Isn't it time that we accept all Americans regardless of their sexual orientation?

Obama pledges 'unwavering'


support to gay causes, community





Posted on Oct 12, 2009 | by Michael Foust





WASHINGTON (BP)--Using some of his strongest language to date in siding with the homosexual community, President Obama told a gathering of the Human Rights Campaign Saturday that his commitment to their cause was ';unwavering'; and that his administration, before he leaves office, would end the military's Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy.





';I'm here with a simple message: I'm here with you in that fight'; for homosexual causes, Obama, the keynote speaker, told those gathered at an event held by the nation's largest homosexual activist organization. ';For even as we face extraordinary challenges as a nation, we cannot -- and we will not -- put aside issues of basic equality.';





Unlike a speech delivered to homosexual leaders in June, Obama in his Oct. 10 address put no qualifiers on his pledge to end Don't Ask, Don't Tell. He did, though, repeat language in that June speech criticizing what he called ';outworn arguments and old attitudes'; about homosexuality -- language that was viewed by evangelicals then and now as condemning orthodox interpretations of Scripture.





Additionally, Obama repeated his stance for overturning the 1996 federal Defense of Marriage Act -- which, if reversed, could force every state to recognize ';gay marriages'; from other states. He also stated his opposition to those who would ';enshrine discrimination into our constitution'; -- a reference to a federal marriage amendment and presumably also state marriage amendments.





He made news by saying he would sign -- if it makes it to his desk -- a defense authorization bill that includes an amendment broadening the hate crimes law to include homosexual persons. There was some question as to whether he would sign it because it contains funding for a fighter plane engine he opposes. Conservatives say the hate crimes protections put religious liberties at risk.





';My expectation is that when you look back on these years, you will see a time in which we put a stop to discrimination against gays and lesbians -- whether in the office or on the battlefield,'; Obama said. ';You will see a time in which we as a nation finally recognize relationships between two men or two women as just as real and admirable as relationships between a man and a woman. You will see a nation that's valuing and cherishing these families as we build a more perfect union -- a union in which gay Americans are an important part. I am committed to these goals. And my administration will continue fighting to achieve them.';





Obama spoke to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) on the eve of a National Equality March in Washington that focused on homosexual issues. He thanked HRC for ';the work you do every day in pursuit of equality'; for those ';who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender.';





';Despite the real gains that we've made, there's still laws to change and there's still hearts to open,'; he said. ';There are still fellow citizens, perhaps neighbors, even loved ones -- good and decent people -- who hold fast to outworn arguments and old attitudes, who fail to see your families like their families, who would deny you the rights most Americans take for granted. And that's painful and it's heartbreaking. And yet you continue, leading by the force of the arguments you make, and by the power of the example that you set in your own lives -- as parents and friends, as PTA members and church members, as advocates and leaders in your communities. And you're making a difference.';





Bob Stith, the Southern Baptist national strategist for gender issues and representative of the denomination's Task Force on Ministry to Homosexuals (SBCTheWayOut.com), once again expressed frustration at how Obama characterized Christian conservatives. He also said Obama marginalized ex-gays.





';President Obama continues to portray all who disagree with him as those who 'hold fast to outworn arguments and old attitudes,''; Stith told Baptist Press. ';The inference is that if an attitude is old it must be wrong. The constitution is an old document. The Bible is older still. ... It is adherence to those timeless teachings of Scripture that has made it possible for thousands of men and women to find freedom from a struggle for which they did not ask and one from which they desperately sought freedom. If our president truly wants to end discrimination, he will be equally passionate about the discrimination these heroic people face. He will care about their stories and fight for the right for their stories to be heard. Until he does, his passion and eloquence will ring hollow.';





Obama said he and his wife Michelle sent ';a message'; when they ';invited LGBT families to the White House to participate in events like the Easter Egg Roll.'; Obama's speech came one day after John Berry, a homosexual who is director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management said the time is ripe to pass legislation favored by theIsn't it time that we accept all Americans regardless of their sexual orientation?
I think its a great idea. We could call it ';The land of the free'; (only took a couple hundred years longer)Isn't it time that we accept all Americans regardless of their sexual orientation?
I'm having trouble with a kind of contradiction between chauvinism and acceptance.


I like Obama's position nonetheless.
Yes.





Hey that character in your avatar looks familiar.
Discrimination against LGBT people will end when LGBT are looked up to and admired in all the ways non-LGBT people are.





Think about it. What perpetuates bigotry and discrimination? It all boils down to what we are taught growing up - whether directly, indirectly, inferred, assumed, whatever. If a person isn't TAUGHT to like or dislike something, he or she will come to their own conclusions, usually through experimentation, just like a dog learns through experimentation not to antagonize a cornered cat.





Are average LGBT people inherently inferior or superior to non-LGBT people? Of course not. There is no logical reason to admire a straight athlete over a gay one, or vice-versa. Before puberty, when a ten year old child idolizes an athlete, or an actor, or an inventor, or whatever, and wants to emulate that person, the farthest thing from their mind is what their idols sexual orientation is. They are awed by the person's accomplishments, or abilities, or reputation. It's ADULTS who tell the child that their idol is good or bad.





