What Has Obama Done for LGBT Americans?

[babylonsister]

http://unicornbooty.com/2011/09/what-has-obama-done-for-lgbt-americans-incredible-infographic/




Ask not what your country can do for you, but what your “evolving” President has done for the LGBT community while in office. The answer? Quite a freaking lot, actually.

Extending benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees? Check. Signing the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act into law? Double check. Ending gender identity discrimination in the federal government? Recording an It Gets Better video? Declaring DOMA unconstitutional? Repealing Don’t Ask Don’t Tell? Hosting anti-bullying Conference at the White House? Restoring sexual orientation to the United Nations protected human rights?

Check, check, check, check, check, and check.

Faced with a laundry list of still present inequalities, it can become easy for the LGBT community to flippantly wave off President Barack Obama’s contributions to our lives. His devolving stance on some matters doesn’t help. But the fact of the matter is that no president, politician, or single person has done more for the LGBT community in the entire history of our country. No joke.

So do the man that has done so much for you a favor, and share this infographic with your pals, peers, and families. We’ve got a big vote ahead of us next year, and your biggest ally could use all the help he can get.

Thanks for having our backs, Mr. President!

[Cali_Democrat]

1. Obama needs to renounce his prior statement when he said "marriage is between a man and a woman"

That's the ultimate "check" and the one that matters most IMO.

[babylonsister]

2. Wow, a negative opinion from you.

:wow: Well I never woulda thunk it!

[Cali_Democrat]

3. What did I say that was negative?

Saying he should renounce that statement is negative? :crazy:

[babylonsister]

5. How about applauding what has been done, as witnessed by

this chart? There's your negative, but that's okay, that's what I expect.

:crazy:

[Cali_Democrat]

10. My post:

Obama needs to renounce his prior statement when he said "marriage is between a man and a woman"

How in the world is that negative? I'm just not understanding you. Your reply to me is very strange.

[Bluenorthwest]

62. It is not negative it is the truth,

He needs to renounce his bigoted past rhetoric. He could also explain what 'sanctity' means in a civil context, just for fun.

[Pisces]

18. I know, what a surprise.

[Name removed]

13. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[boppers]

46. Honestly quote, and get honest responses.

Selectively edit your quotes, and expect that same kind of honesty in return.

[Cali_Democrat]

52. Obama: "I believe that marriage is between a man and woman"

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1598409/barack-obama-answers-your-questions.jhtml

[boppers]

56. Thanks for linking to a fuller context.

It's still not a simple phrase.

[Tx4obama]

4. K&R. Great Chart / List. Thanks for posting it. n/t

[Number23]

6. What in the world is unicorn booty?

Love the blog entry and love this chart, but is this a reliable source?

"But the fact of the matter is that no president, politician, or single person has done more for the LGBT community in the entire history of our country."

That's a hell of a quote. And this sentiment seems evident to me as well.

[Tx4obama]

7. I've never heard of unicorn booty before, but everything on the chart is true. n/t

[Number23]

9. I learned a long time ago to always consider the source

So even though the chart may be correct, I was still wondering.

From their About Us page: "Unicorn Booty puts a fresh face on LGBT. We are a gay blog that connects gays and their allies to the best and baddest treasures every day, covering gay news, world news, culture and gay-friendly businesses.

...We came up with the Unicorn Booty concept in December of 2009 after seeing similar concepts being executed without a focus on a niche market. We considered the massive buying power of the gay community, as well as the fierce brand loyalty to LGBT-friendly companies, and realized that there was an unserved market opportunity: to connect people with gay-friendly businesses so we can support companies that support us!

Several weeks later, Unicorn Booty was birthed amidst coffee and tea at Oddfellows Cafe in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. And the rest, as the cliches tell us, is history."

http://unicornbooty.com/about/

So it's a very new blog but from the quick view I just took, they seem to have some good writers on board and seem to be pretty good with attribution.

Works for me. :)

[Tx4obama]

11. The Chart is from 'Obama for America'. Look at the fine print at the bottom of the graph. n/t

[Number23]

15. Well, specifically it says "PAID for by Obama for America"

That doesn't necessarily mean they did it.

[Tx4obama]

19. It is a down load pdf file on the Barack Obama website

http://www.barackobama.com/news/progress-for-the-lgbt-community

[Bluenorthwest]

63. Words that were bought and paid for....

of course.

[babylonsister]

8. It's a blog I'm a fan of.

Other than that, I have no clue, so if someone can find something inaccurate there (and I'm sure people are looking:)), let us all know!

[Number23]

14. You got that right

so if someone can find something inaccurate there (and I'm sure people are looking)

[Tx4obama]

54. There is a 'typo' in the chart.

It says: Edith Winsor
it should be Windsor, with a 'd'

p.s. That's the only mistake that I've heard anyone speak of so far.

