HRC Speech

[DVC~OKW~96]

Without getting too political although our very lives are political

I just have to say that our President made a very moving and honest speech last night to the HRC gathering. I believed him, and will continue to believe, and work for equality for all persons.

Hope you had a chance to hear the speech in full. HRC has three videos up on Youtube that encompasses the entire speech.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

I watched excerpts of the speech on CNN last night, along with some of the commentary.

I sincerely hope the promises made are promises kept. I have to think that Obama appearing at the National Dinner has to be a good thing.

 

[rpmdfw]

Pretty words.

I'd rather have results.

 

[OrlandoMike]

Pretty words.

I'd rather have results.

Patience young man....patience!

One step at a time, even if they are baby steps, we are moving forward!

 

[rpmdfw]

Patience young man....patience!

One step at a time, even if they are baby steps, we are moving forward!

We are. Is he?

We've yet to see proof of any forward momentum.

Pretty words, yes.

Actions? Not so much.

Excuses? Most certainly.

Tired of it? You betcha!

 

[DOPEYLUVER]

My mother

My 75 year-old, conservative republican, catholic mother does not think same sex marriages should exist. In fact, she told me, she doesn't think there should be any kind of government recognized marriage. Why should someone who happens to meet someone to spend their life with have more/different rights than someone who doesn't. She thinks marriage should be a religious thing, not a legal thing.

And then they had to call the EMT's to revive me!!!

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

I said much the same Rob. My wife has a different perspective. Timing is everything. He must work on those issue he is currently working on, and yes, those issues encompass our community too.

He has given his word, in public that he will end DADT, and DOMA. So, there you have it. I will continue to support him. He is the best chance we've ever had.

We can't sit and wait for him. We need to get involved in the grass roots efforts and make our own changes, too. Change the minds, show the country who and what we are (and it's much more than that creative and colorful Pride parade). We take responsibility for ourselves and our situation just exactly as they did at Stonewall.

He will back us, we will back him. Can't help but move us forward.

 

[rpmdfw]

I said much the same Rob. My wife has a different perspective. Timing is everything. He must work on those issue he is currently working on, and yes, those issues encompass our community too.

He has given his word, in public that he will end DADT, and DOMA. So, there you have it. I will continue to support him. He is the best chance we've ever had.

We can't sit and wait for him. We need to get involved in the grass roots efforts and make our own changes, too. Change the minds, show the country who and what we are (and it's much more than that creative and colorful Pride parade). We take responsibility for ourselves and our situation just exactly as they did at Stonewall.

He will back us, we will back him. Can't help but move us forward.

Exactly. We can no longer be satisfied with waiting around for someone to give us our rights. We have to work to take them right now.

Promises have been made, it's up to us to ensure that they're delivered on.

You don't ensure that the promises made to you are kept by smiling and clapping while they're repeated ad nauseum. You continually ask "WHEN?" and demand "NOW!"

The HRC has become too good at smiling and clapping. We need leaders who will question and demand.

Apparently the HRC throws one heck of a dinner party. Good for them. But I'm tired of surviving on the scraps from the equality table. I'm a citizen, I pay taxes, I demand equality! That should be the HRC's rallying cry, not "please come to our dinner and say pretty things to us".

I SOOOO wish I could be in Washington today for the march.

 

[OrlandoMike]

You continually ask "WHEN?" and demand "NOW!"

Unfortunalty, you have to remember this president is already looking forward to the next election. If he goes "too far" he will loose the votes he will need to be elected to a second term. It's just the way it is. At least he is on our side.....

Is he moving fast enough in this area? Thats debatable. But at least there is some movement.

 

[rpmdfw]

Unfortunalty, you have to remember this president is already looking forward to the next election. If he goes "too far" he will loose the votes he will need to be elected to a second term. It's just the way it is. At least he is on our side.....

Is he moving fast enough in this area? Thats debatable. But at least there is some movement.

Be that as it may, if we continue to wait until equality is convenient for everyone else, we will NEVER get it.

There's ALWAYS going to be another election coming. And if we buy that as a stall tactic now, they'll expect us to roll over for it next time, and the time after.

I understand that we're in a tough economy, and war in two different countries. But the war in Viet Nam didn't deter the civil right's movement, or women's movement. Our equality is JUST AS IMPORTANT as all the other issues.

GLBT Equality is good for this country, it's good for the economy, and it's good for the war effort. The time is now. No, the time is TEN YEARS AGO! We're overdue.

The squeaky wheel get's the grease, so let's start sqeaking!

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

I too wish we could have been in DC. Things didn't work out though.

Rob, I think it has to be a blend. I am one hundred percent with you. I believe that we have to do the work, while we have someone strong enough in the White House to act on our work.

As Kennedy was to the Civil Rights movement, so will Obama be to the gay movement. Support in the White House did not stop the African Americans and their supporters from having to do the hard work, the marches, unfortunately the violence, the fire hoses, the discrimination the spewed hatred. We can be no less strong. Learn from Rosa Parks. Learn from the strong Gays at Stonewall...

We do the hard stuff. The White House is sympathetic and pushes the changes along.

So you see? From my (newly emerging perspective, gotta love that wife!) perspective it's both, our work and his timing.

 

[rpmdfw]

I too wish we could have been in DC. Things didn't work out though.

Rob, I think it has to be a blend. I am one hundred percent with you. I believe that we have to do the work, while we have someone strong enough in the White House to act on our work.

As Kennedy was to the Civil Rights movement, so will Obama be to the gay movement. Support in the White House did not stop the African Americans and their supporters from having to do the hard work, the marches, unfortunately the violence, the fire hoses, the discrimination the spewed hatred. We can be no less strong. Learn from Rosa Parks. Learn from the strong Gays at Stonewall...

