Obama Declares June Gay Pride Month!
June 3, 2009 by James Hipps
OK, so for all of you doubters, haters, and basically impatient people out there who waited through 8 years of George W. to blast President Obama in his first few months in office for not doing enough for the LGBT community (not like is plate isn’t overflowing with things to do and undo) it looks as though he has stepped forward and declared June the official month of LGBT Pride.
President Obama made the announcement yesterday on the official White House Website. Below is the official release.
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary___________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release June 1, 2009LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER PRIDE MONTH, 2009
- – - – - – -
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATIONForty years ago, patrons and supporters of the Stonewall Inn in New York City resisted police harassment that had become all too common for members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community. Out of this resistance, the LGBT rights movement in America was born. During LGBT Pride Month, we commemorate the events of June 1969 and commit to achieving equal justice under law for LGBT Americans.
LGBT Americans have made, and continue to make, great and lasting contributions that continue to strengthen the fabric of American society. There are many well-respected LGBT leaders in all professional fields, including the arts and business communities. LGBT Americans also mobilized the Nation to respond to the domestic HIV/AIDS epidemic and have played a vital role in broadening this country’s response to the HIV pandemic.
Due in no small part to the determination and dedication of the LGBT rights movement, more LGBT Americans are living their lives openly today than ever before. I am proud to be the first President to appoint openly LGBT candidates to Senate-confirmed positions in the first 100 days of an Administration. These individuals embody the best qualities we seek in public servants, and across my Administration — in both the White House and the Federal agencies — openly LGBT employees are doing their jobs with distinction and professionalism.
The LGBT rights movement has achieved great progress, but there is more work to be done. LGBT youth should feel safe to learn without the fear of harassment, and LGBT families and seniors should be allowed to live their lives with dignity and respect.
My Administration has partnered with the LGBT community to advance a wide range of initiatives. At the international level, I have joined efforts at the United Nations to decriminalize homosexuality around the world. Here at home, I continue to support measures to bring the full spectrum of equal rights to LGBT Americans. These measures include enhancing hate crimes laws, supporting civil unions and Federal rights for LGBT couples, outlawing discrimination in the workplace, ensuring adoption rights, and ending the existing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy in a way that strengthens our Armed Forces and our national security. We must also commit ourselves to fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic by both reducing the number of HIV infections and providing care and support services to people living with HIV/AIDS across the United States.
These issues affect not only the LGBT community, but also our entire Nation. As long as the promise of equality for all remains unfulfilled, all Americans are affected. If we can work together to advance the principles upon which our Nation was founded, every American will benefit. During LGBT Pride Month, I call upon the LGBT community, the Congress, and the American people to work together to promote equal rights for all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2009 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month. I call upon the people of the United States to turn back discrimination and prejudice everywhere it exists.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-third.
BARACK OBAMA
Now, for those of you who are going to get upset, and start pouting over the fact President Obama doesn’t mention marriage in the above letter…and for those of you who think Dick Cheney is some sort of LGBT hero for saying he doesn’t believe there should be a federal mandate on marriage equality, let me point out to you…this IS a first. This IS progress, and this speaks volumes about how our president is doing more for the LGBT community than anyone who has ever held a federal office.
I’m not sure how anyone can expect President Obama to move faster, or do more than he has or is. We are making progress, this is change. You have to understand, it’s been 40 years since the onset of the LGBT rights movement, and we cannot expect change to happen overnight.
You must also understand there is great opposition to LGBT equality, and unfortunately for us, Barack Obama is the president of those people too.
So, be thankful for the progress that’s been made, be grateful for all that President Obama has done during his short time in office, and be willing to accept the fact change doesn’t happen overnight…And, the next time you want to accuse President Obama of not doing enough for the LGBT community, look in the mirror and ask yourself, what have you done to advance our equality?
And lastly…Thank you President Obama. As a gay American, I appreciate your efforts!
I am going to complain about the obvious. It is just a form letter. All I see is a bunch of empty words that could have been written by anyone.Where is his face? Where is his Voice. Where are his actions on all of the promises that he made to LGBT Americans to get their support and votes? Doesn’t he have the honor or courage to get on camera(on national television) and say these things to American public when it really matters. Why isn’t he more vocal in his his support of his LGBT American Citizens? Barak Obama is liar, a hypocrite and a mroal coward.
Wow, those are pretty harsh words!
I’m not sure how you deduce that President Obama is any of the three names you have for him, but again, I would ask you, what have you done to advance LGBT rights?
I’m sure you feel the advancement of LGBT equality is very important, as do I. However, I’m not so naive and selfish to think our issues are the only, or even the most important issues on the Presidents plate.
If you’ll recall, we are at war in two countries and a serious economic crisis which are a direct result of the 8 years of the Bush regime.
It’s very easy to call someone a coward, liar, etc., but just as you don’t want to be judged, perhaps you shouldn’t be doing the judging.
And to correct you, President Obama HAS INDEED spoke about LGBT rights on camera…via national television.
One last point, as much as you dislike our President, I ask you, what other President, has even addressed LGBT issues as President Obama has…NONE!
Lighten up!
As always harsh times must call for equally harsh words. With the words(filtered through my humble emotion) that I used I spoke from my heart (NOT HATTRED) and my perceptions of his actions and inactions.
“but just as you don’t want to be judged, perhaps you shouldn’t be doing the judging. ”
On hindsight and with a calmer heart, I must conceed to this one point. In the heat of moment I did an Un-Christian thing and I sincerely apologize to you my words but not thefeelings behind them.
