So since our new President can multi task

[ruggerson]

and since President-elect Obama said this in an April interview to the Advocate:

"I don’t think that the gay and lesbian community, the LGBT community, should take its cues from me or some political leader in terms of what they think is right for them. It’s not my place to tell the LGBT community, "Wait your turn." I’m very mindful of Dr. King’s “Letter From Birmingham Jail,” where he says to the white clergy, "Don’t tell me to wait for my freedom."

http://www.advocate.com/exclusive_detail_ektid53285.asp?page=2

Starting Jan. 20th (amongst all the other things we are expecting him to do, including ending the war and constructing a workable health care plan) I hope and trust we will have strong support from our straight allies here on DU and elsewhere to pressure Congress to start working on three things for which we have been waiting far too long.

1) Repeal DOMA. The families in the states that DO have legalized same sex marriage need to be recognized by the federal government.

2) Repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell. GLBT folks have spilt a lot of blood over the centuries fighting for the country of their birth. It's about fucking time, the government didn't mandate that we lie about who we are as a prerequisite for defending our nation.

3) Employment Non Discrimination Act. Giving gays and lesbians employment protections is supported by over 80% of the country. Congress needs to pass it and President Obama needs to sign it.

We don't know how long we will have control of both houses of Congress and the Presidency.

We've been asked to wait countless times and we waited.

Don't tell us to wait yet again for our freedoms. *

*(credit to David Zephyr who was thinking along the same lines and would probably have posted this far more eloquently.)

[Lord Helmet]

1. didn't that stuff happen during a democratic administration?

[ruggerson]

3. I guess we won't be counting on your support

next.

[Lord Helmet]

4. don't get pissy I was just asking for information

:eyes:

[ruggerson]

7. DADT

was forced on the Clinton admin by an unholy alliance between Sam Nunn, COlin Powell and Republicans. Previously, military rules on gays had not been codified, so when WJC indicated he would sign an executive order to allow gays to serve openly in the military, Nunn and Powell and the REpublican threatened to override him with a statute outright banning gays from serving. DADT was the resulting compromise after Nunn held sham hearings.

DOMA was pushed through by Republicans (and many Democrats) as a result of the same sex marriage issue. Clinton signed it in a show of great cowardice in the middle of the night. He would have been overridden anyway, but he should have gone down fighting.

ENDA was fully supported by WJC and lots of other Dems. It has narrowly lost a number of times, largely due to conservative Southern Dems and Republicans.

[Lord Helmet]

11. thanx for the info. I hope it can all be undone.

[ruggerson]

13. you're welcome

we have the votes for all three. Whether we have the spine is another story.

[ColbertWatcher]

2. Bravo!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=4413198&mesg_id=4413198

[crikkett]

5. I sure won't.

Thanks for your post.

[David Zephyr]

6. The fig leaf of excuses is now gone. The Democrats must deliver. I give them 6 months.

Democrats always winked and nodded to us that IF they could control the House and the Senate, then they would deliver:

1.) ENDA

2.) Repeal of DOMA

3.) Allow our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters to serve OPENLY with HONOR in the Armed Forces and to have their benefits when they retire.

4.) Include the GLBT into Federal Hate Crime Legislation.

Well, when Nancy Pelosi and Harry Mormon Reid took over the House and Senate, they coughed up the excuse that even if they passed such bills with their Democratic majority, that President Bush would never sign them into law.

Well, that fucking excuse is now finished.

No more excuses.

Six fucking months.

That's it.

Our families and loved ones have waited long enough.

Obama must not be a Bill Clinton in 1993. Obama made clear promises to our community.

Obama, Reid and Pelosi are now expected to deliver.

No excuses. None.

[ruggerson]

8. exactly

thanks David.

[IndianaGreen]

9. Right on!

We didn't work our butts for Obama just to settle for separate drinking fountains.

[IndianaJones]

10. won't happen. not a priority for the party. nt.

[ruggerson]

15. we'll see

[David Zephyr]

12. Kick.

K&R.

[ulysses]

14. with you of course.

:thumbsup:

[Laelth]

16. I agree. The GLBT community should not have to wait. n/t

The United States is a LIBERAL Country.

:dem:

-Laelth