — President Obama on Thursday ordered his health secretary to issue new rules aimed at granting hospital visiting rights to same-sex partners ...

[struggle4progress]

22. October 2010

Barack Obama video supports gay teenagers
It Gets Better Project receives backing of US president amid concerns over spate of gay American teenagers killing themselves
Dan Glaister in Los Angeles
The Guardian, Friday 22 October 2010 03.56 EDT
Barack Obama has released a video to draw attention to pressures facing gay teenagers ...

[MannyGoldstein]

23. So you agree with my post?

I'm not saying that President Obama didn't feel warmly towards the LGBT community, or didn't try to help them. He just didn't think they should have the same rights as straight people until most Americans did.

[struggle4progress]

24. October 2010

Obama has appointed most U.S. gay officials
At least 150 during first two years
Tuesday, October 26, 2010

[okaawhatever]

29. Some people just refuse to see the truth when it's right before them, eh? Great work putting this

together.

[MannyGoldstein]

30. So you disagree with my post? nt

[struggle4progress]

33. June 2011

Obama: Gay couples deserve same legal rights as every other couple
Posted at 11:51 PM ET, 06/23/2011
By Perry Bacon Jr.
... the president .. declared: “I believe that gay couples deserve the same legal rights as every other couple in this country” ...

[struggle4progress]

34. July 2011

Obama, in stand for gay rights, calls for repeal of DOMA
In nod to gay rights, Obama backs repeal of DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act), which defines marriage as between one man and one woman and withholds federal benefits from gay married couples.
By Warren Richey, Staff writer / July 19, 2011

[struggle4progress]

35. October 2011

Obama Blasts Republicans for Silence After Gay Soldier Booed During Debate
By Nick Carbone
Oct. 02, 2011

[struggle4progress]

36. December 2011

Gay rights must be criterion for US aid allocations, instructs Obama
Memo targets countries' abuse of sexual minorities, but leading Republicans reject linking cash with equality drive
Karen McVeigh in New York
The Guardian, Tuesday 6 December 2011

[struggle4progress]

38. March 2012

President Obama Has Now Quadrupled The Number Of Openly Gay Judges On The Federal Bench
By Ian Millhiser
March 15, 2012 at 5:00 pm
Updated: March 15, 2012 at 5:35 pm

[struggle4progress]

39. May 2012

Obama Says Same-Sex Marriage Should Be Legal
By JACKIE CALMES and PETER BAKER
Published: May 9, 2012

[struggle4progress]

40. November 2012

President Obama nominates first openly gay Latina judge to U.S. District Court
by Patricia Diez
3:44 pm on 11/27/2012

[struggle4progress]

41. December 2012

Obama Urges Illinois Lawmakers to Legalize Gay Marriage
The president's home state assembly is voting on marriage equality this week, and he's urging them to approve same-sex unions.
December 30, 2012
By Andri Antoniades

[MannyGoldstein]

42. So I take it that you agree with my post?

I don't see anything contradictory, but perhaps I've missed it.

I'm exceedingly glad that President Obama has come to the conclusion that LGBT Americans are the equals of straight people. I'm not quite sure what you're looking for here.

[struggle4progress]

48. I'm just providing some facts to add perspective

[struggle4progress]

44. Jan 2013

Obama invokes gay rights in inaugural address
By Karen Tumulty
Published: January 21, 2013

[struggle4progress]

45. June 2013

Obama names three more gay ambassadors; nearly doubles Clinton’s LGBT appointments
By Lisa Keen on June 17, 2013

[struggle4progress]

46. August 2013

President Obama has “no patience” for Russia’s anti-gay stance
By Cindy Boren
August 7, 2013 at 8:49 am

[struggle4progress]

47. December 2013

Obama Names Gay Athletes to U.S. Delegation
By PETER BAKER
Published: December 17, 2013

[treestar]

7. So? Other times he is slammed for not doing what the majority wants.

If the people want something, should a politician consider that over his personal opinions?

Or does that shift depending on whether you want the politician to always be wrong or not?

[MannyGoldstein]

8. Following is better than lagging behind

But leading is best of all.

[treestar]

10. We don't need to be led by the politicians

We have a system of self government. No, leading is not necessary. That's for dictators. People do not change their minds because the President took a position - they are free to disagree with him or her. LOL, you are of the same group that would condemn that and makes fun of anyone who thinks something OK because Obama is OK with it.

[MannyGoldstein]

25. Leading=Dictatorship

Oh brother.

[Fumesucker]

49. The OP certainly implies that black Americans are following the President on gay rights

Do you disagree with the OP about that?

[struggle4progress]

37. Knocking doors and jingling phones in the spring of 2012, I heard everything:

I'm not supporting Obama this year because he doesn't support gay rights!

AND

I'm not supporting Obama this year because he supports gay rights!

&c&c&c

[JoePhilly]

13. And he will go down in history as having ended DADT and DOMA.

Chaps your butt, doesn't it?

[MannyGoldstein]

26. No, I'm quite happy that he did those things.

You have some sort of bizarre conception of me.

[JoePhilly]

28. Here's what I predict ...

... about 20 years out, folks will praise him for ending DADT and DOMA, and you'll mumble something about how he didn't really want to do it.

[denem]

15. A few more facts for you Manny.

As I said Obama's achievement was carrying the African American and Latino communities with him.

Polls show a mixed picture for legalizing gay marriage

President Obama appears to have gone against the safest read of polling data on gay marriage, with support for legalization underwater in a handful of swing states and among key Obama constituencies like Hispanics and black voters.

http://www.politico.com/politico44/2012/05/polls-show-a-mixed-picture-for-legalizing-gay-marriage-122984.html

Poll: Majority Of Blacks Support Gay Marriage After Obama's Endorsement

The expected backlash among blacks to President Obama’s endorsement of same-sex marriage has yet to materialize. And a new Washington Post-ABC survey suggests that black opinion is very quickly moving the other way, with a majority of African Americans now saying they support same-sex marriage.

