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Re: Obama is Not Our Friend
Sat, June 13, 2009 - 3:33 PMDuring various parts of his Campaign, when pinned down, Obama has stated that he felt marriage was valid only between a man and a woman.
It is unclear whether this reflects "lifeboat politics" or a genuinely myopic view that sexual orientation is not a trait by which people are defined and targeted for oppression as a minority group, and therefore not entitled to be recognized and defended from oppression.
Define a minority as nonexistent and their rights also become nonexistent so protecting and defending them becomes unnecessary and accountability of a government for failing to protect them disappears.
Either way the rights of Gay folk are currently institutionally compromised. The logical necessary approach is civil disobedience.
In either circumstance is important is to demonstrate repeatedly, intensely, and without threat that we exist a people and we are oppressed as a people. But more important is to show that we are united as a people, we are visible as a people and that we are entitled as a people to the same protection as any other oppressed minority, from the denial of civil rights.
I don't think Obama is unreasonable and I think he is capable of getting this message if it is clearly and frequently delivered. It's also more than one Man in the White House who needs to receive this message. It's the entire country.
"We will meet your ability to inflict suffering with our capacity to endure suffering...We will wear you down with our capacity to suffer, and in winning our victory we will not only win our freedom, we will so appeal to your heart and your conscience that we will win you in the process... but we cannot in all good coscience obey your unjust laws," ---MLK
The march on Washington is October 11, 2009.
I will be there. We all need to be there.
Love and affirmation,
Ash -
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Re: Obama is Not Our Friend
Sat, June 13, 2009 - 3:59 PMThere is an unfortunate reasoning behind the idea that he is not "our friend." He is clearly (to me) not our enemy and shouldn't be written off as one. We need all the help we can get, and I think he can deliver some of that. Just because he may not do it in just the method someone might want doesn't mean we alienate him or those around him.
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Re: Obama is Not Our Friend
Sat, June 13, 2009 - 4:07 PMAs we celebrate the 40th anniversary of Stonewall this month we should keep in mind the uncompromising spirit of those rebels. Back then a few of the old guard of the gay rights movement attempted to demobilize people and discourage involvement in the uprising. They wanted to stick to the old behind the scenes plead with politicans approach. Happily nobody listened to them.
In 2009 there are some voices in the established gay and lesbian organizations who would have us subordinate our struggle to the time table of Obama and the Democrats. We should ignore them and press on. We can not allow politicans to dictate the pace of fighting for our rights. Too many people were shy about being critical of Clinton despite the fact that he stabbed us on the back with DADT and DOMA. Some leaders refused to press Al Gore on those issues in 2000. We cannot afford to sacrifice our rights to the politicans.
Civil rights are won in the streets and not in the halls of powers. Our power is our numbers. Mass demonstrations and sit-ins ended segragation. Street protests won women the right to control their own bodies. Mass protests ended US involvement in Vietnam. The spirit of the Stonewall uprising can win our rights in the 21st century.
On to Washington on October 11, 2009.
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Re: Obama is Not Our Friend
Wed, June 24, 2009 - 8:39 AMjust because he's straight doesn't mean he's not our friend. he's the coolest president since Lincoln. i realize that's not a hard thing to be but at least he's not an obviously special interest driven hater. He seems like he has a good heart and vibe. Even if he is a tool, so many people, in the U.S. and around the world, believe in a better America, hope and change that the laws of attraction are certain to manifest good things... -
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Re: Obama is Not Our Friend
Wed, June 24, 2009 - 9:16 AMI would say that on the surface Obama is better than Bush in that he is not tied to the Christian right. However as with all politicans it is more important to judge his deeds and not his words.
He still believes that marriage is something reserved for one man and one woman. In the Justice Department legal defense of the Defense of Marriage Act they did compare homosexuality to insest and pedophiles.
As for the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy which he opposed in his campaign last year he has done nothing to stop enforcement of that policy and numerous gay and lesbian service people have been discharged since he took office. He also is not telling the truth when he claims he cannot stop such discharges. He can issue an executive order, but refuses to do so.
I support the GLBT leaders who have pulled out of attending a Democratic Party fundraiser and also are refusing to attend a special meeting at the White House that Obama arranged to soothe relationships with our community
The march on Washington is still being planned. If the adminstration feels this is an embarrasment and feels put on the spot then so be it.
Similar pressure was put on Dr. King before the civil rights march on Washington in 1963. Democrats told him to be patient and wait for JFK's time table. Happily King ignored the advice to go it slow and because of the march and other actions the Civil Rights Act of 1964 became law.
The fact that The President is straight or that he is a Christian is not a relevant. The community has lots of friends who are religious and hetrosexual who do more to support us than Obama has done so far.
