The White House Parties Like it's 1999...

two points

I saw a post recently that complained that NO MSM outlet had anything to report on the Stonewall Anniversary.  So, I may take issue with your post on that point only.

The only part of Obama's speech tha I thought was important was his statement that the "urgency" to repeal DADT SHOULD BE COMMUNICATED TO CONGRESS so that they act with urgency.

I feel we need to put the pressure on congress to call Obama's bluff on this.  Pass the DADT legislation as fast as possible.  The bill is in the house GET IT PASSED NOW.  What could possibly hold it up now that the president has directed congress in his speech to act with urgency?  The same goes for the senate.

There is no reason why legislation repealing DADT couldn't be on the president's desk to sign within a couple of months.

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by: timNC @ Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 09:41:50 AM CDT

Actually CNN & MSNBC

both had historical coverage of the Stonewall Anniversary.  

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by: waymonhudson @ Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 10:00:52 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

yes they did

but, I don't consider either of those to be MSM outlets.  They are cable outlets with much smaller audiences than main stream networks like ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX

The question is why have a HUGE special on MSNBC and then say NOT ONE WORD on NBC News?

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by: timNC @ Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 10:08:49 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

That's true-

I have heard that some cities had local coverage of the Stonewall Anniversary (we had a little mention here in South Florida).

You are right, though.  I don't think any of the "national nightly network newscasts" featured the story.

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by: waymonhudson @ Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 10:17:00 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

MSNBC > CNN

For online news I've more often than not turned to CNN over any other source, but I'm starting to shift to MSNBC (well also countless blogs & other websites, but out of the "real" news outlets I went for CNN).

I notice MSNBC had atleast two front page stories on STonewall & CNN had nothing.  I found buried in their politics section one story on kids of gay couples.  It was full of typos & errors saying things like "children of same-sex children" when they meant "of same-sex parents" and talked about how kids struggle with "what do call their parents" and that story only mentioned stonewall once, very casually, not even mentioning that it was the 40th anniversary that day.  And I guess once other media sources covered the stonewall riot anniversary enough, they decided to bump their Children of Same-Sex Children story to the front page, without correcting many of the errors, and without elaborating on Stonewall one iota.

And then today I was reading the Al Franken coverage where CNN started with maybe 2 paragraphs and eventually made it as a front page story with still only about 2 paragraphs, whereas MSNBC front paged it right away with a full page including quotes from the court decision & some analysis.

I've always been a CNN fan, but I'm jumping ship.  I'll still read both most likely as well as all the other blogs & sites I go to, but MSNBC is now higher on the list than CNN when I only have time to read one, or I only want to link to one in a discussion I'm having.

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by: Jake Gellar-Goad @ Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 15:48:18 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

More like 1997...or 1993

Great post, Waymon! Except that it doesn't go back far enough. At the risk of YET AGAIN being idiotically accused of canonizing President Satan, many might not be aware/recall that Clinton met with gay org leaders at the White House in 1993. It wasn't live streamed because I don't think anything was then, but he actually sat down and discussed gay issues with them...not just smile fucked a room packed with guaranteed-to-scream-and-speak-in-tongues Obamoonies with a pasted together speech .... part recyled campaign promises/part please leave Britney er me alone ... read from a teleprompter.

And people left that 1993 meeting in even greater ecstasy than those apparently rebaptized in Kool Aid yesterday. I've said it before and I'll say it again...Obama didn't run for President...he ran for Preacher...but the results are more faith than healing.

Of course, weeks after that historical meeting in the White House, Clinton finally fully caved to the rabid coalition of fag bashers in and outside government and signed DADT.

And, yesterday, Obama reaffirmed his pledge to continue to cave to a microscopic by comparison group of surviving dinosaurs, responding to Lt. Col. Fehrenbach's face-to-face, direct plea for help immediately afterwards with one of Obama Inc's patented auto switch the subject answers. "We're going to get this done [repeal DADT."

Uh, Mr. Commander-in-Chief, he was, entirely reasonably, asking you to stop HIS discharge NOW! [And, yes, it's true the Air Force dinosaurs ordered Fehrenbach not to wear his uniform as he had to Presidential events prior to this.]

