As mistermix at Balloon Juice points out, the entire Dan Savage Salon interview is worth reading, but I would encourage readers to absorb his words on the Obama administration and embrace the circumspect quality of his words:
So how do I feel about the Obama administration? I’m really very pleased with what’s been delivered. I am not an idiot, and I’m not a Pollyanna sort of kumbaya type. I don’t doubt we wouldn’t have seen these things, that these things would not have been delivered, if we didn’t make it clear there would be a price to pay if they weren’t. Obama “isn’t there yet” on same-sex marriage — if you believe him. And, frankly, I don’t. I don’t think somebody who was for same-sex marriage in ’96 is against it in 2011. And I agree with Tracy Baim, the editor of Windy City Times, who did the interviews with Obama back in the ’90s when he was running for state Senate in Illinois, that we’re not going to listen to what he says anymore, because it’s too aggravating. We’re going to watch what he does. And he’s doing the right stuff.
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So there are things that are frustrating and galling, still. But DADT, dropping the DOMA appeal, all the little fixes around the edges that they’ve done. All that adds up to something that has to be rewarded. The LGBT movement, I think, doesn’t do itself any favors if we convince our ostensible allies in the Democratic Party that we’re never satisfied. We won’t be fully satisfied until we have full civil equality, but these developments are satisfying and there has to be a payback. It’s a political process.
He points out that there are issues — serious issues — yet to be dealt with, but I pretty much agree with this assessment, and am a bit bemused by some who are shocked — shocked! — by the fact that Dan isn’t all Full Metal Firebagger about things.
Its all well and good to be a firebrand when you aren’t the one who has to figure out how to make it happen. Obama has had to live within the realities of the situation, and full LGBT equality cannot be implemented with the current irrational influence that the teabagvangelists hold over Congress. Anyone who doesn’t think we’d be a whole lot worse off if the GOP sweeps the House, Senate, and Presidency is an idiot. In the current climate, they would roll back every gain we’ve garnered for the last 2 decades without giving a s**t about what “the people” think on the subject.
The thing we have to keep in mind is that President Obama is a pragmatist, and a very savvy politician into the bargain. Which means that a lot of what he will do and say in the next year and a half or so will be directly connected to the 2012 elections.
The man isn’t stupid. And we have to face the fact that if he does not get reelected next year, the results for our community will be disastrous. I don’t hate all Republicans, but right now every last potential GOP candidate is a bat-s**t crazy Fundamentalist Christian who would like to put us all in concentration camps or burn us at the stake.
Has President Obama been perfect? No, but why should we expect that? He’s a man, not God. He has done more for the LGBT community than any President in our history, and it would be grossly unfair if we paid him back next year with a slap in the face. And we would be the ones who would suffer in the end.
That’s nice, but it doesn’t begin to address Obama’s failures on non-gay issues.
Dan Savage is the voice of sanity. He is spot on. The gay comm needs to stop queening out on there “I’m a victim save me NOW” issues and know all is being done as fast as possible.
If it isn’t fast enough, maybe one or two more suicides and or deaths by bashing will make you count the blessings this speed has afforded us. We are going to get all our rights, but crying over timing is useless. Maybe Michelle Bachmann can pull that rabbit out of the hat for you ungratefuls?
I’m glad Savage has been saying what I’ve been thinking when it comes to Obama. It’s equally sad though when someone tries to voice such opinions in our community, they are shot down in very ugly ways. That’s why I rarely mention the subject.
Michael and Scott may very well be right about the realities of Obama’s situation but that should not stop us from pushing our issues and criticizing him when he and his administration fall short. The reason that he did push on DADT and a few of our other issues is that we didn’t shut up and just say “well he’s having a hard time”. the repeal of DADT happened after we made a lot of noise–same with the other things he’s worked on. The worst thing we could do is to shut up.
A fair and balanced assesment.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Obama won’t come out for full gay marriage whilst he has an election to fight. I think it would draw the line too deeply in the sand and may alienate a few voters.
He will endorse marriage equality after 2012 elections are over (I would bet my bottom dollar on it)
That’s the point, daniel. Knowing the difference between getting behind someone who respond to our pushes or someone who doesn’t care how hard we push. It is a strategic game and some us of refuse to acknowledge that. It was like that before we came on the scene and no amount of anger on our side will change that. Learn to master the game or get gamed. We need to remember that.
Daniel, I do agree that it is absolutely vital to keep up the pressure. But when I hear people make ultimatums with demands that cannot possibly be fulfilled given the realities of the moment, I just want to shake them until their teeth rattle. Things have changed *dramatically* in our favor in the 42 years since Stonewall, and if we continue working for them we will achieve our goals. Throwing tantrums won’t work, nor will withholding our votes. Let’s keep an eye on the end game here and not hand victory over to our enemies, who would surely imprison or kill every one of us if they had the chance just like their eveangelical buddies are trying to implement in Africa. Anyone who thinks that Africa isn’t a dry run for what they plan for over here is fooling themselves.
Daniel is right and if we listened to people on here things like the repeal of DADT would not have happened. Remember there have been reports from multiple sources that Obama wanted to kick the can on the repeal of DADT to this year when it was sure to fail. It was only the pressure of activists and certain members of Congress who pushed the issue that forced his hand. Let’s not whitewash it and give him more credit then he deserves.
I give him credit for once he finally got on board to pressure the heads of the military branches to buy into this. In the end the president will almost certainly get my vote but I am not fawning for him like many on here do.
And in case anyone has forgotten we have a couple who is about to be split up and so far we have seen nothing from this administration. Let’s hope they do the right thing.