As for the "law of attraction" www.skepdic.com/lawofattraction.html -
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Re: Obama is Not Our Friend
Thu, June 25, 2009 - 6:31 PMof course obama is not our friend.....he's a fucking politician!! duh!!
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Re: Obama is Not Our Friend
Wed, August 26, 2009 - 9:59 PMThe latest "March on Washington" is an east coast phenomenon, organized with no regard for major regional organizational calendars, and no national coordination (um ... having a post office box in DC does not make one a "national" organziation. Clue check?)
I hope those "organizing" this pending national public relations debacle call it off soon. -
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Re: Obama is Not Our Friend
Thu, August 27, 2009 - 9:12 AMequalityacrossamerica.org/blog/
Damien said: "I hope those "organizing" this pending national public relations debacle call it off soon"
Actually since the initial posting support for the march has become stronger due to broken promises by Obama. There are also now plans for a march on the west coast the same day.
While it is good that Obama is showing some symbolic support for our community (hosting a 40th anniversary of Stonewall event at the White House and the Presidential medal of Freeedom to Harvey Milk) he continues to hold back on his campaign pledge to end the Defense of Marriage Act and to end enforcement of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. The White House even went so far as to oppose a move in Congress to terminate funding to enforce DADT.
Far from being an east "coast phenomenon" October 11th is fast becoming an organizing date in the U.S. and around the world.
History has shown us that mass marches are one of the most effective tools we have to secure our rights. Some forces who originally opposed the march on Washington are now getting behind the call for nationwide demonstrations. The national network who helped to draw tens of thousands into the streets two weeks after Prop 8 passed in California have shown that new leaders are emerging and that the old leadership has some catching up to do if they still wish to reamin leaders of anything.
I guess it is a natural tendency for established groups to become complacent and to expect everyone else to folllow their example. Just as a new generation steped in 40 years ago to displace the Mattichine's so now a younger generation of queer leaders are emerging to take action.
All out for the October 11th Nationwide rallies for Gay and Lesbian Equal Rights! -
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Re: Obama is Not Our Friend
Thu, August 27, 2009 - 10:03 PMI might agree with you, if the organizers were actively pushing for regional gatherings (which could truly be novel, if handled well). But they're not. We're all supposed to drop everything and go spend money ( hm... ) in DC.
The whole idea of trying to get "masses" of people to spend the money, gas, and jet fuel to get to and spend time in DC ... in this economy (hm ...) ... is as wasteful as it is inconsiderate of the nationwide LGBTQ equality movement. The Boston/NY/DC/Baltimore/Philly megalopolis, plus a few fly-ins, does not equal "America" (sorry dears, it just ain't true).
And that's the problem. When this march fails to materialize serious numbers, which it will - because it's a northeast coast and not a national effort, called by political amateurs in the middle of a stagnant economy when there's no focal point of rage as with Reagan's stance on AIDS - it will be held up by our enemies as demonstration of our political weakness (and more quietly, through also more damagingly, naivete). The failure to anticipate this reality highlights the dangerous naivete of its organizers (though the whiff of desperation in what you wrote shows the pre-spin blame game is already beginning ... are you paid staff?)
"History has shown us that mass marches are one of the most effective tools we have to secure our rights"
Um, bullshit, dear. "Marches on Washington" are very nearly irrelevant when correlated against actual political change (though they're good for the DC tourist economy, which may be the real point here). The activities which DO correlate with actual political change are: local political organizing, electing local officials, creating local information sharing networks, working in high profile ways to elect federal officials, fundraising for federal candidates, coalition building around the principle of free choice, and direct lobbying of federal officials. This is the process which gave the radical religious right a death grip on the Republican party over the past 30 years. Not "Marches on Washington". We homos have already marched several times over the past 30 years, and are still nearly irrelevant in DC. When do we wake up?
On that last point (direct lobbying of federal officials) the inexperienced folks behind this "march" scheduled it while Congress is in RECESS (uhhh, political bozo alert), which means not only will no one who matters be in DC to even notice the march when it happens, we'd all have better luck catching our representatives back home instead of going to this march.
I hope someone calls this thing off. It's already embarrassing and will only get worse. -
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Re: Obama is Not Our Friend
Fri, August 28, 2009 - 6:10 PMDamien said " which means not only will no one who matters be in DC" That sounds rather elitist, Damien. Anyone who shows up to the march matters every bit as much as you. That is one of the strengths of street protests is that they can bring all parts of our community together for a common political goal, our equal rights. From gay doctors, to actors, to hair dressers to factory workers all of our voices matter as does your own.