1997? That was the year Clinton spoke at HRC's annual banquet. And, even though it was only a year after he'd signed DOMA, because he'd done some good things and had lots of gay appointees, and called for passage of civilian gay job protections [he'd executively ordered federal gay job protections] and hate crimes enhancement [which he'd added to military law by executive order], and said lots of other nice things about gays there were standing ovations and hooting and hollering and...

....all these years later we still have DADT, DOMA, but don't have ENDA or hate crimes enhancement.

So one has to ask more bluntly than you did: what the fuck part of words alone don't mean a goddamn thing do those wetting themselves in and outside of the East Room yesterday not understand?

As to Tim's question about Congress...Lord Obama answered it himself two years ago: what's missing is LEADERship. And Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Carl Levin said the same thing just last week. It ain't gonna happen without the President making it happen.

"Working with Congress" is NOT leadership; it's passing the ball when only Barry the Basketball Lover is the only one at the free throw line. There's so much responsibility passing going on that we'll soon need slo mo to follow it.

Barry passes to Carl and Ike Skelton [House Armed Services Comm Chair] who pass back to him who passes it to the Pentagon who passes it back to Barry who passes it to Harry Reid who passes it to Nancy Pelosi who passes it to....

As I write this, the House repeal bill only has 160 cosponsors out of 218 needed to pass.

There isn't even a bill at all in the Senate.

Bottomline: the refusal to give the DNC any more money until words are replaced by ACTION is going to have to continue, to widen and deepen...or Team Barry is going to run out the clock and we'll be no better off in any major way than we were January 19th.

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by: Michael Bedwell @ Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 11:30:22 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Gloves

Did Obama have his security meet the attendees with rubber gloves on?

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by: TrumpetDC @ Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 13:10:02 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Au contraire...

According to an MCC e-mail blast going around, Mrs. Messiah for the Gays actually hugged and kissed Rev. Troy Perry after Troy said, "I want you to meet Phillip, my husband of 24 years. Today is his birthday."

Alas, it wasn't Lt. Col. Fehrenbach's birthday so all he got was smile fucked.

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by: Michael Bedwell @ Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 14:10:52 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Saw a FOX report last night

on Gretchen what's her name's show.

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by: Karen in Kalifornia @ Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 12:16:09 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

A sedative administered by the President to the LGBT community

That is how I see this event.

He needs to give us the kind of support that he gave to the stimulus bills and bailouts. Then I will believe.

Til then, I will continue to be a noxious stimulus.

I tell you Chica that no greater abomination exists than women denying their spirit of sisterhood and instead becoming the oppressor. -Rebeca, Universidad Complutense de Madrid

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by: MauraHennessey @ Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 09:55:49 AM CDT

But let's hope

he doesn't botch our issues the way he botched the stimulus.  All he did was give lots of our money to the bankers and brokers, which only served to continue the status quo rather than dealing with the root problems.  Serious reform of our financial system, analogous to what the nation saw under Theodore Roosevelt, was as near as I can tell never even considered.

I fear that any action we get from him on our issues might likewise be so timid and half-hearted it will only serve to perpetuate the status quo in a similar way--or make things worse.  He certainly won't do anything for us without giving an even bigger present to Josh Dubois & co.  I'm seriously starting to think we might be better off with him doing nothing.  

We made lots of advances at the local level despite Bush.  We can do the same under another bad president.  And keep working so that someday we'll get a president who's a real leader.

The American people, taking one with another, are the most timorous, sniveling, poltroonish, ignominious mob of serfs and goose-steppers ever gathered under one flag in Christendom since the end of the Middle Ages.
-H.L. Mencken

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by: QScribe @ Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 10:43:00 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

See, Obama does bring Hope

I just don't think this is what some people thought he meant.

# Duty, duty -- honor is, is --
Honor, Creideiki -- alertly
# Shared, is -- Honor #

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by: MileHighDawg @ Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 10:50:59 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Well said, Waymon

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by: kevinchi @ Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 10:01:56 AM CDT

It's a shame

No one asked Obama on camera what he thinks about police beating up gays in the Rainbow Lounge.

I'll mention this again here, since this is a current post:

The reporting on the Rainbow Lounge is in a huge number of papers - both U. S. and foreign:

But, the New York Times has not mentioned it.

Also, the rally at the Fort Worth Convention Center  this weekend will be important to keep the story alive. The Convention Center is huge, so, if 500 people show up, it will look like a failure on camera.

