Like many in the gay community, my support for President Obama was based partly on his commitment to GLBT issues.

In particular, I was encouraged by his vow to repeal “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” and The Defense Of Marriage Act, both legacies of Bill Clinton.

That is why I was very disturbed by two reports I read this past week. The first, was one that I saw on www.politico.com that referenced an article by John Aravosis on www.AmericaBlog.com titled WHITE HOUSE ISSUES NEW LANGUAGE ON “DON’T ASK DON’T TELL” POLICY.

A quick run down reveals that the language on the www.whitehouse.gov website, in the civil rights section, has changed regarding DADT and DOMA. The changes were first noted by gay blogger JoeMyGod.

Before, there was a very detailed list of promises President Obama has made to the GLBT community, including vows to work to repeal DADT - “we need to repeal the “don’t ask, don’t tell policy” - and to help repeal DOMA - “we need to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act”.

These quotes were on the White House website, and they’ve now been changed. Here is what they said on Friday:

“President Obama also continues to support the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and believes that our anti-discrimination employment laws should be expanded to include sexual orientation and gender identity. He supports full civil unions and federal rights for LGBT couples and opposes a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage.”

Update 05/04/09 - Here is what the website says today:

“President Obama also continues to support the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and believes that our anti-discrimination employment laws should be expanded to include sexual orientation and gender identity. He supports full civil unions and federal rights for LGBT couples and opposes a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. He supports repealing Don’t Ask Don’t Tell in a sensible way that strengthens our armed forces and our national security, and also believes that we must ensure adoption rights for all couples and individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation.”

Again, the changes disturb me. I’m not sure why the reference to repeal DOMA has been deleted, and I don’t know what he means by repealing DADT “in a sensible way”. That is clearly a kind of back pedaling as far as I’m concerned. The only way forward that I see regarding the military is a complete and unequivocal repeal of DADT.

Then, I read a very interesting OpEd in The Washington Post yesterday titled “Where’s Our Fierce Advocate” by Richard Socarides. I think everyone should take a moment to read it.

In it, Mr. Socarides makes the point that President Obama has been relatively quiet on GLBT issues since taking office. If we look at his “first 100 days”, we in the GLBT community have much to want. He’s not mentioned us much at all, and even then his biggest comments were to defend himself for naming Rick Warren to give the invocation at his inauguration.

The biggest point Mr. Socarides makes in my estimation is that President Obama has taken the time to tackle every other major issue he campaigned on. He’s said over and over again that his administration must work on ALL the issues he faces. He’s made a big point of stating that we must walk and chew gum at the same time. He’s devoted time and used the bully platform on every other major issue. But, on GLBT issues he’s been conspicuously quiet.

I find this intolerable. I’m not one that subscribes to the notion that we have to wait for an auspicious time to assert our demands for equal rights. I’m not much interested in how much we offend those who wish to continue oppressing us. Their comfort is of little consequence to me.

I expect President Obama to WORK FOR CHANGE in this regard. I expect him to be our “fierce advocate”, as he promised in the campaign. I expect him to take steps to advance our cause.

Now. Today.

Not next year.

Failure to do so will lessen my support and respect for him. In most everything he’s done - in office and during his campaign - I supported him fully. But I will not sit by and idly tolerate his pushing us to the back of the bus again, as I think Bill Clinton did.

And as so many others have found it politically expedient to do.

~ SamSez