After puberty, when a child understands the concept of sexual orientation, they now have all sorts of pressures. Pressures to conform, to fit in, to not disappoint their parents, and so on. If a child grows up in a homophobic environment, chances are that if the person they once idolized is homosexual, that idol is going to be discarded in favor of a more ';acceptable'; role model. But if the child grows up in an accepting environment, then their role model will remain, and the cycles is essential broken.





This is what is starting to finally happen in America. As more and more parents are ';okay'; with same sex relationships, more and more children will be ';okay'; with them, and within a few generations, the bigotry and discrimination goes away because it's absurd at that point.





So what we need is for homosexual people to not stay closeted, but also not make a big deal about their homosexuality. Just act like any other average person, and be recognized and admired for their accomplishments, their talent and their expertise. That is how you cast off the stigma of homosexuality, or any other stigma for that matter. You refuse to accept its validity until those who promote it look ridiculous because you are obviously superior to them.





As children, we all hear the phrase, ';you can be anything you want to be when you grow up... even president of the United States'; and you can imagine that somewhere there are racist white parents who taught their kids that a black person could never be president. Well don't 'ol Mom and Dad look stupid now in the eyes of their kids. Their prejudice is just asinine. How can they take themselves seriously anymore? People with attitudes like this are causing their own extinction BECAUSE they have these attitudes. Their time in society is over, and GOOD RIDDANCE.





Every time a homosexual person ';kicks azz'; at whatever it is they do, they are leaving the neanderthals and their stupid bigotry in the dust. THAT'S the way to become accepted... you become a person worth looking up to, and then nothing else matters because your actions speak louder than their words.
I don't think gay people should be allowed to join the military.
yes we should, but in all reality, that is far off from here
Yes we should
it is time! we shall overcome.
YES ... I agree! =)





And I agree with what Obama said! I still support him BTW! Some LGBT people I guess have decided to not support Obama anymore, but I personally still support him and I HOPE he will live up to his promises and make sure that DADT and DOMA are repealed. I'll be angry if they aren't, but I still have hope! There's lot's of issues he's dealing with now.





But anyways, yeah I do think we should all accept each other for our sexual orientations because equality is what America was founded on, but there's all these right-wing bigots these days like those people who listen to Rush Limbaugh (urghh I hate him), but it's not like they'll last forever because equality always wins! =)
This is nice to hear - but it's the same thing we've heard from the campaign trail. Nothing has changed - except the cost to listen. He's been spouting off anytime someone makes a stink - just enough to shut them up - then he redirects the attention of the nation by bailing someone/something else out.





Yeah - it's time that gays and lesbians should be able to marry, should they choose. It's time for gays and lesbians to be able to die for their country AS themselves, not hidden away like a dirty secret (DADT).


But folks - Obama is not the guy to get us there. WE have to go out and make it happen. USE your voice and VOTE. March. TELL THE USA! Too many people think that this is not ';their'; problem - they don't know anyone gay...make em aware - let them know you're gay.





Don't roll an Easter egg on the white house lawn - take a stand VOTE!
I think it is a good thing to start off small, we can always take the big approach so fast. What some lgbt people don't understand before we reach the top we have to start from the bottom. Even if you don't like Obama it doesn't matter. Yes we live in a free country but we have government and for the most part it hasn't even been this supportive! You cant even get married in most states and if you get married in one your not married in the other. I know ftw. I don't get how being gay or lesbian have to do with protecting your country. SO is media stereotypes in brained in the government? As I remember we are the ones who cant make the babies. I don't get the policy. Why do they think we are going to wear rainbow? Plu eaz Thats like saying because im black im going to wear Rasta colors. IDK but I think that we should take w/e we have and run with it, because this may not always be.
Q. ';Isn't it time that we accept all Americans regardless of their sexual orientation?';





A. Go ahead. Regardless of who is President of the U.S., this issue of ';complete acceptance'; of homosexuals as ';a time in which we as a nation finally recognize relationships between two men or two women as just as real and admirable as relationships between a man and a woman'; just doesn't cut it. Many of us see right through this and will not just lay down and accept it because of the demands the gay community is making regarding an issue that they are turning into a circus side-show.





Millions in the rest of the world disagree and many will never accept your ';idealistic view'; of ';as we build a more perfect union';. There is no such thing as perfection of anything in this world. I believe that these people who want their ';equal rights'; as citizens but practise their indecent behaviour in public, as well as teaching it to children and young people, is immoral. I really believe that Mr. Obama has to take his stand FOR the homosexuals so as not to create a civil war or revolution. He may say he believes these things, but if he is true to his heart, he is speaking hypocrisy.
Definitely. Not all Americans will accept homosexuality, but it's about time that the general population and the government realizes that it doesn't matter and all should be treated equally.





Then we can focus on transgendered and transsexual rights, as those of us who fit into the T of LGBT, are less than second class citizens, even in places like Canada.
No matter what laws are passed we will never be accepted as first class citizens as long as the churches continue to brainwash millions of people to believe we are evil and unnatural.


I hope that Obama will sign some bills to protect us but that still doesn't give us a better, safer life. There are still lots of crazy people out there who would follow us leaving a gay bar and beat us to death.


It is kind of ironic that he is talking about ending don't ask don't tell now that the army needs more cannon fodder.


I want to be more positive about potential new laws but I have been around a long time and know how people are.