Obama Invites Gay Rights Advocates to White House

[Hissyspit]

Source: New York Times

June 22, 2009, 4:59 PM
Obama Invites Gay Rights Advocates to White House
By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG

As advocates for gays and lesbians intensify their criticism of the White House, President Obama has invited some of their leaders to an East Room reception next Monday to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion, the 1969 Greenwich Village demonstrations that gave birth to the modern gay rights movement.

The White House has not publicized the reception, and officials did not respond to e-mail requests for comment. But gay leaders from here and around the country said they had received either telephone calls from the White House or written invitations to the event, and were told Mr. Obama is expected to speak.

Some said it would take more than a reception to change their view that Mr. Obama has not been aggressive enough in pursuing gay rights. As a candidate, Mr. Obama campaigned to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, the federal law barring gay marriage, and ‘’don’t ask don’t tell,’’ the military policy that bars gays and lesbians from serving openly. But advocates have accused him of dragging his feet.

“What’s going to change the way the community is feeling is seeing the introduction of a bill to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, repeal ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’’ said Jennifer Chrisler, executive director of the Family Equality Council, a Boston-based advocacy group, referring to two policies Mr. Obama pledged to overturn. She said gay rights advocates want to see “a president who is fulfilling the promises he made on the campaign trail.’’

Read more: http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/22/obama-invites-gay-rights-advocates-to-white-house/?hp

[sakabatou]

1. After the all they've gone through?

All the snubbing and insults, do you think they'll reply? I'm unsure.

[keepCAblue]

4. Some will. They won't be able to accept fast enough...

...and we know who most of them will be.

[sakabatou]

8. Let's hope equality comes fast with Obama

[Ms. Toad]

42. Anyone receiving an invitation to be part of a small group

with the president's ear would be crazy not to accept.

I wouldn't necessarily expect it to come to anything - but face time should not be forfeited to prove a point.

[Zenlitened]

2. I think it's a good step.

I hope the day includes time for some real heart-to-heart talks... AND a very public statement by Pres. Obama, saying (in essence), "This stuff matters A LOT."

I was very disheartened when he let Iowa/Vermont/New Hampshire go by without strong comment. That was a real opportunity lost. I hope he realizes that, and makes the Stonewall observance an opportunity of its own.

[Taverner]

5. I agree

Say what you will about Obama, he does listen. Unlike another recent President I can think of...

[Zenlitened]

10. Yes, I think this shows Pres. Obama does listen to criticism...

... which (despite what the Patience-Not-Ponies crowd would have ya believe) was exactly the point of the criticism to begin with.

[Taverner]

11. But again, I agree with the criticism as well

He has thrown the GLBT community under the bus

But I have hope that might change

[Mari333]

14. he especially listens to criticism when a DLC gay fundraiser is cancelled

money talks.

[konnichi wa]

3. Ohhhh, a reCEPtion....well that will fix everything up just fucking dandy.

:grr:

[Zenlitened]

6. There needs to be a press avail beforehand.

WH needs to invite the media to record this moment, and Pres, Obama needs to use the occasion to speak out strongly to mend the relationship with the GLBTA community.

[countmyvote4real]

12. "a celebration, akin to the festive affairs the admin holds on St. Patrick's Day

or Cinco de Mayo. "

Will there be a DJ?

[jhrobbins]

13. You mean like a dance-that would be interesting-everybody knows the two groups

that are considered the very best dancers - right? And in the WH at the same time-quite a dance off in the making.

[Clintonista2]

16. They can have Donnie Mcclurkin sing for the entertainment

Maybe Rick Warren can pop by to give an opening prayer.

[struggle4progress]

32. You'll suddenly discover that your approach has a surprisingly short shelf-life

[msongs]

7. good thing he wants to keep the visitors to the white house as a state secret eh? nt

[DURHAM D]

9. We know all about this.

Check out pamshouseblend.

Pam's posting last Saturday about this invite was linked here and created a bit of a shi*t storm. You know - the usual argument about the pecking order of civil rights. Or - are gay rights civil and human rights. You know, things Republicans would argue about.


