26 views and no reply from the DU Obama Group

[plantwomyn]

RE:my post: My unanswered letter to Sen. Obama
So let me give this another try in the GD.
I have read many posts about this on DU and want to try to get an answer to my questions.
Maybe the easies way for me to get there is to ask all of you to see things from my position.
I have surfed his wed site, the MSM and DU for anything close to an explanation or apology from the Obama camp. No, it is not good enough for me that AFTER giving Donnie McClurkin a platform to gay bash, Sen. Obama put out a press release saying “that he espouses beliefs about homosexuality that I completely reject.” That many of the 2000 at the concert cheered on his hate-speech sickens me.
How am I to separate those cheers from the cheers for Sen. Obama?
Sen. Obama said that “he {Donnie McClurkin} had some views that are anti-gay” yet he ASKED him to MC the concert!
Even after Donnie McClurkin’s views were brought to Sen. Obama’s attention, he gave him a platform.
Please check out the youtube Donnie McClurkin videos from the event.

Here are a few other things Sen. Obama said about the “controversy”.
“Part of my job as President is to deliver a message that everybody is part of the American family”

Actually your job as President would be to give a mandate to the Justice Department to insure that everybody is guaranteed to be a part in the American family.

“You don’t poll whether people get treated equally or not. That is something you do because it’s right.”

I agree completely. So when you are President Sen. Obama you will overturn every Bush Signing Statement and Executive Order you disagree with immediately!
You will write an Executive Order that immediately mandates that ANY union of same sex couples receives the same privileges and benefits as ANY union of opposite sex couples, and that any state refusing to do so will loss Federal funding.
You will write an Executive Order immediately that eliminates “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” It will mandate that Department of Defense Directive 5120.36 that says "Every military commander, has the responsibility to oppose discriminatory practices affecting his men and their dependents and to foster equal opportunity for them, not only in areas under his immediate control, but also in nearby communities where they may gather in off-duty hours.” includes discriminatory practices affecting homosexual service members and their dependents. And it will Amend Executive Orders 8802 and 9981 to include sexual orientation.
You will do these things because it’s right.
If you release a press statement that you promise to do this it would go a long way to prove to the GLBT community that you will do more than “deliver a message” but deliver “Change we can believe in”.

[Kittycat]

1. Unanswered letter? Are you from Illinois? I am, and I get timely responses whether I agree or not.

[plantwomyn]

5. No I am not from Illinois

I thought Sen. Obama was running for President of the UNITED states.
BTW I also Emailed his campaign. The only reply I have recieved are requests for contributions.

[MrCoffee]

9. did you use a spell-check before you sent it?

[plantwomyn]

17. DEEP

Deap wery duep!

[debatepro]

2. There is only one

question in your whole post. looks like a bunch of rhetorical questions that you answer...

How am I to separate those cheers from the cheers for Sen. Obama?

I don't really understand your one question.

[plantwomyn]

6. RE:

Please see my post at Obama Group for questions

[SteppingRazor]

3. Obama's already said he'd eliminate Don't Ask Don't Tell.

He's also said he's for gay civil unions and full federal rights for homosexual couples. However, I think that would require an act of Congress, not an executive order.

[plantwomyn]

14. Why an act of Congress?

Have you read the shit Bush has codified in Executive Orders?
Truman desegregated the military with an executive order.
Bush revokes and amends laws with executive orders.
Do you think Obama unable to be as "strong" a President than Bush?

[SteppingRazor]

18. I think Bush has destroyed the balance of powers in Washington D.C.

I think Bush's ridiculous overuse of executive orders and, even more so, signing statements is an abomination that has twisted our federal government into an unrecognizable shadow of what it was meant to be. I think continuing that legacy, regardless of the morality of the orders involved, would represent a shameful mockery of everything that Obama, Clinton and Edwards have promised to restore to the White House.

Don't Ask Don't Tell can be rescinded with an executive order for the same reason that Truman was able to desegregate the military with one -- the president's role as commander in chief. But establishing new guidelines for marriage under the eyes of federal law takes legislation -- and that takes Congress.

Do I expect Obama not to be as "strong" a President as Bush? Fuck no. I expect him to be stronger. And that means I expect him to do the right thing, long term, for this country. I expect him to rescind unconstitutional executive orders and signing statements, and I expect him to not sign a single new one.

