'Nothing undermines a good party quite like disappointment and hurt'

[Bluebear]

...Reaction in the entertainment industry -- where interestingly, Warren has his own powerful ties -- has been swift, angry and bitter. (And nothing undermines a good party quite like disappointment and hurt.)

"Barack Obama is a very smart student of history," said longtime celebrity publicist and gay activist Howard Bragman. "He saw that Bill Clinton did damage to his early presidency by appearing to pander to the gay and lesbian community. Obama has chosen a different tack.

"What he didn't realize was how much untapped energy there was in the gay and lesbian community because of the passage of Prop. 8," said Bragman. "Obama didn't realize, after all the support he got from the gay and lesbian community, we feel betrayed right now."...

"I'm sure that Warren's supporters will portray his selection as an appeal to unity by a president who is committed to reaching across traditional divides," said Kathryn Kolbert..."But the sad truth is that this decision further elevates someone who has in recent weeks actively promoted legalized discrimination and denigrated the lives and relationships of millions of Americans."

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-et-cause20-2008dec20,0,5410722.story

[BlooInBloo]

1. The irony of it all is that Prop8 was largely the result of good people not organizing...

And then Obama had to go a announce himself as a lightning-rod for the ire that should largely be self-directed, insofar as Prop8 goes.

[hulklogan]

3. Are you suggesting that it is GLBT American's fault that people voted to take away our rights?

Interesting if you are.

[BlooInBloo]

4. Of course not. I'm with Sully, though, on it being largely good people's fault...

for not organizing sufficiently to get enough of the *good guys* to vote.

Go ahead and cast it as "blaming the victim" - I know you want to. If you have a shred of intellectual honesty though, you'll include Sully in your whine.


EDIT: And of course it's still to Obama's great discredit (a) that he is having bigot-dude do the inaugural at all, and (b) that he stepped in it when prop8 was sofa king fresh.

[AndyTiedye]

6. People were Phone-Banking for Obama Instead

[BlooInBloo]

8. Yah - there was a certain distraction at the time, no doubt about it...

But we REALLY should have been able to walk and chew gum at the same time a bit better, in retrospect.

[AndyTiedye]

11. Even With a Great Candidate, It Takes Everything We've Got to Beat the Repiglickin Machine

[BlooInBloo]

14. (shrug) I guess we're just gonna disagree. I don't think that everything that could have been done..

was done, in retrospect. I think we could have done better.

[BlooInBloo]

12. self-delete - wrong branch.

[ananda]

2. Obama of all people should know..

.. that once a people have gained a right
or a liberty, it's kind of hard for oppressors
to try to take it back.

[xchrom]

5. recommend

[anndash]

7. Can Obama be that naive?

He didn't think that this choice would be so hurtful to so many - even those who are not gay. And, this Warren is STILL out there with his hate - gloating that he was the choice over more loving and tolerant pastors. I am so sorry I did not write in Kucinich's name the way I had planned to. This is disgusting.

[The Backlash Cometh]

9. Yes. I think he was that naive.

[Toasterlad]

18. Please. He Just DOESN'T CARE.

Election over, he got his. End of story.

[gollygee]

15. Warren is also hateful to women and Jews

What percentage of Obama's support comes from those three groups - LGBT, women, and the Jewish Community. He was either naive or stupid. He's a smart guy so I'd have to go with naive. Oh wait, I thought of a third possibility - arrogant. He assumed we'd smile and act nice no matter what he did. OK my vote goes for arrogance.

[SammyWinstonJack]

17. Yes arrogant with a huge ego.

[SammyWinstonJack]

16. I don't think he is naive, I think his ego is huge. I voted for him in the GE, the other choice

wasn't any choice at all.

[MadMaddie]

10. This is a messed up situation

We have to look at what really happened don't we?

It was lack of organization and lack of a game plan.

The GLBT community and supporters had the following issues:

1. May not have had enough money.
2. Failed to go into the Black and Latino churches because they felt they weren't welcome!
3. Failed to educate and stand toe to toe with the Mormon church and Rick Warren and his ilk. Meanwhile the Mormon church was funnelling millions into the effort.

Let's look at this as lessons learned. These are the following action items that should be taken on.

1. Not only the GLBT, but the rest of Americans who supports rights for all MUST fight to get the churchs to start paying taxes. Yes, I said it! These churches are using infrastructure, roads, police (paid by US the tax payer). The economy is in such a state that all entities must pay their fair share.

2. It is time for the rest of the religious community to take on the hate churches. It is time to claim that the Mormon church, Rick Warrens church and other hate churches do not represent them.

Listen, we organized like never before to get Obama elected. We raised historical amounts of money together. It's time for us as a collective to take on these institutions and return them to their rightful place in society, organizations that help the poor and their communities. Return them to the place where they cannot push their obscene views on all Americans.

Yes We Can!! That's all.

[Solly Mack]

13. K&R