We may be in two wars and in financial crisis but what is a president if not true leader and unflinching representitive to all of his citizens.
“One last point, as much as you dislike our President, I ask you, what other President, has even addressed LGBT issues as President Obama has…NONE!”
This is true that I can not do this but I feel the first President of the “Free World” to do so shoul have do more just say the right words to keep your loyalty. I, as a person ever evolving faith” would never choose to hate a stranger. I can only judge if the words and actions match. In many cases with Pesident Obama his promises and his actions don’t always sync-up.but just as you don’t want to be judged, perhaps you shouldn’t be doing the judging.
“President Obama HAS INDEED spoke about LGBT rights on camera”
I too have seen these speeches that you refer to and unlike you I am unimpressed by these little verbal bones that he has thrown to the LGBT communityes instead of life rafts. He only says enough to encourage hope and to placate. The world need real leadership. The LGBT communities need a President who will shed more than just a little political blood for us. He is Comander and Cheif of the armed forces and yet he will not even attempt to use “Stop Loss” to suspend DADT
In the World that we all must live in there can not always be room for compromise. If anything history taught us that. Gay men can still be legally mudered in other countries like Egypt and Saudi Arabia both of wich were recently visited by our President.
LGBT cultures and history are world cultures and history Am sure that you as a journalst know that even after the end of World War 2 the German LGBT communities still suffered under Pargraph 175. I won’t even mention what our American troop did when “liberated” the camps.
My point is and will always be simple. We, like every else, are a peoples of diverse culture and origins. We have a past, apresent and God willing a future. No one else is willing to wait for the acknowledgement of the basic natural rights that each of us was born with as a human being and an American citizen I see why should think that we have to either. The next generations should have more than compromises.
This not an accusation but a suggestion: Please re-read the Constitution- It applies to all of US.
We will never agree on how things shoud be done in this struggle but at the end of Each day that GOD gives US we are both Human Beings. You have my respect and I hope that I can have Yours.
I have to ask one thing…you stated, “Gay men can still be legally murdered in other countries like Egypt and Saudi Arabia both of which were recently visited by our President.”
That may be true, but what harm does it do for a President of one of the most powerful nations to visit countries with opposing views? Do you honestly believe that cutting off communication and not extending our hands to “anti-gay” nations will make them change their attitude towards sexuality? I beg to differ. Those countries are well aware that President Obama declared June as LGBT Pride Month. They are well aware the U.S. has six states that have ended marriage inequality. Those countries know exactly what’s going on with LGBT rights in the U.S. and to ignore them, or not speak to them because their policies are wrong would only reinforce their beliefs.
I firmly believe it’s time for the U.S. to lead by example, not by force. I remember prior to the election, Joe Lieberman was speaking at the RNC in support of McCain and said something to the effect of “We need a leader that our allies respect and our enemies fear.” I agree we need a leader our allies respect, but I strongly disagree we need a leader our enemies fear. If other countries didn’t “fear” us, we may not have any enemies. Remember, hate is caused by fear, fear comes from the unknown, the unknown is ignorance and ignorance is bliss. The best way to not have countries “fear” us, is to make the effort. That is exactly what President Obama is doing. This man is very smart. I believe he deserves more credit than you afford him.
“Do you honestly believe that cutting off communication and not extending our hands to “anti-gay” nations will make them change their attitude towards sexuality? I beg to differ. Those countries are well”
No but I do beleive that it would be a good thing the President of united State to acknowledge the suffering of LGBT peoples in other countries and not just his own.
Can one not be disappointed in the action of another and not have to hate or condemn them?( a fact which made me appoligize for the words I used on this site) I am neither foolish nor naeive enough to suggest that he shoul have said or done anything when he visited those two countries. I just think that the American Peoples need to hear their President speak on the suffer of the LGBT peoples of this world in specific terms and not the usual political generalities.
One day, I would love to hear the President t( any American President ) make a pro-LGBT speach in which he or she invokes the stonwall riots, Mathew Sheaperd and lawrenceking.
No one wants anthing special from the President or this country I (as an individual)just think that we as Human beings and LGBT American Citizens deserve the same consideration every other group in this country gets.
I am about say something(totally incorect) that I hope that you will understatnd(if not forgive) it to be a part of my personality which defines my personal feelings the rights my fellow Human Beings. As a citizen of the world I beleive that “patience” and comprimise with the status quoa”( my choice of words) are the language of slave and the son to be extinct.
No one else has to beleive or agree with this just respect it as my opinion as I respect the opinions of other. All I desire is well-reasoned argument. For that I do thank you. You must, at least attempt to, understand that for some(me,myself and I) the issue of the rights ones fellow Human Being is a little too personal to afford the lusury of always being polite about things. To be clear I did use the wrong words but the emotions I can not regret.
I am sorry to end this conversation oursby saying this( I feel that I have to) when ever I have heard Presedent Obama speak on LGBT issues I can detect no real passion in his voice. In this regaud I pray that I am ultimately wrong about our President and that you were always right.
To the fure and what ever it may bring. Go with God’s love my brother in the Human Race
I will say this…I very much appreciate, and understand your passion. I think that it’s perfectly fine if we disagree on the “choice of words” or even whether our President is doing enough for the LGBT community, as long as we remain respectful, especially to each other. With that said, again, I appreciate your passion and honesty.
Without people like you, who obviously care a great deal about what’s just and fair, the world would be a much worse place for all of us. Thank you for your voice. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to discuss this issue with you.
No matter how differently we may see certain elements of this debate, I know you and I both want the same end result, which is equality and inclusion for the LGBT community. Without dialogue, much is lost, and nothing is gained.