The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in time of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality. -- John F. Kennedy (inspired by Dante's Inferno)

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by: oldbrit @ Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 10:19:53 AM CDT

Or, better yet....

Someone should have invited him on camera to attend the convention center rally.

By the way, I heard a report this morning that the armed forces officer who is currently booted under DADT attended the event, but he was told not to wear his uniform.

The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in time of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality. -- John F. Kennedy (inspired by Dante's Inferno)

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by: oldbrit @ Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 10:22:17 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

There's nothing "hostoric" about plying suckers with liquor

Latest FaBlog: Cocktails at Barry's

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by: David Ehrenstein @ Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 10:21:03 AM CDT

You know

a few weeks ago people were angry that the President made no public statements on LGBT issues. They attacked him for his silence. Now that he's spoken out.....suprise!....they are still bitter and angry.

That's a great way to keep allies...attack them no matter what they do.  

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by: SciFi Geek @ Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 10:35:12 AM CDT

We have an ally in the White House?

Really?  Who is it?  Sasha?  Or Bo?

Dude.  If DADT weren't treated like a live freaking grenade.  If the DOJ hadn't decided that people like me are akin to incestuous uncle-niece marriages and pedophiles.  If the DOJ hadn't declared that recognizing same-sex marriages would bankrupt the country (but never-ending wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are just peachy, not to mention neverending deep pockets to bail out financiers on Wall Street).  

Then, words of support could have been enough.  Instead, we keep getting slapped and then asked to support the Democrats.

The next question is a bit personal:  do you ever get tired of supporting people who couldn't care less if gay people lived or died?

# Duty, duty -- honor is, is --
Honor, Creideiki -- alertly
# Shared, is -- Honor #

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by: MileHighDawg @ Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 10:42:52 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Then why do you attack US no matter what we do?

The American people, taking one with another, are the most timorous, sniveling, poltroonish, ignominious mob of serfs and goose-steppers ever gathered under one flag in Christendom since the end of the Middle Ages.
-H.L. Mencken

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by: QScribe @ Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 10:44:41 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Eh

I suppose that SciFi thinks that all of us elite white faggots should just sit the fu*k down and shut the fu*k up and continue to hope, I suppose. And take absolutely no action.

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by: kevinchi @ Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 10:48:44 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Our pom-poms aren't matching

We really should color-coordinate better...

# Duty, duty -- honor is, is --
Honor, Creideiki -- alertly
# Shared, is -- Honor #

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by: MileHighDawg @ Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 10:52:15 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

When they act like allies

I'll call them allies.    The big question...is he an actual ally?  He has a "sworn to his god" duty to protect and defend the constitution...we have rights under that constitution that we are not enjoying.

Will he fulfill his duties to part of his citizenry?  That makes him an ally.

Hate stops a beating heart.

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by: KarenS @ Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 10:45:50 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

I don't think the "no public statements" is what caused the anger...

I think it was that the only statement on LGBT rights was the DOMA brief, obviously not a good start from a fierce advocate.

I actually think Obama made the point perfectly in his speech yesterday- "Don't judge me by promises made but promises kept."  Words and statements are nice and make us feel good, but they don't get us rights or prove leadership on our issues.

Let's be clear- I'm not "attacking" Obama.  We are complicit in the inaction by not demanding more from our leaders until very recently.  We can have allies and still push them in the right direction.  

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by: waymonhudson @ Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 10:46:57 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Please be careful when you use the

word "we."

Most rank and file GLBT folks did not support Obama in the primaries, and many of them only voted for Obama in the GE because they felt that they had nowhere else to go.

Obama is an obstacle, not an ally, in the struggle for equality.

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by: dk @ Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 11:15:58 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

How long?

SciFi Geek, I am sincere about this question. If you could have 100% of what you want, if we all acted exactly the way you say we should act, about how long do you think we would have to wait for our civil rights to be recognized?

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by: Denys Howard @ Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 12:35:12 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Not long at all

The key is timing and setting priorities. It is hardly unreasonable to ask people to cool their jets while the government tries to fix some of the messes caused by the previous administration.

Nor is it unreasonable to advocate for equality while showing a modicum of restraint and patience. Truman did not desegregate the military upon taking office. It took him two years to address the issue. Obama has been given six months. That is the opposite of reasonable patience.

