Never has the substantial progress in equal rights and treatment of LGBT people been more at risk than in this presidential contest. This election presents a choice between starkly opposing futures.
Barack Obama is a leader of undeniable accomplishment, vision, and integrity on LGBT rights. His opponent Mitt Romney betrays equality on numerous issues and aligns himself with a faction of the Republican Party that does not include equality among its declared ideals.
The Advocate’s last endorsement was decades ago, but the president’s statement of May 9, unequivocally in favor of marriage equality, along with his record on LGBT rights, has distinguished him for the ages and has made it clear that he is a transformational leader and our best choice for president.
By saying aloud, “I think same-sex couples should be able to get married,” in a televised interview on ABC, he has sparked conversation domestically and internationally. While he is our president at home, globally he’s an icon, a symbol of the promise of America, of the promise of equality. Obama may be the most prominent man on the planet ever, given the pervasiveness of modern media and his anomalous and historic nature as the first black American president; he is surely the single most recognizable head of state on the globe. By virtue of his unique position, his endorsement of marriage equality is not merely rhetoric. His words constitute action. On the very face of it, his statement is enormous, and has the power to move millions in a way that a statement from no other person could have.
Personally I think that if MOST Americans were to examine this President's long list of accomplishments, they too would find themselves speaking in such glowing terms about his presidency.
Well it is at least nice to know that the gay community recognizes the political risk he has taken to come out in support of marriage equality. And that they are ready to work to help him in his bid for reelection.
It's funny, I work with a young lesbian who was meh about the president. This was after having volunteered for him in'08. The day he announced his support for gay marriage, she shrugged and was, like, meh...he's just being political. But! She's actually super excited and pumped up to vote -- FOR OBAMA.
ReplyDeleteI wish polling agencies released data about gay voters. Because gay voters could be the key. 25 percent of them went for W in 2000. If Gore had brought that down to 15 per cent, FL wouldn't have been a squeaker! I'm pretty sure that Obama is going to get, about 88-90 percent of the gay vote. Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if it ended up being more than 90 percent. I don't think it's lost on gay folks that Romney is a part of the organization that poured $$$$ into Prop 8. I think that even Log Cabin Republicans will be voting for Obama.
I'm gay and love Obama, but unfortunately, some of my LGBT friends are upset the president hasn't gone further- executive orders, etc- and threaten not to vote or vote for some third-party candidate. I keep reminding them that any vote not for Obama is for Rmoney, and we won't be better off there.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the Advocate's endorsement will help convince them.
Dave
Texas
Some people are unrealistic, and act like juveniles, thinking THIS president is supposed to bend over backwards for them.
DeleteI never heard them expect Bush II, Clinton, Bush I, or Reagan etc, to kowtow to them. But for some reason they think THIS president is suppose to kowtow to them, solve their every problem, bend over backwards for them, walk the water for them, part the Red Sea for them, and kiss their @sses. That is just disgusting on their part.
President Obama has done more for the gay and lesbian community than any president in US history. So if they are still unhappy about him, it is personal. It is their personal bias against him, obvious.
DeleteSome people think the Nobel Prize was premature.. turns out it was foresight.
ReplyDeleteBravo to the Advocate!
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks for the site to the President's accomplishments, Gryphen. I call that plain hard work. Legislation isn't sexy. And we Americans are beginning to have the attention span of a caffeinated two year old. Everyone wants a sound bite and they want everything to change, now.
And actually it has been changing the entire time.
I love our President Obama. Yes I do!
ReplyDeletePeople please make sure every Pres Obama supporter you can find GETS A BALLOT IN THEIR HANDS!
This election is SO crucial.
The only thing I disagree with is the term 'gay community'. As a gay man, I can say there is not one inclusive LGBTI community. I also haven't read the Advocate in years.
ReplyDeleteWe're as different amongst each other as straight people are different from other straight people.
Though thankfully most straight people don't have the values of Mitt and others in the GOP/tea party, who constantly lie and aren't honest.
I regret that Abraham Lincoln is still associated with a political party which certainly hates non-white people. Along with conservative people who call themselves patriots yet don't know anything about the founding fathers other than what they make up about them.
Me: definitely Obama 2012.
This just emphasizes the enormous contrast between the two candidates.
ReplyDeleteWhile both of them, I'm sure, are always conscious of how their actions affect the campaign, only President Obama is willing to take a stand for something he truly believes in, even if it might lose him some votes. He follows his conscience and vocally supports what he thinks is the RIGHT thing to do. He then follows up with legislative action.
Romney sways with the wind and never declares any strong opinion about any issue if it is at all controversial. The ONLY group he consistently supports and works for is the 1%.
The LGBT community could have an amazing impact on this race. If they want to, that is, and I really hope they do. Think about it, the polling indicates a dramatic shift in public opinion on gay marriage in a very short period of time. Only a decade ago, there was a strong opposition to gay marriage across most demographics, and now over half the population favors it.
ReplyDeleteI don't see how this can be a coincidence or natural evolution of public thought. I think these people are highly motivated to obtain basic human rights, and they're not going to stop until they get them. Women voting for Obama are trying to preserve their basic rights, but LGBT folks could make huge gains - the right to marry at the top of the list.
I really hope they get behind the president in a loud and proud way this fall and convince all their families and friends to help them become equal members of our society.
Obama 2012!
If president Obama loses some votes because of his stance, those voters were not with him in the first place.
ReplyDelete