Americablog reports that the White House is throwing a month-end cocktail/dinner party for 'A-gays' in order to smooth over the events of the last couple of weeks.
Michelangelo Signorile writes: "It's another photo-op in which everyone — the president and the gays
— can look happy and like they're having fun, but more so, it's a way
for the White House to wank off the gay leaders a bit while still not
delivering. None of them should fall for it — and that means they
should not attend this event — not the least of all the Human Rights
Campaign. We don't want cocktails for high-paid gay and lesbians
lobbyists and executive directors looking to schmooze and feel
important. We want action on our rights, and at this point it means
DOMA and DADT."
And former New York Blade editor Trenton Straube adds: "There are many problems with our leaders playing along with the
Obama game. It comes at a time of blatant attacks against us. We are
not upset over mere inaction or simply ignoring our demands—we are
angered over aggressive steps against us, such as continuing dismissals
under DADT and filing then supporting a hateful DOMA brief—and then
lying about having to do it. This is not acceptable. Furthermore, the message that mom and pop pick up from the general
media is this: Obama has extended rights to gays. Yay! And in regards
to DOMA, while on the campaign trail, Obama stated he was for civil
unions, not gay marriage; therefore the gays have no right to get upset
because has clear about his position from the beginning. Mainstream
media outlets offer no context and nuance. We need leaders out there
fighting for us, getting the clear message to the masses and putting
the heat on the White House."
In a Washington Post column, Jonathan Capehart urges people to direct their anger and energy at Congress rather than the White House:
"Frustration with the brief and with the administration's inaction so
far on big issues such as overturning DOMA and the ban on gays serving
openly in the military is understandable. Making Obama out to be a
sworn enemy of gay and lesbian civil rights is not. On Wednesday, he
signed a memorandum extending a number of benefits to the partners of
gay federal employees. This was the culmination of work that began in
December. For the first time, not only did a sitting president utter
the acronym "LGBT," for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, but it
was also the first-ever spoken recognition of transgender Americans by
their president…If gays and lesbians want big victories, such as the repeal of DOMA and
the "don't ask don't tell" policy, they should focus their fire where
it belongs: on Congress."
And Pam Spaulding weighs in on all of it.
