http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2009/10/30/honoring-legacy-ryan-white
President Obama signed the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act of 2009. It represents our ongoing commitment to ensuring access to needed HIV/AIDS care and treatment. The White House and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) worked very closely with Congress on this bipartisan legislation, and the consensus document developed by the HIV/AIDS advocacy community was an important part of the process. We were so pleased that Jeanne White-Ginder, Ryan White’s mother, was here at the bill signing.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2009/10/28/about-whether-we-value-one-another
Today President Obama signed into law the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, legislation that will extend new federal protections to people who are victims of violent crime because of their sex or sexual orientation. It is an update to the federal hate crimes statute that Congress first passed in 1968. For the first time, the law that previously protected people from attacks motivated by race, religion or ethnicity will also protect gay, lesbian, transgender and disabled people.
The President will host a reception commemorating the enactment of the Hate Crimes Prevention Act in the East Room of the White House this evening. This afternoon, before signing the bill, he said:
"...After more than a decade of opposition and delay, we've passed inclusive hate crimes legislation to help protect our citizens from violence based on what they look like, who they love, how they pray, or who they are. "I promised Judy Shepard, when she saw me in the Oval Office, that this day would come, and I'm glad that she and her husband Dennis could join us for this event. I'm also honored to have the family of the late Senator Ted Kennedy, who fought so hard for this legislation. And Vicki and Patrick, Kara, everybody who's here, I just want you all to know how proud we are of the work that Ted did to help this day -- make this day possible..."
"...After more than a decade of opposition and delay, we've passed inclusive hate crimes legislation to help protect our citizens from violence based on what they look like, who they love, how they pray, or who they are.
"I promised Judy Shepard, when she saw me in the Oval Office, that this day would come, and I'm glad that she and her husband Dennis could join us for this event. I'm also honored to have the family of the late Senator Ted Kennedy, who fought so hard for this legislation. And Vicki and Patrick, Kara, everybody who's here, I just want you all to know how proud we are of the work that Ted did to help this day -- make this day possible..."
Here’s an excerpt from an editorial in the Washington Post this morning:
PRESIDENT OBAMA is scheduled to sign Wednesday what is being described as the nation's first significant pro-gay rights legislation. Attached to the defense authorization act, the measure would add sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and disability to the list of protected classes under the 1969 federal hate-crimes law…The law doesn't outlaw bigotry or "thought crimes." It applies only to "violent acts motivated by" the characteristics of the victim -- acts, not thoughts or speech. But crimes that target someone because of race or sexual orientation are more than offenses against that individual. They can terrorize whole communities.http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2009/10/28/about-whether-we-value-one-another
PRESIDENT OBAMA is scheduled to sign Wednesday what is being described as the nation's first significant pro-gay rights legislation. Attached to the defense authorization act, the measure would add sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and disability to the list of protected classes under the 1969 federal hate-crimes law…
The law doesn't outlaw bigotry or "thought crimes." It applies only to "violent acts motivated by" the characteristics of the victim -- acts, not thoughts or speech. But crimes that target someone because of race or sexual orientation are more than offenses against that individual. They can terrorize whole communities.
Well, I would like to thank Obama for taking all the hope he gave me for the country and my rights and then picking Rick Warren for the most historic day in American history. This is just a a sad day when you see Obama who promised a changed Washington pander to conservative democrats because he wants an inclusive day. well let me tell you Mr. Obama, Rick Warren's idea of inclusion is comparing gay marriage to the idea of a incest, men marrying children, and beastility. Yes Obama you are the change agent you have changed the game in sheer ignorance thinking you can piss of the Left and the LGBT and get away with it. Mind you conservative democracts helped you win the general, but do not forget who helped you beat Hillary, WE DID. so in four years you better hope you do not have a challenge otherwise we might not be there this time.
You were the first election i was ever old enough to vote for and you just put the stake in my heart
HOW COULD YOU??
Aided by a few hours sleep, energetic music, and my ever-present cup of coffee, I feel the need to commemorate this moment personally, beyond just tears or shouts of joy. Perhaps it will be a rough-draft manifesto of sorts, a kind of social New Year Resolution, a longer declaration of what this all means to me.
So what does this day mean to me? A lot of things, trivial and sublime. There’s having a young black man in the highest office, and I feel no shame in admitting my intense pride in that, but it’s more than that: it’s having a person of his caliber. In an age of culture wars, especially between populists and Ivory Tower types, we have a person who is intellectual, relatable, and empathetic. As I said before, Barack Obama is an American for all Americans. We’re talking about the man who gave the best assessments and reconciliation of the issues of faith and race in this nation; someone who can acknowledge the truths in different, and even inflammatory, perspectives without creating more division.