I'm all for gay civil unions -- actually, I'm 100-percent for gay marriage, and I think calling it anything else is separate-but-equal bullshit -- but even more than being for that, I'm for restoring American democracy. You gotta have priorities.

[plantwomyn]

22. Done all the time.

Executive orders amend laws all the time.
Read a lot of Bushy boys and so far haven't found any amending the constitution yet but you never know.

[SteppingRazor]

24. Well, not technically amending the Constitution, but...

one of Bush's first, and still most controversial, executive orders, regarding the Presidential Records Act, said in not so many words that the president can declare any law null and void whenever he wants if that law has to do with presidential powers. That may not be amending the constitution, but it is pretty much wiping your ass with it.

And as I stated, it's not the use of executive orders -- it's the overuse of them, especially in areas that don't relate directly to the executive branch.

[debatepro]

4. answer

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/alexokrent/CnPz
Statement on Rev. McClurkin

"I have clearly stated my belief that gays and lesbians are our brothers and sisters and should be provided the respect, dignity, and rights of all other citizens. I have consistently spoken directly to African-American religious leaders about the need to overcome the homophobia that persists in some parts of our community so that we can confront issues like HIV/AIDS and broaden the reach of equal rights in this country.

I strongly believe that African Americans and the LGBT community must stand together in the fight for equal rights. And so I strongly disagree with Reverend McClurkin's views and will continue to fight for these rights as President of the United States to ensure that America is a country that spreads tolerance instead of division."

~ Barack Obama
10/22/07

[AndyA]

7. He strongly disagrees, but he's gonna allow the guy the chance to influence others.

Pray to be cured of homosexuality...indeed!

That's like praying to be cured of being black.

Or a woman.

Or of having brown eyes.

Or 5 fingers on each hand.

Ridiculous. Barack Obama needs to address this. If you support him and want him to get more votes, he NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS. It was a mistake, and he should be smart enough to know that, but he has allowed it to stand.

[Bluebear]

10. .

wrong place

[Bluebear]

8. Talk is cheap. He "strongly disagrees" yet he hired him to MC the concert.

And afterwards an Obama operative cynically stated "we got what we needed from the event". Disgraceful.

[plantwomyn]

12. Sounds to me like

"Hate the sin but live the sinner"
I don't want to be his brother or sister and I DO NOT WANT TO BE TOLERATED! I want to be an equal citizen in my own country. The President doesn't fight for equal rights.
The President preserves, protects and defends the Constitution of the United States for ALL citizens.
Wait. Wait I was dreaming there for a minute.

[HeraldSquare212]

13. Hillary has said nothing at all about sharing the stage and attending a fundraiser

for a homophobic minister.

[plantwomyn]

15. I call BS!

I know what you are what am I?
Stop! Stop! Stop!
Do not excuse the actions of one with the actions of another!

[HeraldSquare212]

27. Just trying to help the poster, if that kind of behavior by candidates is an issue for him/her

[blogslut]

11. Why don't you phone his campaign office?

You do realize that individual campaigns probably receive thousands of emails a day, don't you? If I wanted answers I wouldn't waste my time emailing and trying to get attention on a non-campaign message board.

Here's the number:

[phone]

[plantwomyn]

28. Just got off the phone and a gay boy answered!

Too bad he didn't have any better answer than OPPS.

[Vinca]

16. I write mountains of letters about all kinds of issues and rarely

get an answer from anyone. (Although I recently had a multi-email exchange with a CATO Institute guy who was on the Washington Journal and pissed me off about healthcare.) Get over it. I believe Obama knows he made a mistake with McClurkin, but how do you undo what is done and out there? Some people will never get over it no matter what Obama does or does not say to atone and my advice to them is to vote for someone else.

[plantwomyn]

19. I do not want Sen. Obama to atone for a sin.

I want him to reconcile with those of us in the GLBT community who saw him as ray of hope. I want him to PROVE to me that when he talks about "Change we can believe in" I am part of the "we".

[Vinca]

20. Go to an event and confront him. Let us know what he says. nt

[Kucinich4America]

21. I swear, Hillary could choose Fred Phelps as a running mate

and the Hillbots would still drag out this McCloset nonsense.

McCloset has said hateful words. The Clintons, have enacted hateful LAWS (DOMA, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell")

In practical terms, tell me which is worse.

[plantwomyn]

23. Again I call BS!

I know what you are what am I?
Stop! Stop! Stop!
Do not excuse the actions of one with the actions of another!

