If by 2012, Obama has repealed DADT and DOMA, is the bridge still burnt?

[Cant trust em]

Let's say that in year 3 of his presidency he finally overturns these two laws. Do you think the LGBT community will have forgiven Obama for these last few setbacks; or is that bridge permanently burnt?

[Bolo Boffin]

1. That being the problem right now, no, the bridge would not be burnt

In fact, the bridge would be well and truly built and reinforced.

[tekisui]

2. We'll cross that burnt bridge when we get there.

[konnichi wa]

3. I do not understand the grammar or the meaning of your comment.

Could you give it another shot, please?

[Cant trust em]

4. Yes. That really sucked.

How about now?

[konnichi wa]

5. Thanks, I just wasn't sure what you were asking. I think he's being a shit for not even SAYING

word one about it...the deafening silence is impossible to ignore.
If nothing happens for 2+ more years, he will have lost a -very- sizable constituency. I'm about out of patience, myself.

[Kitsune]

6. If he follows through on what he said today, I can forgive him his screw-ups.

Everyone screws up sometimes. Sometimes people have a run of screw-ups. It's when they refuse to address those screw-ups that bridges get burnt, and I'm hoping that today marks Obama beginning to address his own.

[bluedawg12]

7. It's about equality, change and justice, not pointless metaphors. n/t

[Cant trust em]

8. So if he does repeal the laws, then it's all good?

Thanks for playing.

[bluedawg12]

14. It's about the issues not about "playing." Thanks for dropping in. n/t

[Cant trust em]

16. I'm glad that you're spending so much time working on these issues

and not wasting time on internet politics then.

Dude, lighten up a little bit.

[Zenlitened]

9. Butbutbut... the president can't overturn laws, only Congress can!!!1

Isn't that how the argument goes? Pres. Obama has no role in any of this, other than being willing to sign the legislation when it reaches his desk.

Wheeeeee!

[sui generis]

27. yeah, and directing the government's response

to legal challenges. Woopsie - If we don't repeal DADT then gays will never be in the military, right? We're fighting and dying for our country in Iraq today Obama.

FUCK. YOU. Obama.

[Toasterlad]

10. Depends on the "How".

I don't believe Obama OR Congress will get DOMA repealed, I believe the Supreme Court will strike it down, possibly granting us marriage at the same time. I doubt Obama OR Congress will do anything on DADT, but if someone in Congress actually DOES do some heavy lifting to get it to Obama's desk, and he signs it, I will not be impressed.

Let's be clear: I will never be "grateful" or "thankful" for my rights. I am OWED my rights. And the longer they are denied me, the more pissed off I become. Obama and/or Congress cannot "give" me my rights. They can only either keep withholding them, or stop withholding them. My response when I get them is not going to be, "Thank you." It's going to be, "What took you so fucking long?"

[Cant trust em]

11. Great post.

There are a lot of interesting ideas here. I don't say that about a lot of what I read on DU.

[donco6]

24. Absolutely. Great post.

Expresses my thoughts exactly.

[NMMNG]

12. Let me channel Wayne Besen.

Why do we have to wait 3, 4 or more years into Obama's presidency to get the things he promised us during his campaign--some of which he promised to deliver as soon as he took office--when he was kissing up to Rick Warren on day one?

[bluedawg12]

15. The question hints at the "single issue" voters idea, not so much reality.

What's the point of the burning bridges metaphor, unless the issues at concern are minimized for the politics of game playing and tit for tat?


*sniff* *sniff*

[Cant trust em]

17. Have you not seen the threads talking about the exodus to the green party, or the alienation

of a voting bloc? I feel like I'm reading that a lot when it comes to this issue. If this wasn't out there, I wouldn't have brought it up.

[NMMNG]

18. Anybody who considers LGBT rights/equalty a "single issue"

Doesn't understand a thing.

[mitchtv]

13. Maybe, but no money

that ship has sailed,

[Thrill]

19. No wonder he's in no rush to do it then. Since no matter what

you won't be happy.

[Zenlitened]

20. Not exactly a "man of principle," is that what you're saying?

Spiteful, callous, calculating, phony... is that how you see Pres. Obama?

[donco6]

23. Sounds like it to me.

Touche!

[Cant trust em]

28. It's tempting to think that, but I hope you see how wrong-headed that is.

[RetiredTrotskyite]

21. I believe it is far more likely....

that the Supreme Court will eventually go te route of striking down both DOMA and DADT. Obama is extremely unlikely to work in our interest, so I suspect that the bridge WILL be burnt by 2012. I know I'm out of patince with him.

[countmyvote4real]

22. What bridge?

Methinks he and his DOJ doth protest too much.

I'm just saying that somebody in his administration has some issues that trump the obvious civil rights issues at stake here.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

25. if we dont aggressively push our agenda. do you think he will do them by 2012?

because if so, you are an idiot.

[sui generis]

26. what's he gonna do, make us another promise?

THAT's how bridges burn. Obama is dishonest, plain and simple. If he truly believed that gay Americans were as American as every other American, we would not even be having this conversation.