01.05.08
Posted in Advocate Articles, Gay Rights at 12:31 pm by pikapp44
But Obama’s audacity is not only his unwillingness to support the issue, but also his misunderstanding and misuse of the term “gay marriage.” The terminology “gay marriage” not only stigmatizes and stymies our efforts for marriage equality, but it also suggests that LGBT people’s marriages are or would be wholly different from those of heterosexuals, thus altering its landscape, if not annihilating the institution of marriage entirely.
But Obama’s remarks in a recent interview with Tim Russert on NBC’s “Meet the Press” spoke somewhat encouragingly about granting LGBT couples not marriage, but certainly civil union rights.
However, having lived outside of America during its turbulent decades of the Jim Crow era and legal segregation, Obama does not know, on a visceral and lived experienced level, what it was like for African-Americans.
But he ought to know, as a civil rights attorney, that granting LGBT Americans only the right to civil union violates our full constitutional rights as well as reinstitutionalizes the 1896 U.S. Supreme Court case of Plessy v. Ferguson. As a result of that case, the “separate but equal” doctrine became the rule of law until it was struck down in the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision.
However, Obama doesn’t get that regardless of one’s gender expression or sexual orientation, we want equal status to be institutionalized within our marriages as well.
Although not a cradle Christian, Christianity became Obama’s newfound religious identity late in his life. And his affinity to conservative Christian beliefs not only informs his decision on the issue of marriage equality, but it also solidifies his decision about us in a community of believers like himself.
“I must admit that I may have been inflected with society’s prejudices and predilections and attribute them to God, ” Barack writes in his book. “My work with pastors and lay people deepened my resolve to lead a public life. … I had no community or shared traditions in which to ground my most deeply held beliefs. The Christians with whom I worked recognized themselves in me; they saw that I knew their Book and shared their values and sang their songs.”
Religion has become a peculiar institution in the theater of American politics. Although its Latin root “religio” means to bind, it has served as a legitimate power in binding people’s shared hatred in both red states and blue states, both intentionally and unintentionally.
Obama’s “The Audacity of Hope” is not a must read for LGBT voters, because he fails to fully comprehend or sincerely commit to the issue of social justice for all Americans. He does not tackle head-on how the religious rhetoric of this political era has played an audacious role in discrimination against LGBT people, leaving us with little to no hope, his rhetoric included.
“In years hence, I may be seen as someone who was on the wrong side of history. I don’t believe such doubts make me a bad Christian,” Obama writes.
As LGBT voters, our job is neither to judge nor vote for Obama on whether he is a good Christian. It is, however, for us to judge and vote on whether he is a good statesman.
Should he run for president, he won’t get my vote - by Rev. Irene Monroe .
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01.04.08
Posted in Gay Rights at 4:33 pm by pikapp44
New Hampshire is ready to face the nation as the first state to cast its primary votes for the next President of the United States. Hundreds of paid and volunteer staff members are filling the candidate’s campaign offices making phone calls, plotting areas to canvass, licking envelopes and planning press conferences and rallies in the days leading up to the Jan. 8 election day.
For the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender ( LGBT ) community, these days are filled with a renewed sense of hope and guarded optimism. The leading Democratic candidates have a small but efficient section of staff members whose job is to handle requests for information regarding their candidates’ view on issues of interest to the LGBT community. These staff members, both paid and volunteer are working tirelessly to insure that the needs of the LGBT community are not ignored. In fact, these staff members are making a concerted effort to get the LGBT community involved in the campaign process. Calls are going out to local businesses, including bars, restaurants, book stores and service-oriented concerns in an effort to reach out to as many voters as possible. Candidate’s flyers, bumper stickers, buttons and brochures are piled high in these establishments, while rallies and public demonstrations of support are being planned. Busloads of supporters are arriving daily from around the country to work for their candidate and to get local LGBT voters involved.
National organizations like The Human Rights Campaign ( HRC ) and Stonewall Democrats are providing financial and logistic support to the national campaign staff members in New Hampshire. These groups are using their clout to encourage LGBT voters, who may be reluctant to vote, to make a difference.
One way that the candidates’ staff are trying to reach out to the LGBT community is through small, intimate gatherings and fundraisers held in private homes. One such gathering took place in the home of Jim Webber and his partner, David Preece. Webber and Preece, recent transplants from Los Angeles, were concerned about the raising tide of homophobia and wanted to do something to stop it. Their home, decorated for Christmas with “Hillary for President” signs placed in strategic areas, was the setting for a recent rally. Webber and Creeke believe that Senator Clinton is the best candidate for president, believing that she will promote LGBT concerns, based on her past experience as First Lady and as a current sitting Senator. While their support is low-key, it is still passionate when they speak about their concerns.
The guest speaker was Congressman Barney Frank, D-Mass., an openly gay member of Congress and Chairman of the powerful Finance Committee. Frank was funny and passionate about his support of Senator Clinton. “We have an important role to play in this election. We in the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community need to work on changing the atmosphere of hate and fear that is sweeping this country. We need to improve the lives of all LGBT people and by working to elect Hillary Clinton for President, we can do it. She is person who can make this happen. In the interest of full disclosure, my sister works for the National Democratic committee but that has not influenced my opinion. I really believe that Hillary Clinton is the best person for this job and I want to see her elected.” Frank went on to discuss the other candidates from both parties, delivering funny observations about each candidate. His most scathing comment was reserved for former Massachusetts governor, Mitt Romney whom Frank referred to as “synthetic.” He did say that he believe that Senator John McCain, R-Ariz., was the Republican candidate that may pose the biggest problem to the Democratic nominee if he were to win the Republican nomination.
State Rep. David Pierce followed Frank and emphasized the importance of getting members of the LGBT community to vote in this primary. “We need to change the course that this country is taking. The current administration has failed, indeed, they have messed up and we need to elect someone to the presidency that can clean up this mess. I believe that that person is Hillary Clinton.”
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Posted in Advocate Articles, Gay Rights at 4:27 pm by pikapp44
Tel Aviv is the latest Israeli city to announce it will recognize same-sex couples, a move that has angered rabbis and the religious parties.
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01.03.08
Posted in Gay Rights at 1:27 pm by pikapp44
Former Arkansas governor and Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee appeared on Meet the Press with Tim Russert Sunday, explaining that he doesn’t believe homosexuality is linked to sadomasochism, pedophilia, or necrophilia. “But one thing I know, that the behavior one practices is a choice,” said Huckabee, even if “we may have certain tendencies.”
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