:sarcasm:

[ejbr]

15. How can we trust anything he might say on the matter?

I went off on a fellow patron of a coffee shop because he rudely stated before the election that Obama supporters were being taken for a ride. Was he right? Do I need to find this person and apologize and state that "yes, Obama is nothing but words"? Yes, he is better than McSame/Failin', but "this is not what I voted for"

[Bjorn Against]

17. Hopefully he will tell them some concrete plans to bring about equality

Somehow I am skeptical that will happen though. I hope that he shows me that my skepticism is not justified, but simply holding a meeting means nothing if he is not going to use that meeting to begin the push for full equality under the law.

[ldf]

46. yes, he'll tell them about concrete plans

that they will get to in the second term....

maybe.

:grr:

edit to add...

meanwhile, we all just need to take a chill pill...

be patient
don't rock the boat
keep our powder dry
pick our battles

you know, the usual crap.

[Zhade]

51. He'll tell them about plans he'll later renege on, like everything else he's broken his word on.

NT!

[RufusTFirefly]

18. He's behaving just like a corporation

When bad publicity about bad policy cuts into your bottom line, you don't change. Oh no. You just do some PR.

Large corporations do it all the time.



Do people think a President can divert attention from his bigoted policies simply by staging a reception? People do.

[MessiahRp]

19. Will this be like when Baucus finally asked to meet with Single Payer Advocates

Just so he could basically tell them to fuck off?

Rp

[bc3000]

20. HOW DARE HE??!

Until he personally passes a constitutional amendment guaranteeing equal right he's no better than Pol Pot.

[DonCoquixote]

22. ER..

Amendments are made by whom...CONGRESS...The president cannot pass that which s never put on his desk.

[No Elephants]

48. Actually, Congress and the President combined cannot amend the Constitution, but let's not

worry about that. I'd settle for an Executive Order, suspending DADT discharges, per 10 USC 12305.

[nomorenomore08]

28. Uh, just a hint - sarcasm, in order to work, needs at least a *tiny* bit of subtlety.

:eyes:

[bc3000]

31. But parody works better when it's over the top.

at least I didn't compare him to Hitler.

[QC]

44. So which rights of a U.S. citizen do you not have? n/t

[Skittles]

21. here y'all, have another bone

[xchrom]

23. wow! -- er -- um -- maybe not so much --

'The White House has not publicized the reception, and officials did not respond to e-mail requests for comment'

if that doesn't say it all -- the i don't know what does.

[shadowknows69]

30. Seems like kind of a position of shame. That is what first struck me.

"I'll meet with you and hear your concerns, but let's keep this between us. In the closet, if you will."

[zipplewrath]

34. I'm still willing to give a little

There are two ways to see the nature of this event. 1) A negative way, he's trying to keep it low key so as not to piss of the Rick Warren crowd. 2) A more positive way in that he is not running some photo op to try to score some quick points. He wants to have a truly substantive meeting for people to get a chance to "make their case" that he is doing something wrong. No promises.

I'm still willing (god knows why) to "hope" that it is the second one. I guess it comes under the category of "I voted for him, now I have to give him a chance for 4 years". Just wish it HADN'T come on the heals of the dust up over the fund raiser.

[Sweet and Spicy]

24. This should ease the tension

This is a good move to ease the tension between these two groups that have a lot in common. At the end harmony will prevail.

[DURHAM D]

39. tension = civil rights denial ??? I don't think so. nt

[No Elephants]

49. Which two groups would those be?

[Arkana]

25. Good. Hopefully something will come of it.

[thelordofhell]

26. At least * was a little more subtle

I guess having a male gay prostitute visiting the White House at night multiple times is O.K. WTF ever happened to that guy anyway?

[Divine Discontent]

27. In SOME ways, like the police didn't feel the Gay people at the Stonewall riots deserved to be

respected fully as citizens, President Obama has shown similarities to not respecting Gay people deserve to be seen & heard in public, and hearing that the Administration hasn't publicized the event just furthers my point. They have it apparently as a private gathering at this point, instead of a media welcomed event where President Obama exhorts, much like his Father's Day speech, the virtues of accepting other's differences - would that be GREAT?