We do the hard stuff. The White House is sympathetic and pushes the changes along.

So you see? From my (newly emerging perspective, gotta love that wife!) perspective it's both, our work and his timing.

Exactly. I couldn't agree more.

That's why my main frustration here is with the HRC. They've become mired in the politics of "being nice" and "waiting and seeing". They're supposed to be our advocates, our voices. Yet, they sit back and host dinner parties and congratulate themselves for getting a pat on the head for being a good little lap dog who doesn't disturb the status quo.

That's not what we need. We need people who are ANGRY because we're getting screwed out of our Constitutionally guaranteed rights. We need people who are going to make noise and not stop until we have an equal place at the table.

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

ActUP.

Ummm Rob? They need us. Every day, completely committed. Little things really do make a difference.

Gay semiotics are powerful, especially if it is something like the tie the knot ribbon that many people will ask about.

Anger doesn't need to equate to violence (NEVER suggesting that you even hinted at that) it can be the fuel, yes?

Doing very difficult things, like refusing to attend weddings... until we too can be legally united... actions like that are personal decisions and I'd not expect anyone to make them just because another person has. However, I believe powerful messages need to be delivered through powerful means.

Being vocal (ConcK's Conversation thread) is very powerful, especially for those of us who are so very mainstream as to be boring. (Ummm... that'd be all of us here, eh)?

Making our points, education. A relentless, but (for me) quiet and continuous presentation of a perspective that is most often different from the other person's. A relentless and continuous refusal to allow my being gay become a factor that dismisses me from the mainstream, or allows others to make it a cause for my being different in an unacceptable way.

Celebrating and respecting differences, that is part of it. Unrelenting...continuous. Those are the verbs for the moment, for me.

Yours?

(By sharing what it means to each of us, we too grow and understand one another and broaden our own perspectives, that is why I'm asking).

 

[rpmdfw]

Mainstream and boring here, too. Absolutely.

But that's where the ability to change minds REALLY kicks in. By living our day-to-day lives as happy, normal OUT individuals day in and day out, we provide an example that GLBT people are essentially just like everyone else.

So I guess "day in and day out" and "example" are the key things for me.

But that doesn't mean we get to stop being angry, and stop engaging in the conversation.

Refuse to attend the wedding of a loved one or a friend? I can't do that. They attended mine. Weddings are about sharing joy and uniting people. We shouldn't boycott them, we should attend them . . . with our partners. As unapologetically as our straight family members bring their spouses. Again, it's all about the example. But telling loved ones that I won't share their joy with them until mine is made legal is not something that I am capable of doing.

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

Mainstream and boring here, too. Absolutely.

But that's where the ability to change minds REALLY kicks in. By living our day-to-day lives as happy, normal OUT individuals day in and day out, we provide an example that GLBT people are essentially just like everyone else.

So I guess "day in and day out" and "example" are the key things for me.

But that doesn't mean we get to stop being angry, and stop engaging in the conversation.

Refuse to attend the wedding of a loved one or a friend? I can't do that. They attended mine. Weddings are about sharing joy and uniting people. We shouldn't boycott them, we should attend them . . . with our partners. As unapologetically as our straight family members bring their spouses. Again, it's all about the example. But telling loved ones that I won't share their joy with them until mine is made legal is not something that I am capable of doing.

And that's what I mean, different perspectives with the same goals.

Thanks for sharing your point of view!

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

My mother

My 75 year-old, conservative republican, catholic mother does not think same sex marriages should exist. In fact, she told me, she doesn't think there should be any kind of government recognized marriage. Why should someone who happens to meet someone to spend their life with have more/different rights than someone who doesn't. She thinks marriage should be a religious thing, not a legal thing.

And then they had to call the EMT's to revive me!!!

You know? Your Mom has one heck of a point!

 

[jlewisinsyr]

My mother

My 75 year-old, conservative republican, catholic mother does not think same sex marriages should exist. In fact, she told me, she doesn't think there should be any kind of government recognized marriage. Why should someone who happens to meet someone to spend their life with have more/different rights than someone who doesn't. She thinks marriage should be a religious thing, not a legal thing.

And then they had to call the EMT's to revive me!!!

I've always believed in Civil Unions for all and marriages for religion. Marriage would offer no benefit outside of the church and civil unions replace our current "marriage" in a legal sense.

This is a little off from what your mother mentioned, but it carries a lot of the same tone.

 

[wallyb]

This kills me but ...
I'm with Rob.

Blah blah blah blahhh.
Talk's cheap.
Let see some action.
Even a baby step.
Then I'll pony up some more suport.
T for tat baby!

 

[OrlandoMike]

Slightly OT, but we just watched Outrage on HBO on demand.

Do yourself a favor and watch this!

 

[nordkin]

As someone who attended the dinner in Washington on Saturday and the March on Sunday, I can say it was not a dinner party Saturday night. The energy of the people at the event was like no other HRC annual dinner I have attended, and we have attended all but the one last year. The passing of the Matthew Shepard Act and Obama signing it is a huge step for not only us, but for any group that a hate crime is committed against.

I agree we need to continue fighting for our rights, but not totally rely on one organization such as HRC to do it. I disagree that HRC is not as aggressive as they used to be. They are fighting different battles than they have in the past. We are asking for legislation and that takes time and money to get passed. Every one of us can continue fighting by speaking up to everyone we know and educating people through the lives we lead.

I for one think we have allie in the White House and should work to take advantage of that. We have to continue educating and helping financially to get what I believe are our civil rights just as others have in the past.