Your negative view of mass marches displays a real ignorance of history including the history of the gay rights movement. The modern movement was born out of what some call a riot when street kids and drag queens stood up to police harrassment at Stonewall. Before we had organizations with paid staff and lobbyists, before there were any gay elected officials or laws protecting our rights all we had was street protests, pickett lines and other public protests. We would not be where we wre today without mass demonstrations.
Mass protests hve gained everything from reproductive rights for women to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (which resulted from Dr. King' march on Washington) not to mention the American anti war movement that lead to the first defeat of US imperialism in Vietnam.
The only "dangerous naivete" I see is the idea that we can win our right any other way than direct action that can involve as many people as possible. People power works.
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Re: Whose Your Friend
Sat, June 13, 2009 - 5:09 PMthe president is a symbol of the nation
a place most of us didnt ask to be born into.
neither friend or fiend - but for many
a projection of their hopes and fears.
I hear he smokes too ...
but only a couple a day so thats not too bad.
o'course bad is so subjective
in a culture thats never quite good enough.
... whatever and ever
A-men.
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Re: Obama is Not Our Friend
Sat, June 20, 2009 - 10:02 PMI dont know that much about it but have several friends that are very upset and depressed about his recent change of stance on the DOMA. My friend Dave said they are equating homosexuals with pedophiles and incest and all kinds of bad shit. And that Obama was against the DOMA during his campaign and that now he's done a 180 and supporting it? Gay people helped this mother fucker into office. Two weeks ago he spoke in Egypt adressing the Muslim world and stated that America is not a Christian country. That it is a Muslim country. ??? WTF???!!! And you know alot of Muslims think gays should be put to death. First the mother fucker's a Christian. Then he's a Muslim. He listens to Jay Z when he works out? Typical politician. Saying whatever to whomever to get what he wants. He doesnt even have a birth cirtificate. He was born in Africa. He should be impeached. Fuck this mother fucker! : ) -
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Re: Obama is Not Our Friend
Mon, June 22, 2009 - 7:47 AMObama's actions about gay rights are alarming and that is why I am glad the community is proceeding with a march on Washington. The fact that some of our leaders decided to rock the boat and cut off the ATM to the Democrats has forced a response from the White House in the way of some benefits for same sex federal workers and a meeting between GLBT leaders and the Justice Department.
In reference to his speech in Egypt it should be pointed out that he did not say America was a Muslim country, he pointed out that Muslims were the fastest growing religion in the U.S. I see no problem with that in and of itself as long as Sharia laws and customs are not written into public policies and laws.
I am glad that for the second time the President has said that this is not a Christian Nation. It is a fact to be celebrated that a sitting President recognizes the secular nature of the U.S. IMHO at his time those who would have America be a Christian nation pose a bigger threat to gay rights, womens rights and the Constitution in general. -
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Re: Obama is Not Our Friend
Mon, June 22, 2009 - 11:11 PMFirst he's Christian. Then he's Muslim. He's this. He's that. I think separation of church and state should be mandatory. There should be a dont ask dont tell policy when it comes to religion in politics. If we cant talk about it in school or in the workplace why the fuck should it matter in the Whitehouse?
www.expelledthemovie.com/ -
www.youtube.com/watch - Trailer
www.youtube.com/watch
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Re: Obama is Not Our Friend
Wed, August 26, 2009 - 10:19 PMThe U.S. Federal ship of state - the most powerful single organization in the history of Planet Earth - took a ten or so degree turn to the left last November. Local and regional organizing towards continued progressive social change remains active, and needs much help, though, if we're to hold the (inter)national rudder through the curve, and push the regional rudders leftward through the coming election cycles.
If you're more drawn to create pure alternative cultural examples - outlying lifeboats and beacons - please do, and please stay in communication with the larger culture, and create public models so you serve as attractors for the dominating mainstream forces, from which world-destroying and world-creating resource consumption and creation streams ultimately flow. There is no such thing as true isolation. We all live in harmony, or discord.
Those unable to understand these metaphors and these needs have too little impact on consensus political reality - mass creative and mass destructive resource flows - to merit more than curious, sympathetic attention. And, I am always curious and sympathetic. Always. Please have fun dear outlying sister / brother / other / friends. Explore the furthest fringes, and report from beyond our horizons. You are necessary. You are our scouts. You are valued. Imagine what you need to feel safe and powerful as you face each dark night, then go further, even when it makes us weaker ones nervous. Please come home to help us all when the call to return grows too powerful to resist. And please do not feel despair when some of us follow slowly, if at all. Not all of us have your speed and agility. Value your gifts, and enjoy the great adventure you've been given on this trip through the earth plane.
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