Fifty-nine percent of blacks now say they support same-sex marriage, an 18-point jump since the president's announcement of his own support two weeks ago. Fifty-three percent of Americans now believe that same-sex marriage should be legalized, which also marks a substantial spike since 2006, when just 39 percent of those polled thought it should be legalised.Public Policy Polling also released a poll showing an 11-point jump in support among black voters in North Carolina on the issue of gay marriage. The poll came just days after the Tar Heel state voted to approve a constitutional amendment that banned gay marriage. Two-thirds of black voters reportedly voted for the measure (to ban marriage equality.

Black voters have been targeted by groups opposed to gay marriage, as blacks have expressed greater opposition to it in polls over recent years — so much so that the passage of anti-gay initiatives like California's Proposition 8 were (inaccurately) attributed to black voters. “There is not a chance in God’s green earth that African Americans support same-sex marriage,” Frank Schubert, the national political director of the National Organization for Marriage, which is opposed to gay marriage, told the post

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/23/black-shift-on-gay-marriage_n_1540160.html

At the time Obama first endorsed marriage equality, a bare majority supported 'gay marriage'. 53% in above article. Two days before Obama spoke, May 8, Gallup, reported 50%-48%.

Exactly the same thing happened within the Latino community. In 2011, Hispanics opposed marriage equality 54-42%. By election day, 2012:-

Latinos Support Legalizing Gay Marriage, Exit Polls Show

Conservatives may have another problem wooing Hispanic voters.

Latino voters are more likely than the electorate in general to support gay marriage, according to exit polls reported by ABC News. The change, which other polling has tracked over the last year, indicates that the fast-growing Latino population may play a pivotal role in expanding gay marriage across the country.

Nearly six-in-ten Latino voters (59%) said their state should legally recognize same-sex marriage while 32% said their state should not. But among all voters, about half (48%) favored legalization of gay marriage while nearly the same share said they would oppose it (47%). Non-Hispanic whites were the most opposed to states legally sanctioning same-sex marriage (47% favored but 50% were opposed)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/13/latinos-gay-marriage-exit-polls_n_2124515.html?ir=Gay+Voices

Obama led. Period.

[QC]

43. I'm of the better late than never school, so I would not have said that.

The president has done great things regarding LGBT equality. We should now, to use a favorite phrase of his, look forward.

However, it's a bit much to expect people to act as though KirbyJon Caldwell, Donnie McClurkin, Rick Warren, "God is in the mix!", etc. never happened.

[SidDithers]

14. DU rec...nt

Sid

[randys1]

27. Two types of leaders, in one group you have the LBJ's and FDR's

and in the other Raygun's and W's

Raygun and W ignored what the people wanted and destroyed the middle class as much as they could, we know what LBJ and FDR did.

Obama is stuck, if he leads at all the American Taliban will go after him and not only not get what he wants but will do more harm than good, give him a House he can work with and I think even I will be surprised.

[Drunken Irishman]

31. There is no question Obama has been an ally for equality since entering office...

He has helped advance the cause stronger than Kennedy and Eisenhower with the Civil Rights movement. In this regard, he *IS* LBJ - pushing for equality at every corner.

[ProSense]

32. Hagel: Military Transgender Ban 'Should Be Reviewed'...

Hagel: Military Transgender Ban 'Should Be Reviewed'...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024938797

[dsc]

50. a few things

First, the thread you linked was a link that Obama richly deserved when it was written. Yes, he has gotten a lot done now, but he surely hadn't, nor had he shown much sign of trying to, get a lot done then. I will concede that Obama wound up being better for gays than I thought he would be but he also was dragged a bit to that. Left to his own devices the military would still be under DADT as he had wanted to wait until 2011 to try to pass that change. Gays, including some in the thread you ridiculed, helped make Obama do what he did. That said, the notion he waited until it was popular to support marriage equality is belied by the fact equality got its ass kicked in NC just one day before his announcement (we lost 61 to 39)

[DemocraticWing]

51. He never got ENDA done.

Perhaps the most important pieces of civil right legislation for LGBT people, one that could be achieved with congressional legislation and a President's signature, is still sitting in turmoil. Sure, post-2010 he'd have to overcome the GOP House which makes it impossible, but I still have some lingering frustration from dropping the ball after 2008.

[Cha]

53. The Reality of ENDA..

"ENDA has been introduced in every Congress since 1994 except the 109th. Similar legislation has been introduced without passage since 1974.[1] The bill gained its best chance at passing after the Democratic Party broke twelve years of Republican Congressional rule in the 2006 midterm elections. In 2007, gender identity protections were added to the legislation for the first time. Some sponsors believed that even with a Democratic majority, ENDA did not have enough votes to pass the House of Representatives with transgender inclusion and dropped it from the bill, which passed the House and then died in the Senate. President George W. Bush threatened to veto the measure. LGBT advocacy organizations and the LGBT community were divided over support of the modified bill."

In 2009, following Democratic gains in the 2008 elections, and after the divisiveness of the 2007 debate, Rep. Barney Frank introduced a transgender-inclusive version of ENDA. He introduced it again in 2011, and Sen. Jeff Merkley introduced it in the Senate. On November 7, 2013, Merkley's bill passed the Senate with bipartisan support by a vote of 64-32. President Barack Obama supports the bill's passage.

More..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Employment_Non-Discrimination_Act