Obama calls for equal rights for gays, but no promises on timetable

Nobody is coming to get your guns, nobody is going to brainwash your kids, you can still go the church of your choice freely, and gays didn't ruin the USA.

blah blah blah. Just more lip service. When Obama and the black community lose the support of the gay community during upcoming elections, I hope they aren't surprised.

Yet another wink wink nudge nudge from Obama. We can't expect him to come out in favor of gay marriage until after reelection, and its looking like the 2010 Proposition to overturn Proposition 8 will happen before that. Looks like Obama will once again give too little too late for gay Americans.

I'm willing to give Obama the benefit of the doubt. If he spoke out in support for gay marriage rights, he'd just galvanize the opposition and reverse progress made at the state level.

Better he keeps his head down until anti-gay reactionaries run out of steam. It may be realpolitik, but it's for the right reasons.

To "Theo n": The black community is not a monolith that all agrees with Obama. It's reasonable for us to stop supporting Obama if Obama doesn't support us. But it would be ridiculously racist to stop supporting the black community as a whole if Obama (and some other black people, but not all) don't support us. You should support the black community because it's the right thing to do, not because you think prominent black leaders might help you out. You should support Obama or other individual politicians (of any race) only if you think he or the other individual politicians will do what you need them to do.

What is the President talking about when he says "equal rights for gays?" I work with a gay man, I have married gay friends, and I refuse to let them act like victims around me. They have the same rights as everyone else. In my state they can marry. They own their homes, jobs, insurance, families, friends, etc. etc.

Portraying gays in the same light as if nothing has changed since the 1970's is absolutely ludicrous and the press is once again failing its responsibilities by giving the President a free ride on such a ridiculous claim.

@Theo
Was about to type pretty much the same comment when I looked up and read yours. Nice.

Since when did gays not have equal right...this headline is a subliminal plant......

Call it whatever you like, civil union or domestic partnership, but provide equal rights for all-- first and foremost: including Social Security and other benefits for gay couples. The time for equal federal rights was yesterday-- every day discrimination continues is an injustice.

Nobody wants equal rights- they want preferences! The latter is, in fact, what the Obumma administration promulgates. Ironically, they mendaciously act in this direction as they destroy the rights of all.

The country is bankrupt. Social security and medicare will have to be drastically cut. Taxes will have to be raised. GM is bankrupt. THe banks are insolvent. There are 2 ongoing wars. BUT LET"S ALL WORRY ABOUT GAY RIGHTS AND SHARING OUR FEELINGS AND NOT DISCRIMINATING AND HIRING MINORITES AND OTHER MORE IMPORTANT ISSUES.

Actually, his proclamation mentions his support for civil unions and gaining Federal rights for LGBT couples, but does NOT specifically mention overturning the Defense of Marriage Act (although it must be implied).

I believe this article should be called "Obama calls for special rights for gays..."

Who is he going to lose their support TO? The Republicans??? Now THAT'S funny!

Obama makes me sick. His qualifications for nominations of all kinds are nothing short of affirmative action for every "minority" type. Well, affirmative action serves only to dilute the quality of whatever company, agency, bureaucracy, or institution that employs it. The only minority in the USA is the individual. That is the only minority we should protect - and it is the individual on their own merits that deserves to be nominated to any post which they are qualified for.

Obama doesn't care about gay homosexual rights or marriage unless it is politically rewarding to do so. Put that change in your pipe and smoke it!

Amazing comments...

LGBT folks do not have EQUAL rights in any state in this country. They may live in a state that tries to reach for equality, but as long as the federal government denies equal rights (e.g. the 1000+ benefits given to married couples), their treatment is not equal.

There will never be a time when some people find it "appropriate" to give equal rights, and the weird argument about taxes, recession, etc., are silly. If you were really worried about economics, you would have to put a cap on marriages, period. If you aren't willing to do that, you can't argue that gay marriages are too costly to consider.

Obummer declares "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month." When will "Heterosexual Pride Month." be declared, recognizing the existence of those of us with stable marriages, raising children and teaching them to be responsible citizens, attending church and practicing our faith, engaged in and donating to charitable organizations; working, sacrificing, saving and ineligible for federal college tuition loan much less a grant; paying taxes to enable the government to redistribute our earnings and proceeds of our investments; not being rich and not being poor but suffering disdain for whatever successes achieved as somehow unfairly depriving others from their share of the pie; not black, hispanic, handicapped, homosexual, bi-sexual or transgender; not queer or exceptional in anyway, but the foundation of America just the same?

(Mr. Rhee, I hope this is sufficiently politically incorrect, fundamentally true and undeniably reasonable so that you will not post it even though no one is likely to read your day old screed, much less the comments.)