The cluelessness of this administration in regards to gays is nothing short of astonishing

[dsc]

Valerie Jarret is just the lasest episode of what has become a near horror story of an administration when it comes to gay issues. In just a few short days she plagerized the "It get's Better" slogan of an anti suicide campaign aimed at gay kids and now has said one of the kids whose death lead to this campaign made a life style choice. I just can't believe she did this. Time and again, this adminstration has shown a bizarre inability to avoid offensive pitfalls when it comes to the gay community. This week should have been easy for them. Duncan, who I otherwise despise, has been great on gay issues as Sec of Education. The policies this administration have taken in regards to anti gay bullying have, for the most part, been great. But, with no one to blame but themselves, yet again we are talking about a snub of the gay community. It is simple to avoid problems like these, but not for this administration.

They can't get the small stuff right, and they can't get the big stuff right. At this point, Ms. Jarret may need another job.

[montanacowboy]

1. And yet she kept referring to the parents as "good people"

huh? like their child in spite of his good upbringing chose to be gay

This woman has got to go

[Unvanguard]

9. What she said was really, really fucking stupid

but I really don't think that was the intended implication of her remarks--rather that he was driven to suicide, despite the support of his parents, because of the horror of the bullying he faced.

[Occulus]

19. I'm no longer willing to give this administration that much benefit of the doubt.

I'm coming to the conclusion that Obama really just does not like gay people all that much at all.

I'd really like one good reason why I'm wrong, but at this point, I'm willing to bet he'll end DADT, get DOMA repealed, or get ENDA passed, not because they are the right things to do, but because they are politically beneficial positions to take. I'm also willing to guess that that's why there has been no decisive movement in those directions on his part; it just isn't to his benefit.

[Smashcut]

2. Wait, WTF?! She said one of the kids made a "life style choice?"

When was this?

HOLY MOTHER OF FUCK. Can they get anything right? :wow:

[dsc]

3. In a video chat with the Washington Post

[Occulus]

20. This thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=9310491&mesg_id=9310491

[pinboy3niner]

4. Both parties talk about the need to be 'on message'

But when a high dem policy official makes a public statement that seems to be oblivious to the message, it's a :wtf: moment.

Don't high dem officials know what we stand for?

:wtf:

[Catherina]

5. Rec'd. Justin Aaberg, rest in peace. No more, no more! n/t

[MuseRider]

6. Ya know

if they really cared, I mean REALLY cared they would at least know better than to make these mistakes. *I do not think they are mistakes anymore, how could they be?* What they have or have not done is beside the point here. How can they not get this? They are smart, they do not want to get this and/or do not care to get it but think they can just get by by telling lies (fierce advocate) or showing up and saying stupid stupid things that they apparently do not even know are stupid and offensive. What she is saying is vile.

[Unvanguard]

7. They do seem to be tone-deaf on this issue. It's a bit mystifying.

Though they have the same problem with other parts of the Democratic base. Maybe an inability to comprehend why any Democrat disapproves of what they're doing, which is more than a little disappointing.

[laughingliberal]

8. K & R nt

[VMI Dem]

10. I think it is a mistake to call it cluelessness.

[GodlessBiker]

11. Would "blind stupidity" be better?

[NMMNG]

12. We're nothing but pawns to them

Much as we are to the RRRW. Like the RRRW they don't really know anything about who we are, what we need or how their ignorance and the hatred they help perpetuate harms us. What's more, they don't care to know. We're not real human beings to them.

[fascisthunter]

13. .

[dsc]

14. kick

[Stinky The Clown]

15. Irony of irony - little different from "articulate and well-spoken" or whatever it was Biden said.

[donna123]

16. If she said that, she's an idiot

I don't understand though, didn't Obama get the ball rolling on ending don't ask don't tell?

[Occulus]

17. It's not cluelessness, dsc. Please don't justify it as such.

I know you're not "justifying" anything here, but some here are trying to defend the remarks by saying things like "tone-deaf", "clueless", "poor choice of words", etc.

That's not what it is at all.

The term "lifestyle choice" has been a dog-whistle for the religious right antigay bigots for more than fifteen years. Probably more like twenty. Everyone knows exactly what is meant when anyone uses the term; it's not a mistake, it's not an accident, it's not an "oops". People who use that term (and intend it seriously) are always antigay bigots. Always. There isn't any wiggle room on this one. Both Jarrett and Obama know damned good and well what the phrase means. Its use cannot have been anything other than intentional.

I know you're not doing it yourself, but the defenses of this comment I'm seeing on here frankly make me want to puke.

[dsc]

18. Honestly I think it is cluelessness

because I can't see any political upside from this behavior. If they were being cynical and leading us on, they would be better at it. Instead they have pissed us off, possibly irrepairably and still have pissed of the religious right. Cynicism would have lead to them getting crap like this right but the big stuff wrong.

[Occulus]

21. That, of course, depends upon Obama NEEDING GLBTs from a political standpoint.

I think he believes we really aren't such a political force that he needs to court us. This conclusion is supported from his actions literally from day one.

In any case, I'm about an inch away from withholding my vote for him in 2012. All it will take is one more incident and I'll be done- and that's me being far more generous than he deserves at this point.

[GeorgeGist]

Perhaps Ms. Jarret believes that ...

suicide is a lifestyle?

[GeorgeGist]

22. Perhaps Ms. Jarret believes that ...

suicide is a lifestyle?

[_ed_]

23. Bigotry from the top

creates bigotry among the staffers.

"I do not support gay marriage. Marriage has religious and social connotations, and I consider marriage to be between a man and a woman." -Barack Obama, 2008

Bigot.