I look at it this way. Since some folks are SOOOO dissatisfied with the current government, they need not worry to long. As they work to tear down that government and sow discord in the coalition...they will have the pleasure of life under a GOP government soon enough. Some people are obviously longing for the days of threats of constitutional amendments and having the word gay/homosexual used in attack ads.

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by: SciFi Geek @ Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 20:30:42 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Your mama was right, Geeky: don't play with matches!

You REALLY should give up on trying to use Truman in ANY way to defend your Massa because EVERY contrast between the two only adds to the evidence that Obama is a coward and blows up in your face.

Truman didn't spend his campaign for Vice President [from which office he fell into the President 82 days into FDR's 4th term] promising even ONCE to racially desegregate the military.

On the other hand, it was a HUGE part of Obama's campaign both for the nomination and then as candidate for Prez.

And HE GAVE HIMSELF ONE DAY TO start fighting for repeal.

"America is ready to get rid of the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy. All that is required is leadership. That work should have started long ago. It will start when I take office." - BO, November 29, 2007.

http://www.leonardmatlovich.co...

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by: Michael Bedwell @ Wed Jul 01, 2009 at 00:52:57 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

To follow up

hmmm. I didn't know this:

Truman followed a very good example in Roosevelt. Also.

A Philip Randolph and the NAACP put tremendous pressure on Roosevelt before and yes, during the war.

Ah, the Mare Island Mutiny

http://www.oah.org/pubs/magazi...

Which, in part, culminated in this

December 1944. The first integrated units fight in Europe when an infantry shortage necessitates mixing black and white units fighting the Battle of the Bulge.

And before that FDR had desegrgated part of the federal workforce, I believe. And there were discussions to desegregate the military. So Truman was really, truly, following up on pressure that was put on Roosevelt by the NAACP even during the war. Again, Truman was forced to signed that executive order and you know what?

The African American vote pulled him through. Again, he was forced to do it  

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by: kevinchi @ Wed Jul 01, 2009 at 01:25:30 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

I say that to say

we need to continue to put the pressure on Obama, not relax the pressure. I mean, if Obama wants to be FDR-like...

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by: kevinchi @ Wed Jul 01, 2009 at 01:27:06 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

How very, very long...

As I've mentioned before, I've been waiting (and working) 40 years.  When I first had sex with someone else, I became a criminal.  In Oregon.  In the 1960s.  (Oregon's anti-sodomy law wasn't repealed until 1971.)

From my perspective, it has been a whole lot longer than six months.

Do you have any sympathy at all for the impatience I feel?  (Not accusing, just asking.)

We're here! We're queer!
He'll get to us eventually...

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by: Denys Howard @ Wed Jul 01, 2009 at 16:36:54 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

You know (Part 2)

a few months ago Obama said he was a "fierce advocate" for GLBT people.  That he needed our vote and $$$ money.  Obama said he would end DOMA and DADT and sign ENDA.  Now that he is President ... surprise!  ... he says and does nothing for GLBT other than "talk".

AND to make things worse, his DOJ submits a brief defending DOMA.  Oh, and did I mention the brief said GLBT marriage is the same as incest and pedophelia?

Yet he puts up a Stonewall "The CRUMBS" party.  

And you wonder why people are still bitter and angry.

That's a great way to keep allies Obama ... attack people by insulting them no matter what they do or did to help you win with time, money and votes.

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by: Juan @ Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 17:36:31 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Soaring Rhetoric and Empty Results

