Dear Mr. President: With all due respect, I don't need any more "Presidential Proclamations"

[ruggerson]

What is needed, instead, is any or all of the following:

Formally endorse Rep. Murphy's H.R.1283 - Military Readiness Enhancement Act of 2009 which repeals Don't Ask Don't Tell. You have indicated you support this idea, but for some unknown reason you have not endorsed this legislation. Your endorsement at a press avail would likely be the lead story on the news and would make the front pages of every major newspaper, thus providing needed momentum for the bill's passage.

Formally endorse Rep. Jerry Nadler's H.R.3567 - Respect for Marriage Act of 2009 which repeals the "Defesne of Marriage" act. Again, your very public endorsement of this legislation would lend great moral authority and momentum to the movement for repeal.

Deliver one entire speech (preferably in a Baptist or Catholic church in the deep South) devoted to how equality strengthens America and homophobia weakens it. Not just one throw away line. An ENTIRE SPEECH. Use the bully pulpit while you have it. It would take one afternoon of your time. Again, the enormous publicity such a speech would receive could have wide and lasting impact on the dialogue this country has about its gay and lesbian citizens and their current state of institutional disenfranchisement.

Appoint an openly gay jurist or legal academic, (man or woman, black, white, hispanic or asian or native American), to the next US Supreme Court vacancy. Yes, you should appoint the BEST candidate, regardless of minority status, but you and I both know that it is possible to both find excellence AND a history-making candidate all in one package. You deliberately floated the names of two lesbians last time around, both with extraordinay qualifications. One of them is considered the most pre eminent legal scholar in the country. Why not demonstrate incredible vision, and make history by appointing one of names you floated the last time?

These steps (and many others) would go a long way towards ensuring that your administration would go down in the history books as having a transformative impact on the lives of gay American citizens and their families and all their straight allies who are patiently waiting for your action. And in so doing, you would be doing your part in the neverending historical relay race that is the long fight for equality in our nation.

Presidential Proclamations, like a small town mayor's keys to the city, are feel good fluff, but essentially ephemeral and meaningless, and in the worst case, demeaning and paternalistic, when unaccompanied by meaningful action.

Instead, take the baton that Lincoln, Truman, Kennedy and Johnson tossed to you and RUN WITH IT, Mr. President. Only hand it off, when your time is done, to your successor, after having made your own indelible mark and having burnished your name forever by adding to your predecessor's historic legacy of courage, strength and relentless determination.

[bbinacan]

1. Good Luck on that

Same as it ever was.

[JI7]

2. don't you think these proclamations show that he will do those things ?

if you recognize and accept gay families, how can you deny those families the same rights as others ?

[ruggerson]

3. good question

[Mari333]

5. he says he supports civil unions

but not gay marriage. that is not enough. even if more benefits are added to the civil unions, it is still a second class status for gay people to not be accorded legal marriage status.

[madokie]

11. Why do you feel that you just have to have the marriage tittle

I don't get it. I have a dear friend who I grew up with who is gay, I'm 61 he's 57 yo btw, who has stuck with me and likewise me to he since we were but babies ourselves but when I say anything on here about not calling yourselves married I get attacked by you and others. Why do you have to have the non-gays accept gays as being called married just now? Wouldn't a proclamation that says that civil unions, or any other choice of words, for a start not be better than what we have today? I'm all for gays calling themselves married or anything else but many are not ready to accept that terminalogy and so by demanding from them that they start calling gays married is keeping any meaningful changes to be made. Can't you see that???

Now go ahead and attack me for what I just typed, ok. I'm tough and can handle it, just in case you might wonder. The reason I say this is because it's happened to me before when I've expressed my thoughts on this here.

Have a great day :-)

We have three sexes, gay, male and female. I know from my own experience that people are born the way they are.

My better sense tells me to not post this but I digress and do it anyway and if it cost me my welcome here then so be it :hi:

[cali]

14. civil unions are inherently unequal. It's really that simple.

[madokie]

19. I have no idea as I'm not gay

but how is something not a little better than nothing? cali

[cali]

20. I actually think that civil unions are better than nothing

that doesn't make them equal.

