Barack Obama will not be regressive on GLBT rights

[cali]

In fact, he will be the most pro-GLBT rights president we've ever had.

Yes, having Warren give the invocation is a boneheaded move. No, it doesn't indicate where he stands on GLBT rights. And yes, his opposition to marriage equality is a lousy position. Unfortunately, it's the standard position for liberal/progressive politicians in this country. There are only a handful of national pols in this country that have supported marriage equality.

Here's Obama's record on GLBT issues:

In the Illinois Senate he sponsored legislation banning discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

In the U.S. Senate he cosponsored legislation that expanded the definition of hate crimes to include crimes committed on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation.

Obama supports expanding the Empoyment Non-Discrimination Act to include sexual orientation.

He supports repealing DODT.

He does not support DOMA.

He supports gays and lesbians being able to adopt.

He supports extending federal rights to gays and lesbians in civil unions.

So, wrong as he is about Warren and wrong as he is about marriage equality, he will be the most GLBT supportive president we've ever had. And needless to say, he's light years ahead of where McPalin is. Furthermore, his positions are no different than Edwards' or Clinton's.

Yeah, it's a glass half filled, but it's still progress. And yes, Obama should be judged on whether or not he lives up to his rhetoric.

[cali]

1. The question is, do Warren and McClurkin outweigh Obama's record

and policy positions?

[ccharles000]

2. K&R

[terrya]

3. They're nice words, cali.

But I think the GLBT community is going to have to push and push and push the Obama Adminstration on this. Rhetoric is nice...but when, even if it sounds realistic, like going slow on repealing DADT...you seriously have to come to the realization that the Obama White House will not automatically give us all of these things we want...like DOMA and DADT repeal, passing the Matthew Shepard Act and a fully inclusive ENDA.

The problem with Obama being friends with someone like Warren is that Warren will have a voice in the Obama White House. And that voice isn't going to be sympathetic to us. That's why we have to realize that we have to put enormous pressure on Obama to get the things that are important to us. Things that Obama says he supports.

[cali]

4. I think so too. And not just the GLBT community

either. But his rhetoric is backed up by his record in the Illinois Senate and the U.S. Senate. Now, that's not enough to say he'll move forward with alacrity, but it's a hopeful sign. I worry that he'll put GLBT issues on the backburner due to both the pressing nature of other issues and his tendency to try and be inclusive of people like Warren and the millions Warren represents.

So I definitely agree that keeping up the pressure on Obama is vital, but I also see reason for hope.

[cali]

5. kick

why not discuss Obama's entire record and policy statements, and not just the Warren prayer thing or McClurkin?

[MadMaddie]

6. I agree

He has already appointed openly gay professionals that is a step in the right direction.

[tomp]

7. "the standard position"...?

still waiting for change.

[cali]

8. good. you should wait. he's not even president yet.

we need to press him to hold to his committments to the GLBT community, as well as committments regarding other issues, but it's premature to do that before he's even in office.

[tomp]

9. if obama is the man he is purported to be....

...why should he have to be pressed to uphold his commitments?

and if this has to be done, why is it premature to start now? i mean, he's making decisions now, right?

[mtnsnake]

10. You MIGHT be right, but all you can do now is say he "supported", not he "supports"

because he hasn't proven anything yet, other than what he supported in the past. Warren isn't just a dumb move, it's a red flag to a lot of people and I don't blame anyone for being concerned about the future.

[cali]

11. so his past long record of support doesn't have as much weight with you

as Warren saying the invocation? OK. I think it's an offensive political calculation that should be condemned, but I don't think it has the same weight as Obama's record or specified policies.

[mtnsnake]

13. Of course it has weight with me. However,

on the whole, can you honestly say that all his choices so far during this transition reflect the manner in which he made his choices in the past? Are the choices he's making now as liberal as his choices he once made...on the whole?

[Neecy]

12. let me put it this way....

We just took one hell of a beating in California on Prop 8. There's still a huge amount of anger in our community over this issue, and Obama and his team KNOWS this.

To turn around and have this man, this rabidly anti-gay nutcase, give something as meaningful as the invocation on the heels of Prop 8 is just an outrage. It's sticking the knife in and twisting it and as usual, we're getting shit on as we always do.

I'm tired of being a punching bag for the right AND the left. I'm profoundly offended by this choice and hurt by it as well. I don't give two shits about his record - I care about the message he's sending, that it's okay to be a homophobe in this society, that you'll get a big reward for it.