[Pab Sungenis]

12. Considering that what had been done for the LGBT*.* community by every other President

was NOTHING, then yes, Obama has done more than every other President.

As for politician or single person, I dare say there's a huge list of people who have done more. Harvey Milk comes to mind for one. The Stonewall rioters, individually and collectively. Larry Kramer and ACT-UP. The founders of the Mattachine Society. I could go on and on.

The statement is pure hyperbole and does everyone a disservice.

Don't get me wrong, he repealed DADT and is fighting to repeal DOMA. He did a lot of other little stuff, too. But he also insulted us and jerked us around a lot during his first two years.

I give him credit where due, and applaud his "evolution." Now let's see where it leads.

[The Doctor.]

16. So by that math, he did *Infinitely* more than any and every other President.

Now all we have to do is find a way to multiply infinity by two dozen.

Then we'll have a better idea of what he's done.

[Pab Sungenis]

23. By that standard, all he needed to do to beat Bill Clinton

was not sign any anti-gay legislation. Remember it was Clinton who gave us DADT and DOMA, setting our rights back 30 years.

By that standard, all he needed to do to beat W was not call for an anti-gay Constitutional Amendment.

By that standard, all he needed to do to beat Reagan was not laugh at us while dying.

It was a very low standard. Don't judge Obama by what others did or didn't do, judge him by what he's done so far and what he's continuing to do.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

30. How about judging him by both?

And in both cases, he's done very well.

[Pab Sungenis]

34. No, don't judge him by what others have done

since he had no control over them. Judge him by his own actions, which have significantly improved in just recent weeks.

[boppers]

50. "just recent weeks"?

So, you're willing to forgo everything from 2009, 2010, and earlier in 2011 as meaningless?

[Pab Sungenis]

51. I don't. I said

"which have significantly improved in just recent weeks."

He did a lot of small things, but his actions in recent weeks (certifying the repeal of DADT and stopping the defense of DOMA) significantly improved his record. Those were big things.

[boppers]

57. "stopping the defense of DOMA" wasn't in recent weeks.

Unless, of course, we have wildly differing definitions of "recent".

[Pab Sungenis]

67. Maybe "recent weeks" was a bit of an exaggeration of my own.

Let's say "recent months."

[moriah]

91. DADT was an improvement over the past, believe it or not.

Before DADT, homosexual activity was still against the UCMJ. And they could investigate based on whatever they damn well pleased, could pry into a person's sexual history, etc, and the penalty was court martial and dishonorable discharge. Before DADT the law allowed for people to be discriminated against with the ultimate penalty to a dedicated servicemember. DADT was pretty much seen at the time as a progressive measure -- "We'll stay out of your personal life if you keep your personal life private". It also prohibited harassment, something that had been tacitly allowed before. I remember when it was passed and I remember anger at it that was not at all from Democrats or progressives. Yes, I grew up in a conservative area.

Of course, more progress needed to be made -- and still needs to be made. Marriage equality needs to happen and if we let the Republicans take back the White House I can almost guarantee you it won't happen.

I'm not one who is all that fond of slow steady improvement. I would like to see civil rights be considered rights and not something that we should have to "gradually" achieve. But a lot of the reason that we were able to get Congress to pass a measure allowing open service was because they were able to say "Gays have been serving for more than a decade and it hasn't been doomsday like all the idiots have said it would be". DOMA was a travesty, but was codifying policy which had already been in place in fear of progressive states making changes. California didn't fall off the map when gay marriage was legalized there, and they won't when it's legal again. Iowa of all places has courts that realize marriage equality is a civil right. It hasn't fallen off the map either.

Maybe people will stop being so damn afraid of something they have no reason to fear.

[Pab Sungenis]

93. Good point.

DADT was well-intentioned, but in the end was a disaster. I'm glad it's gone.

DOMA was anti-gay legislation pure and simple and I'm ashamed of Clinton for signing it.

[DURHAM D]

113. Re: DOMA.

I guess you would not of minded the Amendment to the US Constitution that would have been the result if DOMA had not been signed into law. Clinton was advised to sign it by the majority of our community's leaders because of the ugly storm that was brewing. Also, most thought all or part of it would be found unconstitutional sooner or later and taken down in time. And, DOMA passed the Senate with an 85-14 vote.

On the heels of DADT and with many of our Democratic Senators (JFTR - 18 Democratic Senators who voted to repeal DADT in 2010 had voted for DADT in 1993) lined up against the WH (not to mention all of the Repubs) it would have passed the House and Senate very easily. Getting enough states to ratify the new Amendment would have been very easy back then. Actually it would still be easy. I believe that 37 states have passed laws defining marriage as between and man and a woman - more than needed for a federal amendment.

