Politics lag on gay-rights issues

[Forkboy]

WASHINGTON - For 15 minutes in the Oval Office the other day, one of President Obama’s top campaign lieutenants, Steve Hildebrand, told the president about the “hurt, anxiety, and anger’’ that he and other gay supporters felt over the slow pace of the White House’s engagement with gay issues.

But tomorrow, 250 gay leaders are to join Obama in the East Room to commemorate publicly the 40th anniversary of the birth of the gay-rights movement - a police raid on the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York. By contrast, the first time gay leaders were invited to the White House, in March 1977, they met a midlevel aide on a Saturday when the press and President Carter were nowhere in sight.

The conflicting signals from the White House about its commitment to gay issues reflect a broader paradox: Even as cultural acceptance of homosexuality increases across the country, the politics of gay rights remains full of crosscurrents.

It is reflected in the surge of gay men and lesbians on television and in public office, and in polls measuring a steady rise in support for gay-rights measures. Despite approval in California of a ballot measure banning same-sex marriage, six states have now authorized it.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2009/06/28/political_shifts_on_gay_rights_lag_behind_popular_culture/

[Chulanowa]

1. Well, not to belittle the issue, but...

We're still debating torture. There is actually a multi-sided debate as to whether or not it's okay to hook someone's testicles up to a car battery on the assumption he "might know something." Hell, there's even a debate on how much voltage is okay and how much is too much!

We still have politicians who think that because it snows in Minnesota in the Winter, there's no such thing as climate change.

Our Useful Idiots in congress are just now realizing that maybe health care could use a little tweaking.

Politics lags everywhere, unless it comes to filling someone's pockets. Find a way to make same-sex rights as profitable as fucking the uninsured, and you'll be stomping that wine glass before you know it!

[joeybee12]

7. When the people lead, the leaders will follow...n/t

[EFerrari]

2. The Feds and most leadership are way behind the people.

I just heard on GayUSA that when gay marrieds go to change the name on their passport, the Feds have been charging them a fee that straight marrieds don't pay to do the same. Well, that's stopped but, geezelouise, there seems to be no end to the petty, mindless indignities. :grr:

[Prism]

3. Hooray or blah or whichever

On the one hand, I would like Stonewall commemorated, with those present or greatly involved back then honored and appreciated by the nation's highest office.

On the other, I'm having mixed feelings about this administration, who is at this point, using every LGBT individual it can muster as its own personal human shield against the righteous anger of a community that will not be satisfied by symbolism this time around.

I almost, almost want to register a "How dare you?" against this White House, given where we are.

But, I also don't want to take away from those activists and heroes who have fought for so long and so hard to get us where we are today.

So, I suppose muted clapping is the best response. I honor those who came before us, and I wish an administration that fully appreciated them was at work.

[EFerrari]

4. I was tipped to outhistory . org. They have newly found police reports

from Stonewall, in case you want to see. It's awesome that people are working to develop this history:

http://www.outhistory.org/wiki/Stonewall_Riot_Police_Reports%2C_June_28%2C_1969

And here's the NYTs on the acquisition:

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/22/police-records-document-the-stonewall-uprising/

[Prism]

5. I'll never be as brave as them

Neither will 90% of LGBTers in this lifetime.

Which is why what they did deserves our thanks every single day.

[EFerrari]

6. One of those police reports is the arrest record of a straight folksinger

that was arrested right there with his friends. It made me happy to know that straight people have been part of this movement from that very night. :)