Gay Marriage - Hmmm. Obama Could Have Said That Better

While I agree that there are bigger things than gay marriage (passing non-descrimination, etc), Obama could have been a little better when speaking...

The reason that we have to talk about and deal with these divisions is because we get distracted every political season and election cycle by these divisions. And then we end up ignoring these big problems. Think about what these last few election cycles have been about. We argue about immigration, but we don't try to solve the immigration problem. It's an argument that is all about people's passions instead of trying to figure it out. We argue about gay marriage. In the meantime the planet is...potentially being destroyed. We've got a war that is bankrupting us. And we're going to argue about gay marriage? (applause) I mean, that...doesn't make any sense.

via Towelroad

Britain Tells Iranian Gays: Just Don't Act So Gay...

On turning down Ms Emambakhsh and Mr Kazemi's asylum applications, the Home Office has said that, provided Iranians are discreet about their homosexuality, they will not be persecuted.

Disgusting.

via Americablog

Obama And Gays

I've said it many times before, posted examples of why Obama is, possibly, a changing figure in politics when it comes to gays. Obama is much better of gay rights than Clinton. Obama wants to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell, repeal The Defense of Marriage Act. Obama, again, showed his strength and commitment to gay rights. While he is not going to transform the gay rights movement to full equality, that is going to take some time, he is the only candidate that talks to groups normally hostile to gays.

"Obama's rally in Beaumont today was the highest-energy of this Texas swing, with a crowd that was about three-quarters black cheering at almost every turn.

An interesting moment came when he was asked a question about LGBT rights and delivered an answer that seemed to suit the questioner, listing the various attributes — race, gender, etc. — that shouldn't trigger discrimination, to successive cheers. When he came to saying that gays and lesbians deserve equality, though, the crowd fell silent.

So he took a different tack:

"Now I’m a Christian, and I praise Jesus every Sunday," he said, to a sudden wave of noisy applause and cheers.

"I hear people saying things that I don’t think are very Christian with respect to people who are gay and lesbian," he said, and the crowd seemed to come along with him this time.

The moment reminded me of a conversation I had recently with a senior figure in the national gay rights movement, who noted that Obama's deference to some black Christian discomfort with homosexuality — his refusal to dump the "ex-gay" gospel singer Donnie McClurkin from a tour — angered some gays and lesbians; but conversely, that his ability to sell gay rights in the black church is unique and appealing."
via Politico

Again, you never, never hear Clinton talk like this to a crowd that is not made up of gay rights activists. Obama is the only one. This is why I am a bit bewildered by the fact that so many gays and lesbian back Clinton. Simply bewildered.

Is this Clinton-love some sort of pre 9-11 nostalgia? Nostalgia for the halcyon days of Don't Ask, Don't Tell and Defense of Marriage Act?

And before I get emails telling me I've drank some mystical Kool-Aid, I don't think, again, Obama will be our savior when it comes to full equality for gays and lesbians, but to have a national figure, a national figure running for President, speak about our rights, is remarkable.

Seeing Red

You, no doubt, have heard about Lawrence King, the boy killed for being himself? How about the British boy that hanged himself after he told his mother he wanted to be a girl?

Well, Terence, over at Pam's House Blend has had enough with the people that revel in hatred.