DOMA was signed to buy time. Back in the 90s our community was not able to effectively lobby as they are now at the federal level. If you think DOMA is hard to take down just think about taking down a Constitutional Amendment. I just hope we won't need to find out.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

17. But he also went much further than expected.

Even if previous presidents did nothing, Obama's accomplishments in this area are a massive improvement over the status quo. Obviously, Obama's public stance on marriage equality is wrong, but hopefully he changes it soon.

Harvey Milk, et al, accomplished a great deal and set the foundation for LGBT rights, but legislatively speaking, Obama certainly has done more than anybody else. But it's not a competition -- it's more like complementing parts. Think of MLK, Malcolm X, Medgar Evers, etc., on one side of the equation and LBJ on the other during the Civil Rights Movement. One side set the groundwork and the other made it legal.

[Pab Sungenis]

21. He has gone further than expected...

now. The reversal on DOMA was extremely unexpected. But before the DOMA reversal and the DADT repeal he was nowhere near what was expected.

"Shoulders of Giants" and all that.

[The Doctor.]

24. ....

:rofl:

Now that's a 'finglonger'!

[Pab Sungenis]

27. Don't laugh.

He was way behind on major promises to LGBT*.* until this year thanks to his constant defense of DADT in court. Today he finally saw that one through even if it came 2.6 years later than it should. Calling for DOMA's repeal rocketed him ahead.

I'm eager to see what happens next.

[The Doctor.]

60. So does he deserve credit for what he's done or not?

Really, that's all it boils down to.

Another poster upthread blatantly suggests that all of his accomplishments are not nearly as important as a statement he made during his campaign. :crazy:

Do you come down on the side of 'ludicrous', or 'reasonable'?

[Pab Sungenis]

70. If you actually read what I've posted

you'll see that yes he deserves credit for what he's done. Hell, I even started a thread yesterday morning called "Credit Where Credit's Due" where I thanked him.

But I don't give him credit for what others before him have done. He has not done more than any other individual. At this point he hasn't done more than even any other politician.

[The Doctor.]

75. Fair enough.

I did read what you've said.

Very few people have said he's 'done more than anyone'. I've said he's done 'more than any president'.

Which he most certainly has. And he's not done yet.

[jaxx]

35. It would be good, just one time, for what has been done

to stand alone. Really, what is to come doesn't degrade what has already been done.

[Pab Sungenis]

36. Who said it did?

I'm looking forward to what's to come.

[jaxx]

38. That surprises me.

[Pab Sungenis]

39. Why should it?

He finally lived up to his promise on DADT. He finally stopped defending DOMA. He really has "evolved" as he claimed he had. I now have reason to expect good things again.

[jaxx]

40. Because I've read your posts on this thread and they are mostly

negative except to grudgingly admit DADT is over. And then right in to the next thing.

[Pab Sungenis]

41. What? Because I don't elevate Obama over every other fighter for gay rights that ever existed?

Without people like Harvey Milk, Larry Kramer, and the Stonewall Rioters we would never have gotten to the point where Obama could do what he did. They advanced the cause further than he could ever hope to.

That doesn't diminish him. Unless you think that we should give Obama credit for stuff that happened when he was a child.

[jaxx]

42. This is today. One day. One day people said would never come.

Why must you insist on making it less?

[Pab Sungenis]

43. How am I making it less?

By refusing to give the President credit he doesn't deserve?

He hasn't done more than any person in history to advance the cause of gay rights. He did one really big thing, a lot of little things, and is working on another big thing. But others did more to lay the foundation he is building upon.

[jaxx]

45. What he did no one else had the power to do, it was his, as POTUS.

Admit it.

[Pab Sungenis]

47. Why do I need to admit it?

I don't deny it.

But what he did doesn't even compare to the people who started and built the gay rights movement from the 1950's through the 80's. Each of them (and I cited a lot of them) did more for gay rights than Obama.

And let me interrupt once again to say that that fact does not diminish what Obama did.

If the President went to a construction site and hung a door on the 50th floor of a building, the equivalent of the statement I object to would be a newspaper headline saying "OBAMA BUILDS SKYSCRAPER."

You know what the real haters, not people like me, call him? "The Messiah." Because people like the person who wrote that statement saying that Obama did more than any person in HISTORY for gay rights are trying to elevate him to godhood. When one gives him credit he doesn't deserve, one plays into their hands.

He reversed a lot of bad rules about LGBT*.* Federal Workers. He signed the hate crimes bill. He repealed DADT. He stopped defending DOMA. Those are significant advances, yes, but to say that they're more than any individual has done for gay rights is a gross exaggeration. It's that simple.

[jaxx]

78. I didn't need you to say more than any individual, I looked for

admitting what he did. You did, and thank you.

ps. I'd like to read your book, I think I would like it very much.

[Pab Sungenis]

89. Thank you.

I was certain we were the victims of cross-talk here. Too many people on both sides are primed to go nuclear after the past few years, as evidenced by some of the attacks on me here and elsewhere.