And when I say we can be example for the world, I don’t mean by strong-arming, covert ops, or unfair trade agreements. We can do it fairly.
I also believe American Christianity has a chance to be turned back to the light of peace and justice. I have watched as what began as a movement for the uplifting of all became the idolatry of a very narrow view of “Family Values”. I refuse to give back my baptism, because it is mine and under no one else’s oversight, but it has been most torturous to see the Pharisaical spectre raised as never before and have to wonder if even calling myself a Christian by the most liberal of definitions could be morally correct. As an American and a spiritual person, to say that my heart bled is an understatement.
Now, I will take a moment to mention abortion, since this is has been, and will continue to be, a divisive issue. I will state it plainly: I do not like abortion. No one does. I called my own children babies, not fetuses, from the moment the EPT stick had two lines. However, abortion is a desperate choice, and people will only be more desperate if more choices are taken away. I agree wholeheartedly with McCain’s concept of “a culture of life”, but you can’t say that you want to encourage adoption and then oppose same-sex couples adopting. You can’t pledge to support families after defining “family” in a very narrow way. This is what I want: Adoption to be normalized in our culture to the point that it is part of the family-planning discussion of most couples, for adoption to be normalized to the point that the process is quick, clean, inexpensive, and open for all sorts of alternative relationships for the birth parents. Remove the stigma, plain and simple. I want marriage and adoption equality. I want a basic, good, standard of living to be a human right. I want comprehensive sex education, and cheaper and safer birth control. I want unwed, poor, or young parents to be treated with respect and love. I want this culture to take a stand and assist against domestic violence. I can guarantee you, that if these things are fixed, abortion will take care of itself; it’ll become obsolete except for medical necessity. You give people better accessible choices, they will make better decisions. In fact, that to-do list will fix a great deal of social ills: they are all connected.
I am pro-choice because I am pro-life; All lives.
So many Obama supporters aren’t just walking with heads held high because “their candidate won”, but because those last shreds of fear are melting away. Yes, there is the social-psychological aspect of being on a “team” and winning. But look at the campaign, look at the people and their motivations, listen to their stories:
We didn’t wait for someone to come and unchain us; we unlocked the shackles with ourt voice and our vote.
It looks like Proposition 8 passed in California. I would normally be very angry, and indeed I am irritated. It is in my nature to gripe and rail against injustice, I will admit it. I can be quite the curmudgeon. However, in this moment, I have achieved the state of soul that is perhaps the ideal for my type, which is a nose for injustices buttressed by motivation and hope. My real reaction: “Game On”. I’m not itching for a fight anymore; I’m itching to get to work. The work of healing, fixing, and reconciliation. Let’s face it, we can be as angry as we want, and we deserve to be, but we also need to be multi-lingual in Hope. People vote for things like Prop 8 out of fear, just read the stories. Never has it been appropriate, never more affordable, never more necessary, to be Peace-Mongers.
I won’t pretend that this is all going to get fixed in one term, or even two.
Barack Obama is not a Hero because he will save us; he is a Hero because he will inspire and represent us. It is a very meager sampling of people that cannot see themselves reflected to some degree in him, his family, or his campaign. The bonus is that he did it by appealing to our inner-angels, not our inner-demons. He decried policy without demonizing people. For me, Barack Obama represents even better something that I’ve been complimented on before and what I really want to be: he’s a True Liberal. I differentiate this because it means that a person will seek the path of the most responsible freedoms, without dismissing tradition just because it’s tradition. When I know that someone won’t be an ideological genuflector, my trust in their leadership increases exponentially.
This election season brought us to the social edge, and an Obama victory was our deliverance. What do I mean by this? I suppose the best example I can give is an anecdote that Mary gave about local commissioner Kathleen Hudson several years ago. She said things about Jews and the LGBT community that were so vile and inflammatory, it brought people “to the edge” and made them peer into the ideological abyss. People could no longer be neutral, and they saw the slippery slope of what they could become by allowing such bigotry to masquerade as normalcy. Maybe these were things people thought at one time or another, but when they saw it take shape in a public forum, they shuddered at the reflection. That’s what this election was like for me to watch: I saw some of the most bigoted, racist, xenophobic, homophobic (not just heterosexist), and anti-Muslim spectacles in my lifetime. On this precipice, I was angry, but I knew that these undercurrents needed full exposure, so that people could look over that edge before unwittingly falling into that abyss. Those were the birth pains for this part of our history. Barack Obama’s election is the midwife to a new age.
