Obama and Teh Gayz Open Thread

As Gay Issues Arise, Obama is Pressed to Engage

In the words of David Mixner, a writer, gay activists are beginning to wonder, “How much longer do we give him the benefit of the doubt?” Last weekend, Richard Socarides, who advised President Bill Clinton on gay issues, published an opinion piece in The Washington Post headlined, “Where’s our fierce advocate?”

The White House, aware of the discontent, invited leaders of some prominent gay rights organizations to meet Monday with top officials, including Jim Messina, Mr. Obama’s deputy chief of staff, to plot legislative strategy on the hate crimes bill as well as “don’t ask, don’t tell.” Among those attending was Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign, who said afterward that while the gay rights agenda might not be “unfolding exactly as we thought,” he was pleased.

“They have a vision,” Mr. Solmonese said. “They have a plan.”

While Mr. Obama has said he is “open to the possibility” that his views on same-sex marriage are misguided, he has offered no signal that he intends to change his position. And as he confronts that and other issues important to gay rights advocates, he faces an array of pressures and risks.

The title of the article kind of irks me (my life isn't an "issue," thankyouverymuchkthx), and I dislike how people upset over Rick Warren are described as still "seething;" nothing like being made to look irrationally angry, right? The article also makes it seem as if queer people are the only people upset over Obama's treatment of "our" issues; somehow straight allies are always vanished in pieces like this.

Still, Obama moving slowly on any issue important to LTBTQI folks is pretty much what I expected, so it's not like I'm suddenly all bent out of shape over it because of all the recent Homomentum. It's been there.

Discuss.

(By the way, the photo included with the story makes me want to puke. We won't just protest same-sex marriage, we'll rub it in your fucking face that we can do it any time, anywhere!)