[Kahuna]

58. Really? Who has done more than PBO?

:eyes:

[Pab Sungenis]

74. Let's start another "teh LIST" then.

Harvey Milk
Leonard Matlovich
Larry Kramer
Randy Shilts
Harry Hay
Rudi Gernreich
Dale Jennings
Bob Hull
Chuck Rowland
Del Martin
Phyllis Lyon
Michael Fader
Dave van Ronk
Sylvia Rivera
Barney Frank
Evelyn Hooker

and the most recent addition to the list, Andrew Cuomo.

And this is not a comprehensive list, either.

There are a lot of individuals who did more to advance LGBT*.* rights in America than Barack Obama has. And acknowledging this fact does not diminish the importance of what he has done.

[Kahuna]

87. A list of names means squat unless you list their accomplishments

next to them. Anybody can make a list.

[Pab Sungenis]

88. Why don't you go look up some of them?

It might do you some good. LGBT*.* history is a neglected area for too many.

[Ignis]

111. Thanks for confessing you have no idea who those people are.

:banghead:

[Bluenorthwest]

66. It is interesting that you brought up LBJ and the Civil rights act

That issue came up here on DU during the 08 primary. The consensus among Obama supporters here at that time was that it was very wrong to give LBJ even a shred of credit, because they said all of that credit belonged to King and Malcolm and the activists. A search would show you that the approach desired for Obama is the opposite of the approach they desired for LBJ. The double standard thing is sickening. This OP says Obama did more for gay people than gay people, than anyone in history. He did nothing that LBJ did not do on civil rights.
The President should get proper credit for what he has done, but so should all of the people who did so much more under difficult conditions. Like any civil rights battle, ours is filled with stories of people who lost it all for the cause. People who were shot to death, for example. The fact that in most of our States, right now today, it is legal to deny housing or employment to a person for being GLBT makes it pretty hard to accept that the person who has put the most of themselves on the line is a President sitting on a silk chair being served by staff. Compared to the regular people who get fired or evicted for speaking out? Compared to Harvey dead on the floor?
Also, I think most straight people do not recall that it was only as recent as Bill Clinton's nomination speech that the word 'gay' was even spoken by a national Democrat. The sad and sorry history of the Party in terms of gay people prior to that era is another chapter of shame, but let's focus on the fact that it was not all that long ago that we were the 'people who dare not speak our names' and Bill was the first to so much as say that name. The positive history of the DNC and the GLBT community is very short, nationally it starts with Bill Clinton, candidate. So he was the first to say a word, then we got Bush, who was evil, then Obama who is doing better than Clinton could, to a great degree because of all the work done in the culture between the two administrations. While the world cowered to Bush, we carried on, and when Obama came in we were 'shovel ready'.
I think many other groups of Democrats could learn a lot about how we got the repeal, how we changed hearts and minds, how we got it to the President's desk. I wish to hell others would do the same around their own important issues. Reducing the history to catch phrases is not the path to understanding the full story. Understand that story, and you too can make change. Think about it.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

112. Once again, you lecture the wrong person.

That issue came up here on DU during the 08 primary. The consensus among Obama supporters here at that time was that it was very wrong to give LBJ even a shred of credit, because they said all of that credit belonged to King and Malcolm and the activists. A search would show you that the approach desired for Obama is the opposite of the approach they desired for LBJ. The double standard thing is sickening. This OP says Obama did more for gay people than gay people, than anyone in history. He did nothing that LBJ did not do on civil rights.

I don't recall being part of those conversations.

The President should get proper credit for what he has done, but so should all of the people who did so much more under difficult conditions. Like any civil rights battle, ours is filled with stories of people who lost it all for the cause. People who were shot to death, for example. The fact that in most of our States, right now today, it is legal to deny housing or employment to a person for being GLBT makes it pretty hard to accept that the person who has put the most of themselves on the line is a President sitting on a silk chair being served by staff. Compared to the regular people who get fired or evicted for speaking out? Compared to Harvey dead on the floor?

As I stated before, it's not a contest, but rather complementary parts of a whole (i.e., MLK et al, and LBJ). And as I also said before, Obama has done more for the GLBT community legislatively speaking than anyone else, and he obviously built on the foundation that Harvey Milk, et al, helped build.

I think many other groups of Democrats could learn a lot about how we got the repeal, how we changed hearts and minds, how we got it to the President's desk. I wish to hell others would do the same around their own important issues. Reducing the history to catch phrases is not the path to understanding the full story. Understand that story, and you too can make change. Think about it.

Your frequent condescension is unnecessary and counterproductive.

[frazzled]

22. Having the power (and will) to end institutional barriers to equality ...

is the crux of the matter however. Of course these accomplishments stand on the shoulders of generations of activists who sway public opinion.

