As D.C. readies for the National Equality March, a lot of attention is focused on President Barack Obama's planned speech to the Human Rights Campaign dinner on Saturday night. Will this be another eloquent moment where a lot gets said but nothing of substance gets done? Or will he use the occasion to has been or is imminently about to be done for all us gays and lesbians who hung our hopes on his election?
I'm hoping for the latter, but recent experience has me prepared for the former. Given the tepid and unenthusiastic attitude his administration has shown since January 20 on gay issues -- most recent example: today's latest wafflings by Robert Gibbs, who continues his descent from no-nonsense one-word answers to disingenuous gobbledygook at a rate that could give even Dana Perino pause -- I can't imagine why Obama would bother to show up if he didn't have something of substance to offer.
And I'll be keeping those thoughts in mind on Saturday night when I'm part of Sirius OutQ's coverage of Obama's HRC speech, alongside the fabulous Pam Spaulding. I love doing radio, so I'm looking forward to doing the show. And I have a couple of bones to pick regarding Obama's treatment of gay issues, so I'm looking forward to sharing my feelings, by they frustration or fulfillment.
Yeah, probably frustration.
For the record, things of substance would include:
--Announcing a stop-loss order or other executive step to stop discharges under Don't Ask, Don't Tell, and/or announcing a concrete and explicit strategy to introduce and move a legislative repeal of DADT through Congress.
--Taking an unequivocal stand in support of marriage equality in Maine and Washington, D.C., and in favor of domestic partner legislation in Washington state, while there's still time for a presidential declaration of support to protect the rights of gays and lesbians in those states.
Things of substance would not include:
--Pledging to sign the hate crimes bill that has already passed once (only to run into George Bush) and is about to pass again, if all goes well. If this is what Obama holds out as proof of concept for gays on his presidency, we should be very, very angry.
--Same goes for ENDA, a bill that came within one vote of passing in the Senate under Clinton. Attempting to make this his administration's calling card on gay issues would be insulting, at best.
Which means what I'm looking for is something on Don't Ask, Don't Tell repeal. Will I be pleased or pissed come Saturday night? Tune into OutQ to find out.
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