[madokie]

23. I'm not sure anyone is saying they are equal

I know I'm not. I still say a little is better than none. Furthermore I say it is wrong for some here to take their angst out on me for trying to help myself and they too to understand what the deal is. For instance I nor anyone else, as far as that goes, is not going to change my neighbor who is a bigot no matter what, hell he thinks gays can be fixed for christs sake and as long as the gay comunity tries to make him accept them using the word marriage they will never get anywhere with that. Soon he and the others like him will die off then we can have equality but not until then. IMHO

Why keep kicking a dead horse hoping it'll jump up and run off for crying out loud??? I mean :wtf: over

[theHandpuppet]

15. "We have three sexes, gay, male and female."

It's posts such as these that test my last ounce of civil restraint. Now I'm going to sign off and go pull out my hair.

[madokie]

18. Educate me then

I knew this was going to be

[Toasterlad]

25. "Gay" Is Not a Sex

"Gay" is a sexual ORIENTATION. Gay men are still men, and Gay women are still women. Their orientation makes no difference to their biological sex.

[madokie]

30. ok I get that

now good by and good luck on your mission as you've more than likely lost me helping in the cause any further. :-)

I knew this was going to happen as it always has in the past.

[Bluenorthwest]

17. Who is talking about 'demanding' anyone call anything

by any name? This is about the law, not about the private lexicons of your mysterious 'many'. I suggest you tell 'many' that they can call it whatever the hell they want, as they do now. But the law should not treat people by various standards. Equal is equal, and that is that. It is about the law, not about what 'many' are 'ready' for. When Loving vs VA came down from the court almost the whole country opposed inter racial marriage. Many indeed.

[bullwinkle428]

21. I just have one thing to say about your "three sexes" comment :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEkWH8DB7b0&feature=related

[Name removed]

24. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Toasterlad]

26. Ah. Another "Gays Were Mean to Me, So I'll No Longer Help Them!" Ally.

While we will dearly miss your message of tolerance for all three sexes, I suspect we can live with your loss.

[madokie]

29. Okie dokie then, consider me lost

you are more of the problem than I am, sorry but I have to go, I have work to do today, so I won't be replying anytime soon if you feel you must add to the bull

have a great day anyway though, I know I will. :-)

[FLAprogressive]

32. No. I think they're done to quiet us down and keep the cash flowing in.

[Mari333]

4. There is about to be a HUGE march in DC for Gay Equal Rights

On Oct 10, 11..
I have a feeling they (WH) are revving up the preventative PR but they arent doing a very good job of it.

[FLAprogressive]

31. likely to be ignored by the MSM.....

[Forkboy]

6. K&R

:kick:

[berni_mccoy]

7. What openly gay judge would you like for the Supreme Court?

[ruggerson]

9. Either

Pam Karlan or Kathleen Sullivan would be amazing appointments (both academics).

[enigmatic]

8. K&R

I've always loved your posts, Ruggerson; thank you for your voice :toast:

[stray cat]

10. I want the economy fixed as well and our national debt eliminated and everything funded I want

and single payer health care - free!

[berni_mccoy]

12. I bet you had...

"and a pony too" in there, but edited it out.

:rofl:

[ruggerson]

22. glad you want all that

presumably you can work for your goals without mocking a civil rights movement.

[KG]

27. +infinty

[Toasterlad]

34. That's a Big Presumption.

Seems to me that lots of people on DU won't be satisfied until the gays shut up and get back in the closet.

[Freddie Stubbs]

13. Would an open bisexual Supreme Court Justice be acceptable?

:shrug:

[berni_mccoy]

28. It's like they are asking for a sacrifice at the LGBT alter.

[Toasterlad]

33. Are You Volunteering?

I guarantee that would make me happy for at LEAST a year.

[theHandpuppet]

16. Thanks, Ruggerson

A big K&R for this thread.

:thumbsup:

[JesmanVA]

35. Your post subject...

...summarizes my sentiments exactly.

[berni_mccoy]

36. Obama fully endorses HR 2517, Domestic Partners Benefits and Obligations Act of 2009

You seem to have conveniently forgotten that one.

[berni_mccoy]

37. Annnnndddd... cue the crickets!