Pelosi Talks ENDA, DADT With Advocates

I have been politically active all of my life, DC Lawyer. I am involved with the Texas Freedom Network and Equality Texas. I also will be directing the play that was cancelled in Stephenville, Tex. "Corpus Christi" by Terrence McNally at the end of the year. I have contacted Lt. Gov David Dewhurst (who replied, surprisingly) about his interfering with the creative work of actors and artists on State University campuses. He asserted his right to express his opinion, which I agree with, but I disagreed with officials (specifically him) in a State capacity causing political unrest and strife over private and public performances on a university campus. As such, I continue to do work to advance our cause in a very direct way.

JC, Have you and your family and friends all contacted Charlie Gonzalez and Frank Corte every week to insist that they vote for ENDA and DADT repeal? Have you and your family members and friends called Kay Bailey Hutchinson and Jon Cornyn every week with the same message? Have you picketed their offices and their speeches? Have you contacted the media? Have you made your neighbors aware that this is an important issue? If you really want to make it happen, you and the other folks down there in Texas (and in other states across this great country) need to get fired up and make some noise. That is how positive change happens. Staying home on election day and bitching about the President is not a strategy for success. And by the way, I have been voting the Democratic party line since 1976.

Don't be crazy, do DADT now. The opportunity is now and it will be easier to pass. Do ENDA second. There's still much controversy over the transgender inclusion so that fight will be much harder and more uncertainly and could change the mood. Don't put our military second right now. DADT will help usher in ENDA. Absolutely, do DADT now!

I regret you feel that way, Gene. I simply cannot see any other way to punish politicians who fail to keep their promises. In this case it is far worse, elements of the party are working to either slow down or obstruct progress on key issues. I will not blindly walk into the polling place and vote for anyone with a (D) behind their name just because they are a (D). Blanche Lincoln is in serious trouble in Arkansas because she failed to appeal to core party values. Specter was punished for party switching. I feel no regret that these things happened. So what do you recommend I do Gene? Go back and vote party line again just because I am intimidated by the Republicans stalling tactics? If I vote at all, I will very carefully choose who I vote for. Obama is not beyond salvage, but he needs to be reminded who worked their butts off for his election. The LGBT community has been reliably penciled in by the Dems for years. Well, no more. Moral cowardice has consequences.

"I won't vote Republican, but I will stay home." What I'm tired of is the spoiled brats who'd rather let the party of NO back in power than support our first real chance in all those years you keep mentioning. I've been waiting for this longer than you have, and I"m not going to curse Obama just because he can't give us what we want as quickly as we want. Why don't you hold your breath until you turn blue and see how much good it does.

The majority of Americans polled want an end to the unconstiutional DADT and want ENDA. Since the Republicans and moderate Democrats are going against the people who pay their salaries by refusing this (and wasting our tax dollars on DADT), the liberal Democrats should bring this issue to the press, attach DADT repeal and ENDA to the defense budget, and stand firm and proud.

I have been giving these folks too much for too many years. Every time they get to the point of doing something really significant, they get cold feet and kick the can down the road. They need to understand that moral cowardice has consequences. I have voted party line since 1982. Yes, things have gotten better, and I don't doubt it was because WE forced the issue. Larry Kramer and ACT UP saved our lives, it is the least we can do to show the same amount of guts they did when faced with genuine life and death issues. If President Obama doesn't GET and ACKNOWLEDGE the message we are sending him and that bootlicker Rahm Emmanuel, then he can run the risk of losing a second term because he FAILED to display REAL leadership. Politics is a tough business and in case you didn't notice, LGBTs are not the only people angry at President Obama.

Once again, its "this has to come before that". Once again I hear bait and switch and fear mongering and... Push ENDA and DADT repeal to vote. Stop delaying because "OF". Bring it to a vote, when those who oppose it stand up and start ranting, stand up and rant back! Fight for it! Stop sitting on your bum and crying that you cant do anything! DO IT! Actions, not words! Results, not excuses!

Look, I've been waiting as long as anybody for ENDA and DADT repeal and share your frustration that Congress can't get its act together to pass legislation that is supported by an overwhelming majority of the American people. But blaming President Obama and turning our backs on the Democrats is not a solution. What needs to happen is LGBT people need to have their voices heard, loud and clear, by their Senators and House Members. We need to enlist family members and straight friends and colleagues to call, e-mail, and lobby Congress. But it's not happening. So if we aren't willing to stand up for ourselves, we can't expect Obama and Pelosi to do all of the heavy lifting. The president has been proactive on civil rights issues for his entire life. We need to trust him. Let's not give up.

Amen JC. Perfectly out. Let's put that on a t-shirt.