There will still be pains, but we can no longer go back. We not only saw a battle between base-minded fearful populism and the empathetic examination of justice and mercy, we saw the victory of the latter. This may not be THE Mountaintop, but it is one of them.
Look at the vista spread before us: this is America. My parents promised me this day would come. Someone told me that nothing would change except their taxes. If that becomes so, then I swear it will not be because of a lack of effort on my part.
I believe.
We will have justice.
We will have freedom.
We will have mercy.
For all.
Yes We Can.
Yes, government must lead the way on energy independence, but each of us must do our part to make our homes and our businesses more efficient. Yes, we must provide more ladders to success for young men who fall into lives of crime and despair. But all of us must do our part as parents to turn off the television and read to our children and take responsibility for providing the love and guidance they need. Yes, we can argue and debate our positions passionately, but at this defining moment, all of us must summon the strength and grace to bridge our differences and unite in common effort – black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American; Democrat and Republican, young and old, rich and poor, gay and straight, disabled or not. - Senator Barack Obama
Yes, government must lead the way on energy independence, but each of us must do our part to make our homes and our businesses more efficient. Yes, we must provide more ladders to success for young men who fall into lives of crime and despair. But all of us must do our part as parents to turn off the television and read to our children and take responsibility for providing the love and guidance they need. Yes, we can argue and debate our positions passionately, but at this defining moment, all of us must summon the strength and grace to bridge our differences and unite in common effort – black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American; Democrat and Republican, young and old, rich and poor, gay and straight, disabled or not.
- Senator Barack Obama
On Saturday, October 25, some lucky Lakewood residents were greeted by a special canvassing crew. Jennifer Beals (Flashdance, the L-Word) and L-word creator and executive producer Ilene Chaiken stopped by a local Lakewood neighborhood canvassing session for Sen. Barack Obama's campaign. After a brief meet and greet at the home of Chuck & Betsy Shaughnessy with the Lakewood-based volunteers, Jennifer and Ilene were quickly trained on canvassing protocol for the Obama team's Campaign for Change, and joined by Lakewood's own Karolyn Isenhart, they stepped out onto our streets to knock on some Lakewood doors and talk to voters. This year's presidential election has seen an unprecedented level of interest and involvement throughout the United States, with the Obama campaign growing into the largest citizen-powered political organization that the country has ever seen. Everyone from schoolteachers to nurses to plumbers -- and yes, even a few celebrities -- have participated in the presidential contest on a grassroots level, with the hopes of delivering the country some much-needed change.
"With the challenges and crises we face right now, we cannot afford to divide this country by race or class or region; by who we are or what policies we support. There are no real parts of the country and fake parts of the country. There are no pro-America parts of the country and anti-America parts of the country. We all love this country, no matter where we live or where we come from. Black, White, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, young, old, rich, poor, gay, straight, city-dwellers. Farm dwellers. It doesn't matter! We're all together."-Senator Barack ObamaRichmond, VirginiaOctober 22, 2008
"With the challenges and crises we face right now, we cannot afford to divide this country by race or class or region; by who we are or what policies we support. There are no real parts of the country and fake parts of the country. There are no pro-America parts of the country and anti-America parts of the country. We all love this country, no matter where we live or where we come from. Black, White, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, young, old, rich, poor, gay, straight, city-dwellers. Farm dwellers. It doesn't matter! We're all together."
-Senator Barack Obama
Richmond, Virginia
October 22, 2008
Click the image below to watch the full clip:
Yep. I'm a liberal libertarian. Let's break it down a little bit to let people know how exactly someone can be both of those at once, but first a little bit of history about myself. I've lived in rural Colorado for many years now, previous to that I lived in the fairly large city of Denver Colorado. I have both large city and small town values instilled in myself. Second, my parents where foster parents for as long as I can remember (I am their real son), I've seen more kids than I can remember flow in and out of my home, all of which expanding my knowledge and open mind to so many different point of views and ways of life. I've seen people from every corner of the country, richer kids from corperate America, struggling people on the verge of bankrupcy, and as hard as it was, the worst side of society, abusive parents or families, physical, sexual, menally, all of the above. I know how bad it can get, and yet I know how good it can get as well. My parents raised me to be open to other way of living, to other points of views, to accept people for who they are, and finally, to respect everyone I come into contact with. It is that which makes us different that makes us great was the philosophy that I was raised around, and I've lived my life by it.
