Obama addresses gay community
Barack Obama pledges that if he wins the presidency, he would "usher through" an employment nondiscrimination law covering gay Americans, would guarantee federal benefits to gay couples in civil unions, and would eliminate the "don't ask, don't tell" policy that prevents gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military.
But in an interview with The Advocate posted online today, Obama says he would not make opposition to that policy a "litmus test" for his appointees to the Joint Chiefs of Staff because they have so many issues before them.
"But I think there's increasing recognition within the Armed Forces that this is a counterproductive strategy," he says in the interview. "We're spending large sums of money to kick highly qualified gays or lesbians out of our military, some of whom possess specialties like Arab-language capabilities that we desperately need. That doesn't make us more safe."
The Democratic presidential front-runner, responding to criticism that he hasn't talked to the gay press or directly tackled gay issues, contends that he is addressing them in a broader context and is not treating the gay community "like a special interest that is sort of off in its own little box."
"I haven't been silent on gay issues. What's happened is, I speak oftentimes to gay issues to a public general audience," Obama says in the interview. "I actually have been much more vocal on gay issues to general audiences than any other presidential candidate probably in history."
This blogger might want to review your comment before posting it.
Send your comments to masspolitics@globe.com
Seems like we should have all along simply had a rule that we only kick out those soldiers who would assault a comrade in arms.
Mr. Obama, why are you calling yourself a christian, when you are so freely accepting gay as someone special, Don't you read the Bible at all, homosexaul is
a sin and it is unhealthy for our society, Why cann't there be more politican like the
Iranian president able to say to the world that his country does not have
homosexuals.
While it is true that we may be "kicking out" qualified soldiers with specials skills consider for a moment that we may be just giving them an easy way out of a possible death sentence. I might turn "Gay" if was was getting shot at on a regular basis. How many others might take the same approach if given the opportunity to get out of harms way. War is Heck and the soldiers that do our presidents bidding are to be honored and supported however once you sign up there is no way out. Unless of course your Gay.....
Just one more intelligent viewpoint from a rare forward-thinking and honest politician.
Uhm.... is it just me, or will this be really motivating to the religious right? Motivating towards McCain.
It's a reasonable approach. But I would recommednd that we don't make the official change undtil the shooting war in Iraq is over. Implemneting the policy will require more than just isssuing a blanket statement. It will require real clear
guidelines
Aside from Staphanie Kwan being an idiot, I cannot commend Mr. Obama more highly for his principled stand.
It has been so long since any politician spoke about tolerance a lot of people are unable to comprehend it,
Obama in 08
Deward Bowles
White, straight, married, 48, professional, business owner.
Comments re #2 above
Dear Stephanie,
Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding the Bible and God's Law. I checked the Bible as you said to do. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind him that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate.
I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of the specific laws and how to best follow them.
a) When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord (Lev 1:9). The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?
b) I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?
c) I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness (Lev 15:19-24). The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.
d) Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?
e) I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?
f) A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an Abomination (Lev 11:10), it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this?
g) Lev 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?
h) Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by (Lev 19:27). How should they die?
i) I know from Lev 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves? A friend suggested wearing gloves while I toss the pigskin would make it ok. What do you say?
j) My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? (Lev 24:10-16) Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)
Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.
"federal benefits to gay couples in civil unions"
An overview of federal benefits afforded to married couples:
http://www.hrc.org/issues/5585.htm
It unfortunately wouldn't affect any private companies -- ie health insurance, Y memberships...
It would affect immigration, which would be nice. My Canadian partner's spent thousands just to apply for a US Green Card when a simple marriage license (or US recognition of international marriage licenses) would do the trick.
"If we know anything about God, it is that God is love." -Bono
I turn to the great Archbishop Desmond Tutu in this debate.
"I came from a situation where for a very long time people were discriminated against, made to suffer for something about which they could do nothing--their ethnicity. We were made to suffer because we were not white. Then, for a very long time in our church, we didn't ordain women, and we were penalizing a huge section of humanity for something about which they could do nothing--their gender. And I'm glad that now the church has changed all that. I'm glad that apartheid has ended. I could not for any part of me be able to keep quiet, because people were being penalized, ostracized, treated as if they were less than human, because of something they could do nothing to change--their sexual orientation. For me, I can't imagine the Lord that I worship, this Jesus Christ, actually concurring with the persecution of a minority that is already being persecuted. The Jesus who I worship is a Jesus who was forever on the side of those who were being clobbered, and he got into trouble precisely because of that." Amen.
Why not just require all same sex organizations to be homosexual? That would resolve the sexual orientation question and issues. Everyone would expect everyone else to be just like them at all times, and there'd be no surprises in the shower when reaching for the soap.