But there were abolitionists for many years before Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation and fought a war to end slavery. Without those presidential actions, slavery would remain a legal institution despite the abolitionists' efforts. There were civil rights activists for many years as well. But Jim Crow and discrimination would remain legal, institutional practices had Johnson not signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, despite the efforts of valiant civil rights activists.

It takes both activists and legislators to in tandem--the former pushing and educating, the latter making laws in the land--to further justice.

And yes, it's a big fucking deal that no other president in the history of this nation has ever done shit for the LGBT community.

[Pab Sungenis]

25. Without agitators

there would be no legislators. It's a happy marriage when the agitators make way for the legislators.

As for Lincoln, without abolitionists there would have been no Lincoln. And Lincoln nearly wasn't Lincoln anyhow. He opposed ending slavery in existing states, just wanted to stop its expansion. The South overreacted and started the Civil War.

If it wouldn't have given him an edge in the prosecution of the war he wouldn't have issued the Emancipation Proclamation. And that Proclamation didn't free all of the slaves, either, only those in the 11 states in the Confederacy. Kentucky, Missouri, Maryland, and Delaware were all slave states that might have stayed slave states.

It was the Radical Republicans who were influenced by abolitionist agitators (and many of whom were abolitionist agitators themselves) who pushed the 13th Amendment to end slavery and forced the former Confederate states to ratify it (along with the 14th and 15th) as conditions of reconstruction.

There's a lot of credit to go around.

[boppers]

49. Well, Clinton made it legal to be closeted in the military.

That's more than "NOTHING".... but it's not much.

<geek>
P.S.: I dig the /*.*/ DOS style expansion, but it only picks up DOS (and related extension filesystem) files. If you were going for a modern regular expression, a /.*/ is enough.
</geek>

[Bluenorthwest]

64. I agree with everything you posted and you said it nicer than I

can anymore. The 'any politician or single person' thing is extreme, and made me angry reading it for it is just not accurate at all, ignores our history, and belittles the actual heroes.

[Tx4obama]

20. Here's a link to the PDF file on the BarackObama.com website for those that wish to print the chart

PDF: http://obama.3cdn.net/e85f5532fe8e79747d_t44nmveb8.pdf

Original Blog entry: http://www.barackobama.com/news/progress-for-the-lgbt-community

[Pab Sungenis]

26. "Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act"

Even the name is an insult. The law had nothing to do with James Byrd Jr., two of whose killers were sentenced to death despite a lack of a hate crime legislation.

Matthew Shepard's killers were spared the death penalty, and if Shepard hadn't died would probably have gotten off with a slap on the wrist.

James Byrd Jr.'s name was added because we couldn't have a major piece of legislation named after a gay victim. Sort of like how the AIDS care act was called the "Ryan White Act" because they wanted an "innocent victim" to push it through.

The bill was a step forward, but like so much of the un-evolved Obama of 2009 and 2010 it needed to have an insult attached to it.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

29. Wrong, it removed the prerequisite that the victim be engaged in a federally protected activity.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Shepard_and_James_Byrd,_Jr._Hate_Crimes_Prevention_Act

The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, also known as the Matthew Shepard Act, is an American Act of Congress, passed on October 22, 2009,<1> and signed into law by President Barack Obama on October 28, 2009,<2> as a rider to the National Defense Authorization Act for 2010 (H.R. 2647). Conceived as a response to the murders of Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr., the measure expands the 1969 United States federal hate-crime law to include crimes motivated by a victim's actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.<3>

The bill also:

removes the prerequisite that the victim be engaging in a federally-protected activity, like voting or going to school;
gives federal authorities greater ability to engage in hate crimes investigations that local authorities choose not to pursue;
provides $5 million per year in funding for fiscal years 2010 through 2012 to help state and local agencies pay for investigating and prosecuting hate crimes;
requires the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to track statistics on hate crimes based on gender and gender identity (statistics for the other groups were already tracked). <4><5>
The Act is the first federal law to extend legal protections to transgender persons.<6>

James Byrd, Jr. was not engaged in a federally protected activity (voting, etc.) at the time of his murder. That's why his name is attached to it, and the extension to the 1969 law (applying to orientation, etc.) is why Matthew Shepard's name is on it. It has absolutely nothing to do with alleged aversion to Shepard's orientation.

Care to take back your remarks now?

[Pab Sungenis]

33. No, because

Byrd didn't need the bill.

http://168.51.178.33/webapp/TDCJ/InmateDetails.jsp?sidnumber=03897953

http://168.51.178.33/webapp/TDCJ/InmateDetails.jsp?sidnumber=04684561

Two of Byrd's murderers were sentenced to death even without the bill.

Care to take back your remarks now?