[Kucinich4America]

26. I'm not excusing anything.

Obama has made a statement on the subject. Maybe he needs to make another one. But that doesn't make the Clintons into champions of LGBT rights, and that's how its being spun on this board.

It's too bad that the LGBT vote didn't come out in force for the candidate who IS in support of full equality. You know... that short guy who is ignored by the corporate whore media.

[plantwomyn]

29. The corporate whore media

isn't controlled by the GLBT community. Don't think there are tons of us queers in Iowa either. Now NH is another matter, but just like our black friends say, we don't all vote in one block or strictly based on one issue. Some of us are L's or T's and want to see a woman, some of us are black and want a black man but I doubt anyone voted strictly on those issues. Hope not.

[mondo joe]

32. No one said Hillary was a champion of LGBT rights. But at least she's not

pretending to be while giving homophobes a platform to spew their hate.

[Kucinich4America]

36. As I said, which is worse, in reality?

One statement from a self-hating hypocrite at an isolated event, or laws enacted by the Clintons which have made life more difficult for millions?

[mondo joe]

39. As a gay man, Bill Clinton hasn't made life harder for me at all.

Nor has it for other millions. DADT allowed gays to serve who could not have before Clinton.

DOMA is a problem, but since only one state has legalized same sex marriage anyway it has had a modest negative impact for a brief time.

Furthermore, I recognize that Bill Clinton was contending with a Republican Congress and made a regrettable political compromise.

But Obama INVITED that shitface all on his own.

[mondo joe]

31. Your made up shit is a poor excuse for a real response.

And Bill Clinton - not Hillary Clinton - enacted DADT which was an improvement that was welcomed by many gays who wanted to serve in the military.

[Kucinich4America]

34. But you Hillbots keep saying that Hillary is "experienced" because she was the "co-president"

So weren't Bill's policies also her policies?

[mondo joe]

37. But since I never said that, I have no cause to defend or uphold it.

So why don't you ask someone who did say it instead of continuing to make up shit?

And, once more, DADT was an improvement on what was, and set the next step which is open inclusion.

[Kucinich4America]

40. It's hard to tell one Hillbot apart from the others anymore

Now that you're all using the same avatar :evilgrin:

DADT was a copout. Clinton could have stood up to that idiot Sam Nunn.

[mondo joe]

41. Well, that's what happens when you don't pay attention to facts but prejudices instead:

you say stupid inaccurate things.

[plantwomyn]

25. Up to 33

And still no answer.
Too bad there isn't a cricket around when I need one.

[upi402]

30. crickets from Mr Platitude's crowd? n/t

[Didereaux]

33. k/r

[blonndee]

35. I emailed through the website the other day and got this.

My email was asking about Obama's policies and positions regarding LGBT civil rights, including same-sex marriage and adoption, and received this in reply. This doesn't answer any concerns regarding the McClurkin incident (which I didn't mention in my email) and may not be enough for you, others, or myself for that matter, but here you go:

From: Obama for America Correspondence Team ([e-mail])
Sent: Wed 1/09/08 3:59 PM
Reply-to: Obama for America Correspondence Team ([e-mail])
To: [e-mail]

Dear Friend,

Thank you for contacting Senator Barack Obama and Obama for America with your thoughts on LGBT rights. We appreciate hearing from you. Senator Obama supports economic, social, and legal rights for gays and lesbians. He supports full civil unions, expanding hate crimes statutes, fighting discrimination at work and in housing and other places of public accommodation, and wants to increase adoption rights. He opposes any Constitutional ban on gay marriage, opposes the Defense of Marriage Act, and opposes the current “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on gays in the military, which weakens us in a time of global challenges. Barack is a global leader in the fight against AIDS. He traveled to Kenya and took a public HIV test to encourage testing and reduce the stigma of the disease. In late 2006, Barack Obama worked to reauthorize the Ryan White CARE Act, one of the largest sources of federal funds for primary health care and support services for patients with HIV/AIDS. Senator Obama has consistently supported LGBT rights, and will continue to work for an open, tolerant society where people of all sexual orientations are protected and their contributions are valued. Thank you again for writing.

Sincerely, Obama for America

---------------------------------------Paid for by Obama for America

[Kucinich4America]

38. So Obama opposes the laws enacted by the Clintons?

I'd say, there's your answer. President Obama would get rid of those laws. I doubt President Hillary would.

(Edwards fans, feel free to jump in. I know where Dennis stands on all this stuff.... he's for full equality)