Enough about myself now. Back to my original point, Liberal libertarian follows two normally different views, but I've found the way people. Liberal, the dreaded L word and one that's normally associated with Democrats and the left wing. I've very liberal an social and human issues. Torture, any form of it should be banned. Gay Marriage, I think it should be allowed but my views on that are completely personal (more on that later). Discrimination, why are we still living in the past?
this one I'm going to rant on a little more. Libertarian now, a term previously given to republicans(although I don't think the current generation really can use this term anymore) and the conservative right wing. It's pretty obvious, I support the smallest government possible. A government that doesn't get into anyones lives at all or as little as possible. The Patriot act, what ever happened to the Right to Privacy and the Constitution? The recent Bailout or Rescure, whatever. Obama keeps saying that it's an important first step and that we need to look back on how we got into this situation to begin with, I humbly disagree, but I don't agree with McCain either (as he voted for it then showed a stance against it later saying, "We need to get the government out of the business of bailing out banks"). What we need to do is bring the budget under control and have no use for 700 billion dollars, the government shouldn't have that much in it's yearly budget to begin with. Cutting spending by reforming or eliminating projects is the way. Ron Paul, look him up, ridding us of the IRS, cutting earmarks to almost nothing, a non-interventualism policy saving billions in the military, starting fair trade to encourage economic growth, eliminating the income tax, all fo these are brilliant ideas and can easily be acomplished with a reduction in beurocricy and over bloated and inefficient government policies. There is a reason the IRS is slow in calculating taxes, and obviously we can do better in a way that spends less money. I am tired of paying someone to take my money and then to mismanage it later. This libertarian view is also the reason I can't say "legal" or "illegal" about Gay marriage, now if I had to chose either, yes I support gay marriage 100%. )One of my foster brothers came from lesbian parents and was one of the best kids to ever cross my threshold, bankrupcy and the loss of their house was the reason he was placed in foster care.) Now sit down and think about it, where in the Constitution does it say that the supreme court can say *anything* about marriage or who can marry? It's simple, it doesn't. First of all, nothing government related should have anything to do with gay marriage, it should be a church issue since marriage is from a religious foundation. Second, why is it that being married effects your standing with the government, example the income tax? It shouldn't, and never should have. Being married in a religious ceremony should have nothing to do with the government. I want to go the other direction with the government and say that, "anyone can be married as long as the church is willing to accept it, but in order to effect standing in any way, shape, or form, you must apply for a domestic partnership." What this would basically do is to reduce the title Marriage to just that, a title. If your married but don't have a domestic partnership, your treated like two individual people, if you have a domestic partnership but not married, then you get the same benefits as a current married couple does. This sets everyone on equal terms as people cannot be turned away from a domestic partnership, and the religious sect can not be upset because it doesn't give the government the power to say that gay marriage is legal or not. It keeps the LGBT community happy because they have the same equal rights as everyone else, and gives the religious side nothing to complain about. Now that's one of my most extreme possitions on things. This stance puts me at some opposition to both the religious side as I'm reducing the idea of Marriage, and many LGBT people want to be able to marry people, I understand this, but like abortion, I can see no simple "yes" or "no" that will please anyone, logically this is the best solution I can find myself.
Now the reason I'm supporting Obama is because my social and humanity issues take priority on how the government is run. As long as the government is sensitive to our rights, it can be as big as it wants for the time being if that's what it takes to mend the economic crisis.
