The Hill: White House takes small steps on gay rights

[ruggerson]

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/obama-administration-takes-small-steps-on-gay-rights-2009-08-23.html">FULL STORY

"After a rocky start that led to complaints among the president’s supporters, the Obama administration has begun to take more concrete steps on gay rights issues.

The Justice Department clarified a legal brief defending the Defense of Marriage Act last week, a statute that defines marriage as between a man and a woman, asking for the law to be repealed. In addition, the hire of a prominent gay rights adviser on President Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign at the department’s civil rights office was reported. And the president himself awarded prominent gay activists Medals of Freedom, even saying one of them was a role model for her daughters, earlier this month.

Those moves won measured praise from gay rights advocates. But many said they would only be worthwhile if followed with more concrete action to end discrimination for those in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.

“I think the brief is a down payment,” said Matt Coles, director of the LGBT project for the American Civil Liberties Union. “It is a start, but only a start.”

The small steps by the administration follow the outcry from the gay community over hesitation by Obama to act on more of the key items on their agenda, such as the repeal of “Don’t ask, don’t tell,” the U.S. military policy that discharges gay and lesbian soldiers if their sexual orientation is disclosed. Obama has shied away from moving quickly to end the policy by executive order, instead trying to gain congressional support to author a permanent legislative end to it."

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[Bonobo]

1. It's a long way from 1980 and the early days of SARS...

70,000 deaths before Reagan ever said BOO about AIDS (SARS back then).
Fear and paranoia was working together with fundamentalist loathing of gays and as a result, homophobia went into the red.
Maybe you have to view this with the proper historic perspective.
Of course it is hateful and difficult to wait for civil rights to be spread to everyone, but things are certainly moving in that direction, inexorably I think.
We will get there, we are getting there.

[Chipper Chat]

2. Since the Teabaggers are preoccupied with stopping healthcare

maybe some gay rights issues can be stealthly moved on unnoticed by the mouthbreathers.
Hopefully Larry Craig will stay out of airport restroom stalls until after progress is made.