I DO recall him mentioning Gay people in his victory speech, nonetheless, and I hope that he will start to see that he holds the keys to a lot of change if he will believe. He could end DADT and state why - and he could even do it at this event - the 40th anniversary of Stonewall.

Come on President Obama, we're hoping for you to show you're a uniter and defender of the people you were elected to lead!

[Divine Discontent]

29. sign my post asking him to end DADT, I'll send my letter on Wed

along with comments if there are any made. Hopefully he will end DADT very very soon!
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=8489854&mesg_id=8489854

[bc3000]

33. DADT isn't going to end anytime soon.

That's more of an end of the second term, last day presidential order. And then hope the next president doesn't immediately overturn it. Any president would be a fool to sacrifice his agenda for an idea that is so overwhelmingly unpopular with the American people.

We'll eventually get there, but it's going to take some time. But the politicians aren't going to do anything about DADT or gay marriage until the opinions of the voters change. We need to change the minds of Americans on gay rights before the politicians are going to do anything for us.

[zipplewrath]

35. Huh?

Overwhelmingly unpopular? What pols you reading? The Rick Warren Newsletter? Overturning DADT has wide support, even amongst certain military populations. Over all there is a majority of support to do so. I'm not saying their aren't fierce pockets of resistence. But it appears to be one of those issues where a little leadership could put this over the top for good.

[TommyO]

38. Which part of the American population do you represent?

[DURHAM D]

40. Appareantly the part that thinks DADT is a good policy. nt

[Zenlitened]

43. You seriously don't know what the hell you're talking about.

Really, if you haven't paid any attention to the GLBT civil rights movement until, say, yesterday... you might want to tone down the "This Is How It Is!" sort of posts for a while.

:dunce:

[Zhade]

52. OVER 75% OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE SUPPORT REPEALING DADT.

That's more than his popularity rating!

Stop spreading lies.

[Veruca Salt]

53. Gallup poll 1968: 20% approve of interracial marriage and 73% dissaprove.

Loving vs Virginia was decided in 1967.



Source:
http://www.gallup.com/poll/28417/most-americans-approve-interracial-marriages.aspx

Who says we have to wait for the majority to approve of marriage equality?

[jody]

36. Wonderful, exit polls from the last election report 4% of the electorate are gay or lesbian, i.e.

8.4 million potential voters.

If Obama's smart, he will invite Right to Keep and Bear Arms (RKBA) Advocates to the White House also because they represent 84 million potential voters.

[DURHAM D]

41. The real number would be double that.

Many gays and lesbians would hear the questions and think "none of your business", especially if they don't live in a big city that offers a certain level of anonymity.

[RufusTFirefly]

45. Oh yeah? Well, I bet they didn't count Larry Craig

Seriously, that number seems awfully low, but that's not unexpected.

[zipplewrath]

47. Family

The data suggests that once gay and lesbian people are "out", their friends and family quickly become very "gay friendly" politically. So that 8.4 million can quickly become 50 million or so depending upon how big their community of personal friends and family are. Heck, just mom, dad and sibiling would make it 30 million.

[jody]

54. Excellent point and 84 million gun-owners quickly becomes 200 million with family and friends. n/t

[Vidar]

37. Passing out White House ink pens, coffee cups & ash trays?

[No Elephants]

50. Intriguing....

"The White House has not publicized the reception, and officials did not respond to e-mail requests for comment."

Let's hope that is not the WH trying to stay on Rick Warren's "good" side, but the WH trying to show this is not just a publicity stunt, not just window dressing. I'll give Obama the benefit of the doubt on that one, unless something later indicates otherwise.

And then we have...

"One person who received the invitation said the White House was billing the event as a celebration, akin to the festive affairs the administration holds on St. Patrick’s Day or Cinco de Mayo."

If true, that's just bizarre. For those too young to remember: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stonewall_riots

Not exactly your green beer and jig or your fiesta moment, although, like Rosa Parks' arrest, it led to huge improvements.