[Starbucks Anarchist]

37. No, because you're wrong again and refuse to admit it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Shepard#Arrests_and_trial

Matthew Shepard's killers both faced the death penalty, despite your claims earlier. One was spared for testifying against the other, and the other was spared because of Shepard's parents:

http://articles.latimes.com/1999/nov/05/news/mn-30162

That was without the bill, too.

And as you chose to ignore, the reason Byrd's name is attached is because of the removal of the prerequisite that the victim be engaged in a federally protected activity at the time -- you still think it's some sort of bizarre slap in the face to name him, even though his tragic case is part of the reason that bill was signed.

[Number23]

107. And thus endeth the conversation

:rofl:

[Number23]

31. I find it so interesting that you can say things like this

But if anyone were to say anything as disgusting as what you've written, particularly that naming a hate crime law after a gay man was "an insult," as you've just done about a black man, you'd be filling up ATA more than usual with your complaints and screams for public bannings.

The law you've just disparaged is known much more commonly as the Matthew Sheppard Act. So in fact, it is named after a gay person. And that's okay with me because at the end of the day, ANY legislation that helps mitigates hate crimes is okay with me. They could have named it the George Wallace Hate Crimes Prevention Act. I don't think most people that are on the receiving end of these acts would care that much.

Now I remember why I ignored your initial response to me.

[Behind the Aegis]

28. Yippeeee!

:eyes:

[Name removed]

32. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Tx4obama]

44. Here's a link to the PDF file on the BarackObama.com website for those that wish to print the CHART

http://obama.3cdn.net/e85f5532fe8e79747d_t44nmveb8.pdf

[ClassWarrior]

48. Thank you Mr. President.

NGU.

[Pab Sungenis]

53. Can I make one more point?

"Hosted a conference on bullying prevention at the White House."

This isn't a gay issue. This is an issue that affects everyone. Citing it as something done solely for LGBT*.* youth drastically reduces its scope.

This act, and his other anti-bullying efforts, deserve thanks from everyone.

[Behind the Aegis]

55. There are a few more that aren't really "gay issues," we just got caught in the wake.

[Pab Sungenis]

69. Bullying is one of my pet issues

and not all of the kids affected by bullying are gay. I weep for people like Tyler Clemente and Justin Aaberg, but they're the tip of the iceberg.

By tackling bullying Obama took on an issue that affects, from one side or the other, nearly every kid in America. That's not an LGBT*.* accomplishment, it's a big fucking deal for everyone.

[NorthCarolina]

59. K&R

[Bluenorthwest]

61. All of that is counter balanced by the nasty energy of his ardents

and by his own anti marriage equality rhetoric, his use of religious terminologies to wrap bigoted modalities in the bloody shroud of the Christ. His employment of the some of the leading hate preachers in the nation as surrogate on his last primary, particularly the one who was infamous for his 700 Club declaration of war against us. Yes, he called for war upon us, he said we try to kill children, and that is why you straights had to go to war against us, gloves MUST come off, this is WAR.
So. Until Obama apologizes for or at least makes clear that he is not at war with us, as his chosen surrogate claimed, you can get ready to deal with harsh, cold facts.
When an entity declares war on another, they have to retract that, or it is still war. I WILL NOT allow my family to be attacked for the sake of some 'minister's' need to wage war on his neighbors.
Yesterday, DADT got repealed. Could have been the start of a whole new day, but instead, we got more war, attacks on Dan Choi 'for Obama' and it was the wrong day to start in attacking us. That was the sort of surprise attack that those at war will do. Those who will slander a man like Choi on a day like Repeal Day, they would do anything to us without caring.
Equal is equal. A bigot is a bigot. Equal is equal. Less than equal is a result of bigoted, prejudiced, superstitious idiocy. Bigoted idiots oppose equal rights, and no tile mitigates that fact.
Equal is equal. Not equal is not equal. Your straight community steals from us each tax day. Steals from us, because we are not equal. That is wrong, wrong, wrong.
The talk of war on us, the talk of us not being 'sanctified by God, that shit is unacceptable, and it is not mitigated by this list, not at all. You think you can verbally and legally abuse people and be forgiven for doing wee shit while continuing the abuse and both verbal and legal? Do you?
And in closing, those of you who take up the name and mantel of the President and then rip into Choi and other gay people do great harm to the goals of people like the OP, who are in fact trying to maybe make some forward steps. But to me, this post just works along with the others which slam and question. There were people posting that Choi should not be allowed back in the military. Others posting that no one should post about Choi. And all of that was done under a banner that says 'Barack Obama'.
The 'cake and eat it too' routine is old. Only equal is equal. Anything less is injustice, and King said an injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

[SkyDaddy7]

65. What has Obama done for LGBT USA? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!

If you believe what "seems like" the majority here on DU. Just like Obama refused to use the magic wand we sent him to DC with in order to close GITMO, pass single payer, card check, repeal DADT faster than it was done, financial reform that would have the approval of 100% of the Progressive Caucus, 100% of the Progressive Bloggers & especially 100% of the Progressives here on DU, etc., ...Basically Obama could have turned America into a Progressive MECCA in his first two years but he refused to do it because he is a corporate shill closeted Republican that hates the Democratic Party...This has been made crystal clear day after day according to the Greatest Threads here on DU.