Believe it or not, Election Day is just two weeks away. We need all hands on deck as we work to turn the page on the last eight years of failed policies and divisive politics promoted by George Bush, usually with the backing of John McCain, that have been so hurtful to the LGBT community. And we can, in fact, bring the change our community desperately needs. We’re close. But we all need to work as hard as we ever have over the next 14 days to make sure we cross the finish line. I’m asking you to not just spend some time over these last 14 days helping us get out the vote. I’m also asking you to mobilize your network of supporters, contacts, and friends – and ask them to do the same. PLEASE, IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY, TAKE GOTV WEEKEND OFF AND HELP US TURN OUT VOTERSThis campaign has built an unprecedented field program that has successfully contacted millions of voters. But we can’t let up in the final days. Help us meet our ambitious goals over the final days. There are so many states in play this year, which means there’s most likely a battleground state within driving distance of wherever you may be right now. To find out where we need YOUR help the most, and to sign up to help out in that state, please check out our Drive for Change program here: http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/driveforchangeCALL EVERYONE YOU KNOW, AGAIN, AND ASK THEM TO VOTE OBAMA-BIDENWhether or not you can take GOTV weekend off and travel to a battleground state, you can still help out from your home. We’ve got two tools that can help you reach out to people you have relationships with and talk to them about the importance of voting for Barack and Joe. The first, Hometown Pride, helps you brainstorm all the people you know “back home.” Check it out here: http://my.barackobama.com/page/s/hometownprideThe second, for those of you with iPhones, is a handy application that prioritizes your contacts by key battleground states, and keeps track of your results in one place. Find it here: http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/iphoneWRITE A LETTER TO THE EDITOR OR AN OP-ED ABOUT WHY YOU SUPPORT THE TICKETYou are a leader in the LGBT community, and people care about what you have to say. In these last weeks, it’s important that LGBT people hear from you about why you support the Obama-Biden ticket. Help us spread the word about Barack’s record on issues important to our community. We’ve created a Letter to the Editor tool that makes it easy to submit a letter to the editor of your local LGBT paper. It’s at http://my.barackobama.com/page/speakout/prideletter?js=true. Of course, you should also consider submitting an Op-Ed. If, while you’re writing, you’ve got a question about where Barack stands on an issue, you can find all the information you should need under the Resources section at http://pride.barackobama.com. CALL VOTERS FROM THE COMFORT OF YOUR OWN HOMEFinally, you can also phone bank callers in key states right from the comfort of your couch. We’ve got a tool that will link you with voters we need to contact in battleground states, that you can access online. You can also get a group of friends or supporters together to participate in this easy way. Check it out at http://my.barackobama.com/modules/votercontact/login_signup.php.I also want to extend a personal thank you for everything you have been doing to make sure we win in November. The LGBT community has come together and worked hard to make sure LGBT voters understand the vast contrasts between Barack and John McCain on the issues we care about. I know a lot of that hard work has come from you, and from the work you’ve done to inspire the people around you to step up and make a difference. Thank you for that, and thank you for what I know you will do over these last few weeks to help us win on November 4th.And please forward these tools to everyone you think will find them helpful!Thanks,Dave NobleNational LGBT Vote DirectorObama for America
Believe it or not, Election Day is just two weeks away. We need all hands on deck as we work to turn the page on the last eight years of failed policies and divisive politics promoted by George Bush, usually with the backing of John McCain, that have been so hurtful to the LGBT community. And we can, in fact, bring the change our community desperately needs. We’re close. But we all need to work as hard as we ever have over the next 14 days to make sure we cross the finish line.
I’m asking you to not just spend some time over these last 14 days helping us get out the vote. I’m also asking you to mobilize your network of supporters, contacts, and friends – and ask them to do the same.
PLEASE, IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY, TAKE GOTV WEEKEND OFF AND HELP US TURN OUT VOTERS
This campaign has built an unprecedented field program that has successfully contacted millions of voters. But we can’t let up in the final days. Help us meet our ambitious goals over the final days. There are so many states in play this year, which means there’s most likely a battleground state within driving distance of wherever you may be right now. To find out where we need YOUR help the most, and to sign up to help out in that state, please check out our Drive for Change program here: http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/driveforchange
CALL EVERYONE YOU KNOW, AGAIN, AND ASK THEM TO VOTE OBAMA-BIDEN
Whether or not you can take GOTV weekend off and travel to a battleground state, you can still help out from your home. We’ve got two tools that can help you reach out to people you have relationships with and talk to them about the importance of voting for Barack and Joe. The first, Hometown Pride, helps you brainstorm all the people you know “back home.” Check it out here: http://my.barackobama.com/page/s/hometownpride
The second, for those of you with iPhones, is a handy application that prioritizes your contacts by key battleground states, and keeps track of your results in one place. Find it here: http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/iphone
WRITE A LETTER TO THE EDITOR OR AN OP-ED ABOUT WHY YOU SUPPORT THE TICKET
You are a leader in the LGBT community, and people care about what you have to say. In these last weeks, it’s important that LGBT people hear from you about why you support the Obama-Biden ticket. Help us spread the word about Barack’s record on issues important to our community. We’ve created a Letter to the Editor tool that makes it easy to submit a letter to the editor of your local LGBT paper. It’s at http://my.barackobama.com/page/speakout/prideletter?js=true. Of course, you should also consider submitting an Op-Ed. If, while you’re writing, you’ve got a question about where Barack stands on an issue, you can find all the information you should need under the Resources section at http://pride.barackobama.com.
