I Always Thought It Was Cool In The Back of The Bus

Pam of Her House Blend, wrote an interesting post about the topic gay rights now versus later, which I’ve discussed before. Pam talks about Rachel Maddow’s persistent pressure on the Obama Administration to talk about gay rights and the reaction this is stirring from other progressives:

The panicked “the gays won’t shut up” progressive reaction follows a predictable get-to-the-back-of-the-bus pattern:

* He’s just been in office four+ months, give him a break.

The usual sit down in the back of the bus and shut up, you’re whining argument (haven’t we heard that before – “we have to get re-elected” “watch out for the midterms,” blah, blah). As if we should sit with our hands folded in our laps and let slide the utterly ridiculous non-answers coming out of the mouth of otherwise-articulate Press Secretary Robert Gibbs (the Blend files are filling up quickly) when he’s asked about DADT.

Man, I hope I don’t seem like I’m telling my people to shut up and stop whining. As I’ve said before, I’m conflicted about Obama and gay rights. I really really want to think that Obama is just waiting on the issues because action now would be futile. But maybe, more to the point, it’s just too depressing to think that he might have lied to us. To have admit that after dedicating a chunk of my life and money to get Obama elected, it would be beyond disheartening that he would simply turn his back on his promises for equal rights for LGBT people.

I very acutely understand how having marriage rights denied to me affects me.  I understand how the lack of immigration equality makes me live in fear.  I also understand that the world is, well, not fair.  I understand that because of politics and religion, laws can take a while.
But it’s becoming less and less reasonable to believe that Obama is a “fierce ally” for gays.  A fierce ally would stand up for equality. He would commend states for providing equality to LGBT couples. He would be condemn Prop 8 and the California Supreme Court’s ruling. A fierce ally would issue stop-loss commands to intervene in the federal government’s continued discrimination because of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.  He would say something, anything. You know how actions speak louder than words?  The absence of both speaks pretty fucking loudly.

I worry that when I say “give him some time” that I might be falling back on a very bad, paternal idea that Obama Knows Best.  For instance, he knows that gays deserve equal rights but he also knows when it’s the right time to let us have them.  Maybe after we eat our spinach?  Or maybe after he is re-elected?

I really wish someone would directly press the issues of gay rights with Obama. Brian Williams asked a stupid, bullshit question about whether or not he is a “friend” to LGBT people. Um, I don’t want a friend. I want a goddamn fierce ally. And stop asking Robert Gibbs questions too   He and the President clearly never talk about how a whole groups of Americans have their rights granted! and then removed! on a state by state basis every couple of months.

I would love for a reporter to sit Obama down and grill him:

“”You said you are a fierce ally of LGBT people, how?”

“What would you need to have happen before you would stop active discrimination in your military policies?”

“What are your plans for repeal DOMA?”

“Do you believe that ENDA should be passed and what will you do to further that?”

“How is giving same sex couples ‘civil unions’ not an example of ’separate but equal’ treatment?”

“Do you support the UAFA?  If not, how do you propose to protect LGBT families in matters of immigration?”
Is this too much to ask?