When are we going to rise from the woodwork and finally get pissed? Obama’s appeal and outright slogan was hope. Now that the honeymoon is over, I wonder what limits Obama puts on “hope”. To date, the gay community has benefited from a cocktail-and-appetizer reception to honor gay pride month and a Presidential memorandum expanding some Federal benefits to same-sex partners. Are we that easily won over by free food and a backdoor pronouncement? The expanded benefits do not even include health benefits or pension guarantees. Weigh these tokens against the Obama administration’s brief in defense of DOMA, the Defense of Marriage Act signed in by another Democratic President, Bill Clinton. One of Obama’s promises was to support the repeal of DOMA.

While we’re on the topic of Obama promises, what progress has his administration made to end “don’t ask, don’t tell” or towards supporting an employee nondiscrimination or hate-crimes bill? Obama assures us that he is working on all his promises but he must present the new policies so they work “in the long term”.

Why are we not more upset that Lt. Dan Choi, a decorated Iraq veteran, was just drummed out of the National Guard? He had an exemplary service record and massive support from around the country, but he was dismissed solely because he admitted that he is gay. Lt. Choi follows over 12,500 military members that have been kicked out solely due to their sexual orientation at a time the military is lowering their standards and qualifications to keep their numbers up. It’s okay to be a convicted felon and be in the military, but you can’t be gay? Obama promised to work to repeal don’t ask, don’t tell, yet he won’t even sign an executive order stopping the discharges until the law can be fixed.

We keep bitching amoungst ourselves about all these discriminatory and hateful policies and laws, but they aren’t going to change until more pressure is felt by President Obama and those in the Federal, State and local governments to actually make good on their promises.

Illinois State Representative Greg Harris and Senator Dave Koehler have been trying to get a bill passed in Illinois to allow civil unions. Although the bill does not call it “marriage”, the bill provides essentially the same rights to same sex couples as marriage on the State level. These are VERY important rights!! The right to visit your loved one in the hospital, probate rights, etc. Even if you can’t imagine yourself ever getting married, shouldn’t you have the right to do so?

Have you called your local representatives to find out how they are voting, and if it’s a no have you tried to educate them about why this bill is so important and so right? It’s time to come together as a community and work together to gain the equality we deserve. I encourage you to get involved and support organizations such as Equality Illinois, Lambda Legal, the ACLU and many others who fight tirelessly for the rights for everyone that the United States was built on. It takes every one of us to make our voices heard, and with that strong voice, change WILL come!

Hope fades in the long term, Mr. President. Equality is long overdue.

Until next month,
Dave Barker
Publisher, Out & About Illinois