CALL VOTERS FROM THE COMFORT OF YOUR OWN HOME
Finally, you can also phone bank callers in key states right from the comfort of your couch. We’ve got a tool that will link you with voters we need to contact in battleground states, that you can access online. You can also get a group of friends or supporters together to participate in this easy way. Check it out at http://my.barackobama.com/modules/votercontact/login_signup.php.
I also want to extend a personal thank you for everything you have been doing to make sure we win in November. The LGBT community has come together and worked hard to make sure LGBT voters understand the vast contrasts between Barack and John McCain on the issues we care about. I know a lot of that hard work has come from you, and from the work you’ve done to inspire the people around you to step up and make a difference. Thank you for that, and thank you for what I know you will do over these last few weeks to help us win on November 4th.
And please forward these tools to everyone you think will find them helpful!
Thanks,
Dave Noble
National LGBT Vote Director
Obama for America
Paul Smith, the lawyer who successfully argued Lawrence v. Texas in front of the Supreme Court, had the following to say about what hangs in the balance on November 4th when it comes to judges:
IF YOU CARE about the rights of LGBT citizens, the two most important things you can do in the next few weeks are to vote for Barack Obama and to persuade friends and family to join you. Without for a moment diminishing the importance of the ongoing California initiative fight (which is itself huge), the ground zero for the movement pursuing LGBT equality right now is the presidential election. Either we will go backward, losing key rights we now have and leaving the country in the hands of those who offer at best their grudging “tolerance” (the term Sarah Palin used in the debate), or we go forward with real equality within our grasp. One reason, of course, is that John McCain opposes every single legislative proposal for greater LGBT rights, whether it is the hate crimes bill, or protection from employment discrimination, or repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” This is a guy who says we shouldn’t even be able to adopt children! Barack Obama, by contrast, is supportive every time. But another, even more important reason for electing Barack Obama is the Supreme Court, which now hangs in the balance. And that is particularly true with regard to LGBT issues. In 2003, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to argue Lawrence v. Texas, the path-breaking Supreme Court case holding all sodomy laws unconstitutional. Lawrence not only eliminated the odious laws that had been used for many years to keep LGBT persons in a second-class status, it also laid the foundation for future progress in LGBT rights. Without it, our community’s future would look much different. BUT WHERE ARE we now? We won Lawrence 6-3, but one of those who supported us, Justice O’Connor, has been replaced by the strictly conservative Samuel Alito. So the Lawrence majority is very likely reduced to 5-4 already. And one or more of those in the majority are likely to leave the court in the next four years. If those departing justices are replaced by John McCain appointees, he has made it perfectly clear where they will stand. When asked in August at pastor Rick Warren’s Saddleback Forum which of the current justices he would not have appointed, McCain named four of the five remaining members of the Lawrence majority — Justices Stevens, Souter, Ginsburg and Breyer. He favors instead justices like the court’s current very conservative bloc — Chief Justice Roberts and Justices Scalia, Thomas and Alito. President Obama, by contrast, would be likely to appoint justices like the four whom McCain rejected. When asked at Saddleback which justices he would not have appointed, he mentioned Justices Thomas and Scalia. It is not just progressives who see this election as the turning point for the Supreme Court for the rest of our lives. Last February, noted conservative legal scholars Stephen Calabresi and John McGinnis endorsed John McCain for president, writing in the Wall Street Journal that his nomination was the “best option” to preserve what they called the “ongoing restoration of constitutional government.” Translation: If John McCain wins, we can expect new justices who will work with the current conservative bloc to turn back the clock on a whole series of important constitutional precedents protecting individual rights. Would a McCain court really overrule Lawrence? It’s hardly a long shot. The case as written by Justice Kennedy is closely tied analytically to the constitutional right to choose to have an abortion. If the latter goes (as it almost surely would if McCain wins) the Lawrence case would be left hanging by a thread. BUT THE RELEVANCE of the Supreme Court in this election goes far beyond Lawrence. The court could very well be faced in the next few years with constitutional challenges to state decisions not to recognize other states’ marriages or the military ban or state laws that prohibit employers and landlords from discriminating based on sexual orientation. How those questions are answered will have a profound impact on the lives of LGBT Americans. And even outside the context of LGBT issues, future court terms will address a whole variety of other critical issues, ranging from the power of the president to engage in detention and surveillance, to the First Amendment, affirmative action and who knows what else. The court plays a unique role in our society. And its appointees have life tenure. Many of you have probably heard arguments about the Supreme Court in prior presidential election years, only to see things not change too much. But I’m here to tell you this election matters exponentially. People may have seemed to cry wolf in the past. But the days when Republican presidents appointed surprise moderates or progressives are now past. So as a community, we have every reason in the world to support Sen. Obama this year. We have a chance to see a president who has championed our rights his entire career. It’s not a chance we should pass up.