[Pab Sungenis]

71. With the two recent actions (DADT certification and DOMA defense stopping)

he's done a lot. But claiming that he's done more than any individual is inaccurate, if not insulting.

[ClarkUSA]

84. Your strawman is based on ignoring my key phrase "legally advance LGBT rights on a national level"

Why do you keep taking what I said out of context?

I stand by what I said:

"President Obama has done more to legally advance LGBT rights on a national level than any other individual in American history."
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=433&topic_id=777350&mesg_id=777610

I'm a huge admirer of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s advocacy, but that doesn't blind me to the fact that LBJ would fall into a similar category with regards to legally advancing civil rights on a national level. Like I keep saying, you're arguing apples and oranges.

One more' time: What pro-LGBT legislation did Harvey Milk ever push through Congress?

[Pab Sungenis]

85. Harvey Milk wasn't in Congress.

But if you want a counter-example, Barney Frank pushed a lot more pro-LGBT legislation on a national level.

[ClarkUSA]

99. That's my point.

As for Barney Frank, pushing legislation through Congress is another matter. Nice try.

[Name removed]

103. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[SkyDaddy7]

116. WTF? Who said that? & Who was insulted?

[Bluenorthwest]

68. So if signing the repeal is 100% Obama and no one else and

he's done more than any human being for gay people because of what he has done as President, then one assumes that LBJ DID deserve credit for signing the Civil Rights Act, and when candidate Hillary Clinton said that 'it took a President' to get it done, her statement was undeserving of criticism and of the accusations of racism that followed?
It was a huge dust up when Hillary said Presidents get credit for signing that which the people made possible by activism. She never said he was THE most, superlative, singular hero. Just that he it took a President to make that law a reality.
So in light of that long, loud controversy, one should be able to grasp that declaring hyperbolic levels of credit to Obama is perhaps going to push a button or two? Harvey Milk was shot to death building our political foundations in the DNC. Shot. To death. Thousands of others did things great and small. The President did something large. But it was not all that was done, nor was he the leader of the movement that got it done-this repeal work started when Obama was not even in the State Senate. Electing him to be President was part of the work. Because he would sign it, even with his 'religious objections to equality' and all. And he did.
Obama singed the repeal just like LBJ singed the 64 Civil Rights Act. No difference. So perhaps a review, dear OP, of when the shoe was on the other foot, would enlighten you as to the reactions you are getting for claiming the superlatives and highest honors for LBJ, not for Martin, or for the people. Oh, I mean for Obama, not for Harvey or for the people.
And honest eye looking at that would learn something. Learning is good.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2679486

Edited to add an excerpt from Harris-Perry at the link:
'Clinton said, “Dr. King’s dream began to be realized when President Lyndon Johnson passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, when he was able to get through Congress something that President Kennedy was hopeful to do; presidents before had not even tried. But it took a president to get it done. That dream became a reality, the power of that dream became real in people’s lives because we had a president who said ’We’re going to do it’ and actually got it accomplished.”

After Clinton made those remarks, Senator Obama and several others criticized her for minimizing Dr. King"s role in securing the Civil Rights Act.

It is what it is. Cake and eat it too. It gets old and tired. Meet us on honest ground or don't try to meet us at all. We have memories. We do not forget.
How many here claiming all glory for Obama on DADT said that Hillary was wrong to offer some credit to LBJ, along with the activist community?
I will gladly give the President props for his part in this, but not for the parts of others.

[ThomCat]

114. +1

So much of that chart is fluff that is just PR, and does little or nothing real for our rights, or it is stuff that Obama did the little or nothing to advance politically, so he's taking credit for other people's hard work.

[Tx4obama]

115. There is a difference between the 'SIGNING' of the Repeal DADT bill....

and actions that made the repeal possible.

President Obama IS the one that 'signed it'

but that doesn't mean that there are not others to give credit to for all their hard work that made the repeal possible.

Teamwork! ;)


Edited to add:

I have seen NO ONE claiming ALL glory for Obama on DADT.
It took a village to get 'er done.
But I have seen some folks all over the internet refusing to give President Obama any credit at all ;(

[Flying Dream Blues]

72. Thanks for posting...there was a lot on there I didn't know about.

Great work so far!

K&R

[Bluenorthwest]

73. Eager to hear your response to my last post on the thread

I doubt very much any of the hyperbole mongers will dare to address it. I'll check back later.

