Sunday, June 14, 2009

walking with the ghost

During the Democratic primary campaign I blogged about my problems with candidate Obama's "big tent" platform that touted inclusion of individuals who support "praying away the gay" to cure us silly queers of our "lifestyle choices"... As I said before, I take no issue with a person's religious beliefs; however, I think that those who preach discrimination and hate based on sexual orientation have no place in progressive politics. This position cast a lingering specter for me, even after he received the nomination: would President Obama truly support rights of LGBT Americans, a position at odds with others in his "more inclusive" vision of the Democratic caucus?

With the passing of Prop 8 in CA last November it seemed that any gains that the LGBT community felt with the election of Obama were bittersweet.

But we took heart and listened as President-elect Obama continued to press that he would be a fierce advocate for our community and we waited for the administration to make progress on its promises to change misguided policies like DADT and DOMA...

Enter almost Summer 2009. Six states now (or will soon) recognize same-sex marriages (though not CA). And our fierce advocate, the Obama administration? It's moved repeal of DADT to the back-burner and released a legal brief in support of DOMA, silently, and rather Bush-like, early Friday morning.

WHAT the ??!?!?!

Rachel Maddow's take on DADT


And the extensive analysis of the appalling Justice Dept brief that spares no ink in telling us how DOMA doesn't violate LGBT American's rights over at Americablog.

I'm not one to say "told you so" but...

No comments: