What Might Obama Say on DADT?

@Jay You are correct and your approach is sound. I will say, that the in-your-face protest-mentality does indeed have a legitmate place. In times of Stonewall and when the government ignored the millions dying of AIDS, then by all means, pull out the stops. However as you stated, confrontation and anger are not the only tools in the toolkit. And tearing each other down or Obama because our president does not meet our ‘demands’ is counterproductive. Effective strategy employs a liberal degree of both diplomacy and consensus building, and a measured degree of unyielding firmness in our resolve. Angry politics implies a one-size fits all approach, and Stonewall tactics in 1969 does not justify using the same tactics with 2010 realities. In 69, it was not as important to understand the legislative process, because no inroads existed, and angry mob force was the only thing we had left. Today the realities are different and we do have leaders who are fighting for us. We need to reach these leaders, not alienate them.

Doug and Joseph: You still don;t understand the government and the policy-making procedures. You and I don't know everything being done behind-the-scenes...in conferences and meetings. Why not work behind the scenes until the policy can be hashed out, rather than being in-your-face, and bringing on the wrath and bitching of those on the extreme right? You just don't get it. You think having Obama mention gays all the time is going to affirm yourselves. If affirmation is all that you seek, that's sad. Most people won't take the time and efort to learn and understand the political and governmental process in the U.S. This WILL change, but change takes time. If you would honstly look back at the time between Harvey Milk and now, you'd see a huge amount of real progress. But it you don't get INSTANT progress, you tear down Obam, the Dems, and the Reps. What will that leave you? STILL with nothing. And you'll never be happy.

Amen Joseph. You hit the nail right on the head. He can make a difference he just doesn't WANT to make a difference. I too thought a semi-black man in the White House could see the damage that society brings to the table when it comes to Gays and Lesbians. Obama is spineless. A great talker. But spineless.

@Jay and Mark: The two of you seem to misunderstand what the President can and cannot do. True, he doesn't MAKE laws, but it IS entirely within his power as President to see that ideas become laws. It's known as the "bully pulpit" and previous Presidents have used it to very good effect. LBJ used his Presidential power to push civil rights laws that many in Congress (especially Southern Democrats) had stalled for years. And Reagan (for all his many, MANY evils) knew the power that a President has in the law-making process. ESPECIALLY when the President's party is in control of BOTH houses of Congress, there is almost no excuse for the President to sit idly by and not help push reluctant members into moving his ideas forward. The ONLY excuse is that the President isn't interested in doing his job.

@Mike “Obama has the power to make changes to include gays as equals”: What exact power does Obama have? Where is a cabinet post for a gay? Answer: Obama has several appointees who are gay and lesbian in many positions of government. If you want a full list, then this will be another post. Where is the executive order to stop kicking gays out of the military? Answer: This is out of the scope of what an executive order has jurisdiction, and would not be upheld or honored even if it would be passed. No one single person, not even a president, can make laws all by themselves.

@Jay - thank you for injecting some wisdom into the pool of emotional frustration. You are absolutely correct, Congress legislates, not president Obama. Certainly change does not come soon enough. It did not come soon enough for Daniel Choi or many of the brave servicemen who have served and died for our country. However we have two choices in handling the current injustices of the day. The natural inclination is to look for someone to blame, and then guilt them into feeling bad, and use this guilt as a motivator to somehow inspire them to elevate the office of the presidency to new heights and usurp the legislative and judicial branches with presidential-activism. The realistic approach is understanding the system in which change occurs and working together through cooperation to make social change. It is human nature to work from a past-tense blame-based approach to see that punishment, guilt and fear as being the model catalyst for motivation and productive action. While keeping the pressure on, I think that villifying Obama serves no useful purpose.

Is Obama an expert in child rearing? Audacity of Hope---WTF! In my opinion we have waited plenty. No other minority would be as patient. Obama lknows very well what it is like to live in a minority even though he is able to move in other circles when he wants to. Obama has the power to make changes to include gays as equals. What has he done? Where is a cabinet post for a gay? The staff does the work so I know that a gay could be the figurehead. Where is the executive order to stop kicking gays out of the military? Who did Obama choose to give the important invocation during the coronation ceremony? I was very supportive and bought into the charade. Gays are hated by the majority. The majority doesn't need us. I am done with all of this bullshit. We are second class and it's not going to change for decades if ever.

Rick, you're absolutely right about him being a manager. And that's exactly what the executive branch of the Federal government is supposed to be, managers. Congress legislates, the Executive Branch's role under the constituion is to faithfully make sure those laws and programs are administered (with a few additional powers.) It's one thing so many either don't understand, or can't follow when they elect a President. He is NOT an all-powerful leader, like so many think, or want.

It doesn't matter what Obama says. His actions have already spoken. Gay rights, space program, national health policy -- topics to get him elected but not really issues to be addressed. Face it. He's not a leader. He's like Dilbert's pointy headed boss: a manager. Afraid to take responsibility for hard issues but not afraid to talk about them as though he would. Obama. Useless. Another wasted vote on my part.

We have seen tokenism, a few gays appointed to government positions, and incrementalism, "equal" rights for gay federal government workersl, hopefully DADT and the Federal DOMA will soon be repealed so that our President, an afro-american, will demonstrate that he is aware that separate is never ever equal, it's about civil marriage not unions and the time for structural change has finally arrived. Anyone who is patriotic enough to volunteer to serve our country in the Armed Services, whether gay or straight, should not be silenced about who they are and whom they want to share their life. It's barbaric and prooves that the LGBT citizens are second class. If the Democratic majority in Congress gets its act together and brings equal rights for all, they will have the new fair-play generation of voters that elected Barack Obama president in their pockets for the midterms and in 1012. All of our allies in Europe and Israel too justly allow their gay citizens to serve openly!