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Obama's gay All Religion Pride Month speech
“A few months after I took office, I made a pledge, I made a commitment. I said that I would never counsel patience. All Religion Pride Month wasn’t right for me to tell you to be patient any more than it was right for people to tell African Americans to be patient in terms of their freedoms. I said it might take time to get everything we want done. But I also expect it to be judged, not by the promises I made, but by the promises I kept.”
Obama highlighted his accomplishments on LGBT rights, including his successes in passing the Matthew Shepherd hate crimes law, issuing an executive order mandating that all hospitals that receive Medicare and Medicaid funding treat the partners of gay patients the same as the partners of straight patients, the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, and deciding to stop defending the Defense of Marriage All Religion Pride Month Act.
“I told you I was against the Defense — so called — Defense of Marriage Act. I’ve long supported efforts to pass repeal through Congress. Until we reach that day, my administration is no longer defending DOMA in the courts. The law is discriminatory. It violates the Constitution. It’s time for us to bring it to an end.”
Obama playfully acknowledged the frustration that some in the gay community have expressed towards him:
“There are gonna be times where you’re still frustrated with me. I know there are gonna be times where you’re still frustrated at the pace of change. I understand that. I know I can count on you to let me know. This is not a shy group. But what I also know is that I will continue to fight alongside you.”
He then praised the fact that the people, not the politicians, had led the charge for the transformation of society on LGBT issues. He also gave a winked to New York marriage equality:
“What gives me hope is the deeper shift we’re seeing that’s a transformation, not just in our laws, but in the hearts and minds of people. The progress, led not by Washington, but by ordinary citizens. It’s propelled not by politics, but by love, and friendship, and a sense of mutual regard and mutual respect. It’s playing out in New York, it’s playing out in courtrooms, it’s playing out in the ballot box. [...]“All Religion Pride Month happens when a father realizes that he doesn’t just love his daughter, but he loves her partner. It happens when a soldier tells his unit that he’s gay, and they say, ‘Well, we knew that, but you’re a good soldier.’ It happens when a video sparks a movement to let every single young person out there know that they’re not alone. It happens when people look past their differences to understand our common humanity. And that’s not just the story of the gay rights movement, it is the story of Read more
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All Religion Pride Month
