White House Repeatedly Declines to Endorse Two LGBT Bills

[The Philosopher]

from Metro Weekly

On March 10, the White House held a conference dedicated to discussing bullying prevention and sharing ideas and strategies for combating the crisis. Despite the setting, the two pieces of federal legislation specifically crafted with that aim were not mentioned by the multiple senior administration officials, including President Barack Obama, who spoke at the event.

...

What was completely absent from the president's remarks was any mention – however fleeting – of either legislative effort aimed at combating bullying or discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

The two main pieces of legislation that advocates such as the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) have been pushing are the Safe Schools Improvement Act (SSIA) and the Student Non-Discrimination Act (SNDA). The SSIA would amend the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act to include bullying- and harassment-prevention programs, including ones based on sexual orientation or gender identity. The SNDA, modeled after Title IX, would add sexual orientation and gender identity to federal education nondiscrimination law.

The SSIA was reintroduced by Sens. Bob Casey Jr. (D-Pa.) and Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) earlier in the week of the conference and has 19 co-sponsors. At the end of the 111th Congress, the bill had 132 sponsors and co-sponsors in the House and 18 sponsors and co-sponsors in the Senate.

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[FreeState]

1. Chris Geidner right on the money in this article

I follow him on twitter, he's not one of my favorites as he often takes a more moderate view, but he is right on the money here... all talk no action once again.

[MNBrewer]

2. Obama hasn't figured out how to make us squirm eno

to get him to endorse these bills. He needs us to beg, to get down on our hands and knees.

[thanks_imjustlurking]

3. Nah. Not even that will help. nt

[MNBrewer]

4. exactly how did my comment that Obama hasn't figured out

how to make GLBTs squirm enough violate rules?

[The Philosopher]

6. Pose the question in the ATA forum

From what I remember, I don't think it did, unless someone decided it wasn't supporting a Democrat. If the President posts on DU, it could violate the "question the motives of DU members" rule.

[MNBrewer]

8. It was an error?

[The Philosopher]

9. Wow

I wonder how many go uncorrected. But it's good he undeleted it.

[yardwork]

7. National security threat.

[_ed_]

5. Obama has real contempt for gay and lesbian voters

I think it stems from his personal views -- he seems really uncomfortable even talking about gay issues. I think he's deeply homophobic in his personal life, and it affects his politics.