The President and the LGBT Community

The President and the LGBT Community
By David Mixner
Copyright by David Mixner
Jun 23 2010
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President Given the fact that it is Gay Pride month, the White House reception for LGBT leaders and the huge amount of praise coming from LGBT leaders within the Beltway, perhaps it is a good time to pause and reflect on the President's record on LGBT issues. In a way, Mr. Obama's record can be viewed differently if you are just looking for a long list instead of the epic battles that cry for presidential leadership.

Two of the most significant accomplishments, that are indeed historical, are the passage of the Hate Crimes legislation and the just issued "Family Leave Policy" for corporations that do business with the government. Both are real milestones for the community and would not have come out of the last administration.

During the short tenure of his presidency, we have seen a significant number of employment policies and repeal of regulations that have been issued or changed for the better. A number of these steps just apply to Federal employees or a small select segment of the LGBT community. Yet, each step toward progress should be highly praised and acknowledged. Progress is progress. However, we would be making a major mistake in assuming that just a couple of steps at a time is adequate in an epic great struggle. Changing of regulations is absolutely welcomed but should not be confused with the bold leadership we need for full equality.

Also we must never fall into the trap of "Well he is a lot better than the alternative." Just because I am not being beaten doesn't mean I am free.

Freedom is absolute; there is no such thing as partial freedom. We are involved in daily struggle for full equality and freedom. The President must be judged on not incremental steps but on concrete actions that clearly show he is on the right side of history in this battle. Overall, the President doesn't seem to 'get it.' His failure to lead on so many fronts illustrates that he still believes we are a constituency group to be placated or just another long list of issues that is in front of him. There is no indication that he is yet willing to show the courage of a President Kennedy or President Johnson and take major, decisive and historic action. In actuality we have mostly seen timid and tepid responses to the major issues and at times downright hostility.

The record so far on those major issues is not good. For the last two years, with a vast majority in Congress, many of us have literally begged Washington to take action while the climate and vote counts were good. Did any individual in their right mind think that the vote count would get better in this next election? The best time to deal with these issues was last year. But we were told to wait until after health care. Now many politicians tell us he is swamped with the oil spill. Then we will be told he has to come to terms with this hopeless war in Afghanistan. Soon it will be election time and we will be urged to not force candidates to vote or our desires for freedom will defeat them. After the election, we will be informed that given the new make up of Congress he has to work with the Republicans to get anything done. Finally come 2012, they will tell us to wait until the second term because if we don't, we personally will be responsible in bringing back the people who hate us.

The record of this President and this Congress on DOMA, DADT and ENDA is dismal. The DADT 'compromise' promises us nothing but a promise that maybe it will be dealt with next year. There is no 'stop-loss' order, no mandate, no timeline and no criteria for implementation of the repeal. And even this compromise has yet to pass the United States Senate. We still don't know if we are included in the immigration legislation to allow our partners to stay in America. The LGBT community's issues were stripped from the healthcare legislation. While I appreciate the Attorney General's lovely Gay Pride speech, the record of opposing us every step of the way in the courts with inflamed language is appalling. Their failure to side with us in the courts on Proposition 8 is unforgivable. The failure to speak out in opposing the initiative in Maine was a cowardly political decision.

Progress with rules and regulations is greatly appreciated but at this rate I will be free man at the age of 100. Being included in Easter egg hunts, Father and Mother's Day proclamations are important symbolic acts. Inviting this new generation of leadership to the White House is a powerful image and I hope they had a great time. Going to the White House, no matter when you go, is always a delight. Witnessing the major LGBT appointments by this administration is admirable and reason to be proud We appreciate and honor those actions by this Administration.

However, we no longer are in the 1990's. Our movement has grown far beyond those actions. Our patience has been stretched thin. One step at a time just doesn't work for a people yearning to be free in their lifetime. So out of the over 1000 protections, benefits and rights granted to all other Americans who can get married, we apparently have about 990 to go with this kind of incremental approach.

The LGBT community has grown into a powerful civil rights movement. We have grown out of our "They like us, they really like us!" period into a community that wants total and complete equality and freedom now. Anything less will be inadequate and unacceptable in this time and age.

I look forward to not only rolling eggs on the lawn of the White House but to a time when an LGBT couple can get married in the White House. Washington's slow and piecemeal actions mean we have a very long way to go indeed to reach that place in the sun.