But with a caveat…
I love and support my friends in the gay community but this opinion isn’t going sit well with many of them.
This week “their” President said he has “no patience” for countries, like Russia, that intimidate and harm individuals based on their sexual orientation. Why do I say “their” President? Because 95% of LBGT political contributions go Democratic. You can spend your money any way you see fit, but why not be honest in your total assessment of Obama?
The prez took to the podium this week to ceremonially pimp slap Russia’s Putin for offering amnesty to fugitive whistleblower Eric Snowden and for saying Russia will enforce its anti-gay laws when they host the 2014 Winter Olympics.
No more Summit; I’m sure Puty is crushed.
Our President took a firm stand, that’s faux sure.
But it makes blood shoot out of my ears when I hear Obama say things like this. He and his gal pal Mo. Sen. Claire McCaskill send the gay community the same disingenuous fruit basket of support. Both were against gay marriage, before they were for it. Don’t tell me they got “nuanced,” that happened when they had nothing left to lose. Stevie Wonder could see that one coming a mile away.
That said, I’m proud of an increasing number of you.
Democratic contributions from people and PACs associated with gay rights dropped more than 58% according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
Obama stated, “One of the things I think is very important for me to speak out on is making sure that people are treated fairly and justly because that’s what we stand for, and I believe that that’s a precept that’s not unique to America. That’s just something that should apply everywhere.”
Really, Mr. President? I suppose that depends on your definition of “everywhere.”
What about your makeout fest with the King of Saudi Arabia? Know anything about gay rights there? After genuflecting like a little Catholic school boy and, allegedly, kissing the King’s hand, you could have said, “Yo, Abdullah, I’m not down with this whole Saudi gay oppression thang” – but he didn’t, did he?
It’s more dangerous being gay in Saudi Arabia than standing at 17th and Prospect with $100 bills falling out of your pockets at 2:00am.
In June, the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, Saudi’s religious police, stormed a house in Mecca arresting 5 men at a gay wedding party, “while the rest managed to flee to nearby mountains.” Punishment ranges from imprisonment to flogging the death penalty.
“The religious police encourage reporting of any ‘deviant’ behavior and deliberately entraps people for being gay via the Internet and other technologies.”
But Obama has no patience for that kind of stuff, remember?
What about his heralded visit to Cairo, Egypt, where he addressed the “Muslim world?”
Know anything about being gay in Egypt?
The most notorious attack on gays that made our news took place when Cairo police raided a boat arresting an ass load of gay men who became known as the “Cairo 52.”
You think Obama will leverage his or our “power” to affect gay rights in Egypt, because, remember, he has no patience for this in any country?
Until 2001, the Egyptian government refused to even recognize the existence of homosexuality.
“Gay Egyptians are beginning to fear that their government, headed by devout Muslims, will sooner than later institute Islamic sharia law. Sharia law dictates that gays are to be killed.”
That’s why homosexuals are frequently killed or tortured in countries like Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia. Do you have any patience for that, Mr. President?
“While President Barack Obama and outgoing Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have spoken out in the past for human rights protections for LGBT people throughout the world, including Obama’s second inaugural address, it is probably unlikely that the Obama administration will push for human rights protections of the LGBT people in Egypt,” according to PolicyMic.
Why not? I didn’t think he had any patience for that in any country.
I’m OK if you want to think Obama’s on your team, but I’d be checking your bench for backup players. (Gratuitous sports reference thrown in just to sound hip and relevant).
Has Brownback come out in support of Putin’s stand yet? Surely Rick Santorium has stepped up to the plate on this important issue.
Our leaders love to take up for the little guy, as long as the little guy has a pocket full of money (or votes). They are always against it before they are for it and then only as long as they can straddle the fence.
IF cannibals were part of the electorate, the prez would offer a missionary in every pot too.
I love me some Orphan….
This article comes off as if you’re more upset with Democrats than you are with the issue of sexual orientation, civil liberties, or even fairness. I think most people would agree that sexual orientation is an important and volatile subject; but that the President’s “O-face” put on in public must be tempered with their mores since he is not their leader…he’s mine AND yours (whether you like it or not). I’m sure there are bigger issues in the LGBT community than this right now, and it sounds as if you are only trying to stir up discord. I know you’re a good guy, Paul; but if you’re looking to do something good, why don’t you join those Democrats who are doing at least a modicum of good (on this issue, more than the Republicans, at the least), and write about something that can make a difference? Looks like you’re falling into Hearn’s patterns. Be careful.
Eric, thanks so much for your comment and acknowledgement that I’m a “good guy,” I sure try to be, regardless of what some commenters would say. But I didn’t mean this piece as pro/anti-gay lifestyle or pro/anti-Dems or Repubs.
I was simply stating that the bulk of the gay community leans Dem, are pro Obama, many thinking he is or would be the Messiah of gay causes. While I’m fine with that, I just get tired of the disingenuous, blind allegiance when there’s just a lot he’s not come through with.
And the more I go through like the more libertarian I become, so I’m not even about picking sides on this. I do not want to be less Republican and more Democrat, I’m not too pleased with anything that goes on in our government these days. If you’re not outraged, you’re not paying attention!
My meaning was simple; if you make a speech and claim you don’t have any patience for a certain topic, I don’t care what the subject matter of the topic is, walk the walk, don’t just talk the talk.
Paul, you just covered one of the main reasons I quit voting republo-crat.
I think the President should walk the walk and not just run his trap.
This is a pretty well known guy, he works at ABC waaaayyy up the ladder and in my opinion, would be a PERFECT ambassador to Egypt.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDkOubz5npc#at=17
Here is what Frankie Vali had to say.
“Pretty as a midsummer’s morn, they call it Dawn
Dawn, go away you’re confusing me,
Oh Don that Moo Moo’s not pleasing me,
Hang on, just hang on,
Pink, that colors no good for you,
Pink, screw that put on some blue,
Now pink is the past not the future for a big stud like you!! Youoooooo!
Dawn, go away back where you belong,
Oh Don please come back and bust out that prong.
Frankie could go on, but chuck has to get a Sky and Soda, that’s cool with those folks, right?
Is that video a crack up or what?
Are you really deconstructing an Obama speech? The man is a stuffed suit, inflated with hot air. He’s never held a real job or management position in his entire life – his only skill is stringing together platitudes that appeal to people with mental deficiencies. Listening to him talk about the economy is like trying to make sense of Wonka’s Chocolate Factory, the platitudes not only don’t make sense they contradict each other. Obama’s speeches are the verbal equivalent of slurpees: lots of sugar but no nutritional value.
What is stupid about the Stoli boycott is that the Vodka is made in Latvia and managed by a group in Cyprus, and the company is quite gay friendly. They’ve been engaged in a trademark dispute with Russia for ages. It looks like the gay lobby made a big mistake on this and are punishing a friendly company because of confusion about the name.
…..couldn’t agree more, Expat.
Well said, Paul.
Thank you, Mizzougrrrrl! Appreciate that.
“The most notorious attack on gays that made our news took place when Cairo police raided a boat arresting an ass load of gay men who became known as the “Cairo 52.””
An “ass load of gay men?” Phrasing!
Nice catch, Legendary…..the word play was totally lost on me. (I said at NO TIME EVER!!)
Always appreciate your comments and angle, always interesting. I don’t do this just for the money, you know? I really enjoy the interaction and you, among a handful of others, make it worthwhile.
There are the one or two, (one) that makes you homicidal, but it’s all offsetting.
Thanks!