I wanted to share with you the following email I received this morning from Obama Pride Chicago member, Michael R.
I'm a volunteer with Obama for America in Chicago. I'm doing everything I can here to support the campaign-- I even threw a house party and encouraged my friends to donate. But since Illinois is already pretty blue, I wanted to find ways to expand impact I can make. That's what makes Hometown Pride such a great idea. I grew up in Florida, so I have dozens of old friends in this important state. By contacting five or more friends back home, I'm making a difference where it counts the most. So far, this is who I've reached out to: My Mother-- I forwarded information about the campaign to her, and she passed it along to eight of her friends. They've started volunteering, making donations, and-- most importantly-- talking to their friends as well. My Best Friend-- he's gay like me, but he was misinformed about a lot of Obama's positions on GLBT issues. Summer Coworker-- It was only a summer job during college, but he and I email from time to time. Asking him to get his friends in the loop was a way to reach out to people I never would have met myself. My "Aunt & Uncle"-- we're not really related, but I made sure my longtime family friends know how important this election is. When people are like family, they listen differently, and I think they really wanted to know what I thought. My "Long Lost Friend"-- I hadn't spoken to her in a year, and a phone call about this historic campaign was the perfect excuse. She'd planned to vote for Obama, but didn't know about the registration deadlines. She registered online while we were catching up. Participating in Hometown Pride is easy, and it puts my efforts where the campaign needs them most. Sometimes people just need to hear from someone they know to get excited. Best of all, come November, when my friends help send Barack Obama to the Whitehouse, I'll have one more reason to be proud of my hometown.
Gay and Lesbian friends of Michelle and Sen. Barack Obama from Chicago and LGBT activists from coast-to-coast are converging on Columbus for a Weekend of Action to Win Ohio, October 18th and 19th, sponsored by Obama Pride.
The event kicks off at 9 a.m. at UFCW Union Hall, 4510 East Main St., Columbus, with a short rally. Participants will then fan out to canvass neighborhoods in Central Ohio critical to all Democratic candidates in the coming election.
Personal friends of the Obamas who will be firing up Columbus’ LGBT volunteers include:
Mary Morten, interim executive director for the Chicago Foundation for Women, which is one of the world’s largest women’s funds.
Dan Sprehe, a Chicago LGBT activist who worked on Obama’s 2004 Senate Campaign.
Kevin Thompson, Sen. Obama’s 2004 “Bodyman.” In the world of politics, that’s a personal assistant who travels with a candidate and takes care of everything from transportation and lodging to keeping the candidate’s favorite snacks and pens on hand.
Marsha Botzer, a National Co-Chair of Obama Pride America. She has served as co-chair of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Board of Directors. Botzer is also a founding member of Equal Rights Washington and founded Seattle’s Ingersoll Gender Center, an organization that serves the transgender community.
Jane M. Saks, founding executive director of the Ellen Stone Belic Institute for the Study of Women and Gender in the Arts and Media at Columbia College Chicago.
Additionally, a bus of 50-plus LGBT activists from Massachusetts will make the trip to join the effort.
The canvass will run for two days, with four-hour shifts being assigned at the rally. Those who can’t attend the rally, but still want to participate in the canvass in the should contact Sean Pflendler at spfendler@ohiodems.org. And those without cars will be partnered with drivers.
Obama Pride Chicago joined nearly 100 other local Obama supporters on Saturday on a three hour bus ride to the Obama field office just outside of Davenport, Iowa. As it happened, John McCain was holding a rally downtown at the same time we were set to knock on doors in the city's precincts. His presence in the Quad Cities made us even more fired up to get out into the neighborhoods and get out the vote for Obama…
Read the rest of Ben Z.'s post HERE.
Or, plan your own target state trip by emailing us at pride@barackobama.com
A message from LGBT Vote Director, Dave Noble:
Today is National Coming Out Day, an occasion in the LGBT community when we all take special pride in living our lives openly, no matter our sexual orientation or gender identity. I’m encouraged today, as every day on this campaign, by the huge numbers of out activists playing an important role in our campaign. We have organized Obama Pride networks in almost every state, and every day we are talking to fellow members of our communities about the importance of this election for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.We’ve got just 23 days left to make sure we elect Barack Obama and Joe Biden, and finally turn the page on the policies and politics of the current Administration. While we come out today to family and friends, don’t forget to also “come out” to a battleground state and knock on doors over a weekend before Election Day! Our Chicago LGBT team is out in the field and we want you to join us. Email us at pride@barackobama.com and let us know where and when you can come out – for change!