I think your post strikes a true chord. I remember watching Obama's speech in support of Kerry at the Democratic convention in 2004 and feeling incredibly elated at his mention of the "gay friends in red states." Over time it became clear that this was a mere rhetorical device. If Obama has gay friends-- true friends-- they never materialized in either the red or blue states. He has shown an ability to deliver an excellent speech on where policy should be, while showing no propensity to do any heavy (or even light) lifting to move policy in that direction. There appears to be no member of his inner circle who is lgbt. His highest appointments are Clinton rehashes to the Office of Personnel Management and the Export Import bank. I found yesterday's speech upsetting because Obama acted as if he is above the fray and bears no personal responsibility for actions that have infuriated the lgbt community. For instance, DOMA need not be defended--indeed, one sworn to uphold the constitution has a duty to oppose an unconstitutional law-- so to suggest that he has a duty to defend DOMA misportrays the Department of Justice's responsibility. He spoke about trying to avoid "exacerbating the divide," while defending a bigoted law, ignoring that it was his Justice Department that filed a vile, prejudice-filled brief defending DOMA in the strongest possible terms and making every argument against gay equality. He could have withdrawn the brief; he didn't. He could have called the brief a mistake; he didn't. The fact remains that the brief will be trotted out-repeatedly-- by those opposed to getting rid of DOMA or by standing in the way of any lgbt civil rights advancement. On DADT, he talks about wanting to make a policy "stick". He doesn't explain why a stop-loss order is inconsistent with that. He doesn't detail any of the issues. Harry Truman wasn't so timid in removing racial barriers and that change not only "stuck," but is one of the great achievements of his presidency.
     I was surprised to see the list of invitees yesterday and learn that I know several of them very well. I am disappointed to see that in the zeal to "have your picture taken with the President" so many are willing to provide cover and comfort to an administration that has thus far delivered nothing on lgbt rights.
    I agree with Obama that we should judge his administration on its results as to lgbt issues. I believe we should do so beginning now. What grade does it get to date?

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by: David Goroff @ Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 10:36:19 AM CDT

Heh

See, and you and I know Obama pretty well. I've only met briefly a few of the Chicago people on the list.

The issue is no longer Obama's silence. I would rather he had continued to be silent than for his DOJ to have filed that foul brief. Now he has taken actions and his Administration can be judged.

Of course he still has time. But don't come back to the community (especially the Chicago gay community, I really do feel betrayed) asking for support. At least not from me.

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by: kevinchi @ Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 10:46:18 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

When Obama

is in Chicago, he need not go crawling to the spoiled elite that you show such an affinity for. He has PLENTY of friends in this city.

At this point I agree... he should do himself a favor and go back to ignoring this community. He should definately stop extending his hand to a community of people who do nothing but clench their fist when they don't immediately get their.

As a side note, for a community that is rampant with overt racism sexism and classism...it has no business demaning ANYTHING NOW when it is itself unwilling to address it own bigotry NOW.

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by: SciFi Geek @ Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 20:22:45 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

In fact, as I've noted

my own boss is not one of "the spoiled elite" but is actually a "community organizer" in his own right in the field of education and has been so for 30 years.

I'll let you figure out who he knows and calls by his first name.

And do you really want me talking about the "rampant" homophobia in the African American community, sir? There's bigotry that need to be addressed on both sides so don't go slinging those cards.

Don't forget, I am African American, too.

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by: kevinchi @ Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 21:10:20 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Honestly

I wish he had not had this fete.  

He didn't lead the Stonewall Rebellion.
He wasn't at Stonewall.  
He would not even have been at Stonewall, even if he were of the right age.
His DOJ DOMA-gate letter IS a stone wall,  blocking our full citizenship in this country.

This celebration is a mockery, a celebration of something that has yet to be realized for LGBT citizens.

The LGBT community fought back then, they didn't wait for government celebrations of our achievements.

Hate stops a beating heart.

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by: KarenS @ Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 10:57:48 AM CDT

Junior High

"OMG,did he really mention my name?  No way!  How did he look when he said it?  Was he like happy or romantic or what?  Did he say it just that one time?  No??  OH MY GOD!  He said it how many times?  I'm going to freak out.  I can die happy."

"In order to maintain an untenable position, you have to be actively ignorant."  The Colbert Report

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by: Lev Raphael @ Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 11:49:25 AM CDT

I was underwhelmed by the speech

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by: Karen in Kalifornia @ Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 12:18:00 PM CDT

You got it Lev

The A-Gays are thrapped in a giant re-run of My So-Called Life in which Obama is their Jordan Catalano

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by: David Ehrenstein @ Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 13:37:08 PM CDT

Michelle looks upset at Obama

Boy, their body language doesn't say they are happy to be next to each other.

Who knows, maybe they didn't want to be there.  Perhaps Michelle has been upset at Obama for not doing enough for GLBT equality.  Meanwhile, maybe Obma was perhaps being cocky and told Michelle she had to be there to show HER support when really he needed her only to show "the gays" that he is married and therefore straight.  Something looks totally amiss.

Meanwhile, those in attendance sure seem needy and more than happy to take crumbs.

Obama said nothing about DOMA yet people still clapped.
Shame!

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by: Juan @ Tue Jun 30, 2009 at 16:50:13 PM CDT