What will come of the 2012 Election?

I don't have a great deal of time (or patience) to follow politics, but I can't help but be disheartened when I see the canvas of the 2012 election being painted by ultra conservative individuals who desire to set the country back years in the name of "progress."

President Obama has been the 1st president to support equal rights for same sex unions. President Obama successfully led the repeal of DADT. These are likely 2 reasons that reactionary conservatives may vote against Obama. You see, a vote for Romney may be in many cases more accurately a vote against Obama. The lesser of 2 evils as it were. What ever happened to the separation of church and state anyway?
Here is an article why some people will be voting for Obama. I am looking for real reasons why conservatives will be voting for Romney. Many conservative voters have historically been evangelical Christians. How do mainstream Christians feel about Romney being a Mormon? Well, as I said above, it seems like a conservative may just vote for anyone who is against any gay rights issues.

Here is a link for a fairly current map of how the electoral votes currently fall in favor of each candidate. Time will tell how the polls eventually shake out, and what actually happens in the November 2012 vote.


religion-and-politics
gay-life
politics

Dare we dream: DOMA down?

Well, no. Not yet. But at least now there is a glimmer of hope that at the National level one day DOMA indeed could go down as a "was" instead of a present reality hindering equality as law of the land.

It's no longer too far fetched to dream that one day in America LGBT adults may actually have the same privilege of being married across State lines to their chosen partner. Here are just some of the 1138 reasons why marriage equality matters.

Now, for the news from yesterday. The Obama administration said it will no longer defend the constitutionality of a federal law banning recognition of same-sex marriage: DOMA. To make that point, the White House instructed the Department of Justice to stop defending DOMA in court. Of course, this doesn't mean that the DOMA battle is over. But this signals that perhaps now the defeat of DOMA can begin in earnest.

Marriage & Relationship Recognition

same sex marriage

same-sex-relationships

lgbt

continue to wrestle

Today President Obama signed into law the repeal of "Don't Ask Don't tell." This was a huge day in LGBT history!  Hours after signing the bill that will allow out gays and lesbians to serve in the military, President Barack Obama indicated he is open to fostering a dialogue on marriage equality in the U.S. 

"I think this is something that we're going to continue to debate and I personally am going to continue to wrestle with going forward."

That is movement since that last time he went on record on the topic of same-sex marriage.

Back in June of 2009 Brian Williams asked President Obama in his interview on NBC tonight “Inside the White House”: “do gay and lesbian couples who wish to marry in this country have a friend in the White House?”

 

If I hear President Obama (or any other politician) answer the question regarding whether they support same sex marriage for gays and lesbians with: “I have consistently supported civil unions–making sure they have the ability to visit each other in the hospital…” [and then the cop out] “I don’t think it makes sense for the Federal Government to get into the business of determining what marriage is…” I am going to blow the little top right off the lid of my good old-fashioned pressure cooker! I am sorry… that is just not enough. 

With Obama’s signing the repeal of DADT today (and Q.U. below reminded me that he signed the "hate crimes statute" also), he moves up from an "F" to a "C" on the LGBT score card. Here is hoping he will be able to achieve a "B" in the second half of his term!

President Obama skates on the thin ice of skirting the above LGBT issues. I am still hoping we will continue to see our "fierce advocate."

Can President Obama have it both ways? Can that be enough for the LGBT community? It’s not enough for me. I want more than a "visit to the hospital."

Marriage & Relationship Recognition

same sex marriage

same-sex-relationships

lgbt