Today is National Coming Out Day, an occasion in the LGBT community when we all take special pride in living our lives openly, no matter our sexual orientation or gender identity. I’m encouraged today, as every day on this campaign, by the huge numbers of out activists playing an important role in our campaign. We have organized Obama Pride networks in almost every state, and every day we are talking to fellow members of our communities about the importance of this election for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
We’ve got just 23 days left to make sure we elect Barack Obama and Joe Biden, and finally turn the page on the policies and politics of the current Administration. While we come out today to family and friends, don’t forget to also “come out” to a battleground state and knock on doors over a weekend before Election Day! Our Chicago LGBT team is out in the field and we want you to join us. Email us at pride@barackobama.com and let us know where and when you can come out – for change!
Am I glad I signed up for barackobama.com! I got an e-mail invitation for the rally, RSVP'd for Dante and myself, and waited excitedly for morning to come. I happened to not have class at all, and the 12:00 start time was ideal since the baby doesn't have to be picked up from daycare until 6pm, so plenty of travel time. Dante was excused from school, and he found out he wasn't the only one!
I don't think I've left the house early or on time since I became a mom, and Wednesday was no exception. However, we did arrive in the area of the Fairgrounds at 10:20, and the doors opened at 10, so we weren't doing badly. I had to park on the street a few blocks away, and there were lots of sidewalk booths selling Obama merchandise. Dante got a lot of compliments on his shirt as we walked.
This line stretched around the arena but moved quickly. Everyone there was very excited, and it was easy to chat up people in the line. Lots of kids.
We didn't get very "good" seats, all the way in the back of the bleachers, but I'm still glad we went. The place was absolutely packed. The Star said there were over 12,000 people. Evan Bayh gave a wonderful introductory speech and got more than few standing ovations.
Finally, the police escort with Barack Obama arrived (just on time) and he took the stage. I knew I wasn't going to hear too much more than what's already being said on the stump, but it we were excited anyway, and it was important to me that Dante have this opportunity to see Sen. Obama in person, even at a distance. More important that the speech perhaps was the comaraderie of the crowd. Everyone was happy. During the music that played before and after, people danced in the stadium. I know that I was not the only one sans dry eyes when Barack took the stage and then again during the wrap-up.
And that was the thing: the joy. It was palpable. At least in my section, there was no anger. A couple mentions of McCain or Bush got the collective boo, but nothing got nasty. Everyone was just happy to be there. I think it was important that Dante saw that, even if he didn't understand everything being said or if his attention wandered; here was someone that wasn't just unique in the history of the presidency because of their ethnicity or policies, but because of the kind of crowd he drew, the quality of the people supporting him, and his ability to be pragmatic and inspiring at the same time.
Everyone took note when he said "if" he got to be President, and a few contested this loudly. He laughed, saying he was "superstitious".
I saw every kind of person there, from every class, heritage, and religion. Sikh men walking unbothered with dignity, and women in beautiful hijab in a crowd of size and demographic that could have made them nervous. WASP professors clasping arms with young guys in baggy pants and do' rags. I only know those details because like I said, we were all friends there.
The presence and ideas of Sen. Obama don't toss the meat of contention to the mob. He shows hope and empowerment. I will say, personally, that he lends some dignity to those years when I was on one sort of public assistance or another, either being called white trash directly, or having someone who didn't know better talking to me about "lazy people sponging off the system" (and the look of shock when I showed them my Food Stamp card).
Obama speaks of everyone's struggles. He highlights problems that sociologists have been writing about for decades, but that until now have been ignored by what I consider the politicizing of humanity. People are not policy and sound bites. They are people, and they all have potential. Sometimes they need help and hope. Everyone does at one time or another.
I like a person that can talk about class problems without inciting class warfare. At one point Barack Obama pointed out that McCain was a man who stood against government-sponsored health insurance when he himself receives his insurance from the government! His point that helping people financially and educationally, trying to level the playing field, wasn't about "redistribution"; it's about fairness.
The immense diversity of the crowd jumping, clapping, and cheering for this man, as well as the mood of joy and hope, makes Obama's quality as a human being and as a leader apparent. Well, at least to me, the 12,000 people in attendance, and everyone across America that are ready to, and already are, fighting for change and dignity.