[blkmusclmachine]

76. Ha Ha HAHAHAHAHAHA..

Recorded a video "It Gets Better." Wow, that really makes a difference in my life (NOT!). Thx for talking down to us again. Time to go eat more peas.

[Pab Sungenis]

95. The really sad thing is

that a lot of what is on teh LIST are real achievements (go look at my line-by-line examination of this version at http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x777933) but the inclusion of the puff pieces undermine the arguments that teh LISTs are trying to make.

[yardwork]

77. Many DUers have explained why posting "teh list" is counter-productive to getting Obama elected.

It is a poor campaign strategy to constantly tell angry people that they have no right to be angry. Telling people to "shut up and sit down" is a poor strategy.

Gay people vote Democratic 70-80% of the time. This is a much higher percentage of Democratic voters than in the population as a whole. It would be wise for Obama and his campaign advisers to treat GLBTQ people with respect.

This advice seems to fall on deaf ears.

[ClarkUSA]

79. They're the same DUers who think attacking Obama supporters and Pres. Obama 24/7 is "productive"...

... all the while proudly proclaiming they refuse to help Pres. Obama get re-elected or donate a dime while supporting a primary challenge.

:eyes:

[yardwork]

90. Wrong. I keep telling you that this is a poor strategy. I support Obama's reelection.

Your post exactly proves my point. I'm angry now with Obama because of your behavior.

[ClarkUSA]

98. It's good strategy to applaud Pres. Obama's factual achievements. To do otherwise is not productive.

[Pab Sungenis]

102. Yes, but it's not productive

to hold up as achievements things that are not.

[ClarkUSA]

110. Your negative and dismissive opinions do not override the facts as stated in the OFA infographic.

What you're doing disrupting this thread is not productive unless you are trying to overexpose your emotion-based rhetoric on this and another piggyback OP which you started to continue your complaining.

[BklnDem75]

82. Many DUers who have no problem shining a spotlight on the bad, that is

If losing is the strategy, I can see why many hate 'teh list.'

[ClarkUSA]

80. HRC: “President Obama has improved the lives of LGBT Americans more than any President in history."

"In 2008 we were promised change and profound change is what we got."
http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2011/05/hrc-endorses-president-barack-obama-for-reelection/#.TnoJdEZUHDl

More information on the President’s LGBT record is available at: www.hrc.org/ObamaEndorsement

[Pab Sungenis]

92. “President Obama has improved the lives of LGBT Americans more than any President in history."

That is now an accurate statement.

Saying “President Obama has improved the lives of LGBT Americans more than any individual in history" is bullshit.

[ClarkUSA]

96. I'd agree with both statements from a legal vantage point.

You do not speak for others. What's "bullshit" is for anyone to think that their personal opinion holds sway over factual data as spelled out in this OP when it is not backed up by anything but emotion-based rhetoric.

[Pab Sungenis]

101. You think your personal opinion holds sway.

The "factual" data is riddled with half truths and exaggerations, which is a disservice to the actual truth that's in there.

[ClarkUSA]

109. Wrong. I think the facts spelled out in the OFA infographic hold sway over your complaints.

[ClarkUSA]

81. More FACTS: Obama Administration Policy & Legislative Advancements on behalf of LGBT Americans (HRC)

Obama Administration Policy & Legislative Advancements on behalf of LGBT Americans

Running in 2008, Barack Obama promised change from the George W. Bush administration and on so many issues, change is certainly what we got. From signature achievements like passage of the law to end "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" to administrative changes throughout government, President Obama has done more to improve the lives of LGBT people than any President in history. The following is a compilation of many of the actions taken by the Administration on LGBT issues: http://www.hrc.org/ObamaEndorsement/

[Pab Sungenis]

94. Why do you feel the need to keep repeating

President Obama has done more to improve the lives of LGBT people than any President in history like any of us disagree with it?

My arguments are with the claim that President Obama has done more to improve the lives of LGBT people than any individual in history, which is not true.

[ClarkUSA]

97. Why do you feel the need to disrupt this positive thread with your incessant complaints?

Your argument is opinion-based rhetoric and I disagree with it.

[Pab Sungenis]

100. You're entitled to your own opinion

but not your own facts.

[JuniperLea]

108. What wasn't factual?

I'm lost.

[bigwillq]

83. Great graph.

Thanks for posting. :thumbsup: K and R

[Scurrilous]

86. K & R

:thumbsup:

[Tarheel_Dem]

104. K & R

[Number23]

105. Thanks for trying, unicornbooty!

It's nice to hear the perspectives of some of the president's many gay supporters.

Kick

[Name removed]

106. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Whisp]

117. K&R Thank you Mr. President

[Scurrilous]

118. Indeed!

:thumbsup:

[Number23]

119. I agree.

:thumbsup:

[craigmatic]

120. Obama is like the LBJ for the gays.