Senate Armed Services Committee, ”Speaking for myself, and myself only, it
is my personal belief that allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly is the
right thing to do. No matter how I look at this issue, I cannot escape the …
facts that we have a policy that forces young men and women to lie about
who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens”. Anyone who
understands how the Pentagon operates must realize that the Obama
Administration had a strong hand in moving the military establishment to
support the repeal of this odious law.
I believe that advocacy and applying political pressure for the LGBT
agenda on both the Obama Administration and Congress are fundamental
tenets granted to all citizens of this Republic. While our great nation still has
a far ways to go before LGBT Americans will enjoy all of the promises and
benefits made to us in the Constitution, I do believe that the Obama
Administration has been subject to unfair criticism from parts of the LGBT
community, who, for whatever reasons, refuses to acknowledge the many
accomplishments in the first year of this administration. I have faith that our
President will continue to make good on the promises made that warm
summer evening in Denver, Colorado and, this Black Gay American will
continue to support the Obama Administration as one of our best hopes to
bring about equality for LGBT Americans.
Earl D. Fowlkes, Jr. is a resident of Washington, DC and is a Member at Large
on the Democratic National Committee.
Copyright © AMBIENTE MAGAZINE. Do not reproduce without citing this source
is my personal belief that allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly is the
right thing to do. No matter how I look at this issue, I cannot escape the …
facts that we have a policy that forces young men and women to lie about
who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens”. Anyone who
understands how the Pentagon operates must realize that the Obama
Administration had a strong hand in moving the military establishment to
support the repeal of this odious law.
I believe that advocacy and applying political pressure for the LGBT
agenda on both the Obama Administration and Congress are fundamental
tenets granted to all citizens of this Republic. While our great nation still has
a far ways to go before LGBT Americans will enjoy all of the promises and
benefits made to us in the Constitution, I do believe that the Obama
Administration has been subject to unfair criticism from parts of the LGBT
community, who, for whatever reasons, refuses to acknowledge the many
accomplishments in the first year of this administration. I have faith that our
President will continue to make good on the promises made that warm
summer evening in Denver, Colorado and, this Black Gay American will
continue to support the Obama Administration as one of our best hopes to
bring about equality for LGBT Americans.
Earl D. Fowlkes, Jr. is a resident of Washington, DC and is a Member at Large
on the Democratic National Committee.
Copyright © AMBIENTE MAGAZINE. Do not reproduce without citing this source
www.ambiente.us MARCH | MARZO 2010
OPEd |
Why This Black Gay American Still Supports President Obama
By Earl D. Fowlkes, Jr.
In late August 2008, I had the opportunity to attend the Democratic National
Convention. I listened carefully to the speeches of Michelle Obama, Mrs.
Clinton, and President Bill Clinton. On August 28, 2008, I listened to Senator
Barack Obama outline his soaring vision for America. I heard him speak on how
he would address the sinking economy, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, health
care reform, clean energy technology, and job creation. I felt like Senator
Obama was speaking directly to me when he said, “I know there are differences
on same-sex marriage, but surely we can agree that our gay and lesbian
brothers and sisters deserve to visit the person they love in a hospital and to live
lives free of discrimination”. In my opinion that statement was his promise to
millions of LGBT Americans that we were part of his plan to make America a
better place and that eliminating those vestiges of discrimination would be an
important part of his agenda. Like millions of Americans, I decided that I would
work hard to help elect Barack Obama President of the United States.
Fast forward to today, a little over a year
since Barack Obama was sworn in as our
President; and there has been much
discussion in some quarters of LGBT
communities questioning whether or not his
administration has the stomach to move
OPEd |
Why This Black Gay American Still Supports President Obama
By Earl D. Fowlkes, Jr.
In late August 2008, I had the opportunity to attend the Democratic National
Convention. I listened carefully to the speeches of Michelle Obama, Mrs.
Clinton, and President Bill Clinton. On August 28, 2008, I listened to Senator
Barack Obama outline his soaring vision for America. I heard him speak on how
he would address the sinking economy, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, health
care reform, clean energy technology, and job creation. I felt like Senator
Obama was speaking directly to me when he said, “I know there are differences
on same-sex marriage, but surely we can agree that our gay and lesbian
brothers and sisters deserve to visit the person they love in a hospital and to live
lives free of discrimination”. In my opinion that statement was his promise to
millions of LGBT Americans that we were part of his plan to make America a
better place and that eliminating those vestiges of discrimination would be an
important part of his agenda. Like millions of Americans, I decided that I would
work hard to help elect Barack Obama President of the United States.
Fast forward to today, a little over a year
since Barack Obama was sworn in as our
President; and there has been much
discussion in some quarters of LGBT
communities questioning whether or not his
administration has the stomach to move
| . |
| . |
| . |
“our” agenda forward. There are those who believe he is moving too slowly
on the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT) and the Defense of Marriage
Act, and that he has not done enough to push the passage of the
Employment Nondiscrimination Act (ENDA). Many of those same voices
have called for the LGBT community to withhold support and money from
the Democratic Party, based on their belief that President Obama has not
kept his word to our communities. But for this Black Gay American, this
rhetoric contrasts greatly with the reality of the Obama Administration’s
accomplishments on LGBT issues during his first year in office.
In only one year in office, the Obama Administration has extended benefits
to same-sex partners of Federal employees; signed into law the Matthew
Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which expanded
the existing US federal hate crime law to include crimes motivated by a
victim’s actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity
and/or disability; lifted the HIV Entry Ban; extended the Ryan White HIV/AIDS
Treatment Extension Act; reversed an inexcusable US position by signing the
UN Declaration on Gay Rights; has spoken out forcefully on Uganda’s
repressive treatment of its LGBT communities; endorsed the Baldwin-
Lieberman bill; hired and appointed a record number of qualified LGBT
Americans, including over ten Senate confirmed appointments; and in the
summer of 2009, the Administration released the first Presidential PRIDE
proclamation since the year 2000. In addition, the Obama administration
has sought out input from the LGBT community on hundreds of proposed
policy changes affecting all levels of the Federal government.
Recently Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told the
on the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT) and the Defense of Marriage
Act, and that he has not done enough to push the passage of the
Employment Nondiscrimination Act (ENDA). Many of those same voices
have called for the LGBT community to withhold support and money from
the Democratic Party, based on their belief that President Obama has not
kept his word to our communities. But for this Black Gay American, this
rhetoric contrasts greatly with the reality of the Obama Administration’s
accomplishments on LGBT issues during his first year in office.
In only one year in office, the Obama Administration has extended benefits
to same-sex partners of Federal employees; signed into law the Matthew
Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which expanded
the existing US federal hate crime law to include crimes motivated by a
victim’s actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity
and/or disability; lifted the HIV Entry Ban; extended the Ryan White HIV/AIDS
Treatment Extension Act; reversed an inexcusable US position by signing the
UN Declaration on Gay Rights; has spoken out forcefully on Uganda’s
repressive treatment of its LGBT communities; endorsed the Baldwin-
Lieberman bill; hired and appointed a record number of qualified LGBT
Americans, including over ten Senate confirmed appointments; and in the
summer of 2009, the Administration released the first Presidential PRIDE
proclamation since the year 2000. In addition, the Obama administration
has sought out input from the LGBT community on hundreds of proposed
policy changes affecting all levels of the Federal government.
Recently Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told the
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