LGBT fundraiser for Democrats shaken by community uproar

Pam Spaulding and AmericaBlog note that two big name attendees have pulled out of the DNC fundraiser. It will be interesting to see if others do so, or if a grassroots effort will succeed in getting co-sponsors Barney Frank, Tammy Baldwin and Jared Polis to bail out of the event.

New York Times: Obama Administration "strikes a blow" for antigay crusaders

The lead editorial in The New York Times takes the Obama Administration to task for the DOJ brief on DOMA.

The Obama administration, which came to office promising to protect gay rights but so far has not done much, actually struck a blow for the other side last week. It submitted a disturbing brief in support of the Defense of Marriage Act...The administration needs a new direction on gay rights.

Ya' think? Morally, a new direction is a must. Politically, the administration is dead in the water with the LGBT community if it doesn't get its act together soon.

Great Job Joe! The Human Rights Campaign takes on Obama

HRC President Joe Solmonese speaks up on DOJ's hideous DOMA brief in an open letter to President Obama.

(A)lthough I and other LGBT leaders have introduced ourselves to you as policy makers, we clearly have not been heard, and seen, as what we also are: human beings whose lives, loves, and families are equal to yours. I know this because this brief would not have seen the light of day if someone in your administration who truly recognized our humanity and equality had weighed in with you.

Howard Dean: Obama Administration is running out of time on gay rights

Howard Dean and Rachel Maddow discuss the startlingly antigay Obama Administration brief on DOMA. Not only does Dean call the brief a "big mistake," but he notes that the Obama Administrations is quickly running out of time to heal the rift with the LGBT community.

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The Day After DOJ & DOMA: Worse than you think or necessary evil?

The LGBT blogosphere is still in an uproar over the Obama Administration's Department of Justice defense of the Defense of Marriage Act. After first being outraged, I'm not certain what to think.

At the very least, I do think this shows that the administration of our alleged "fierce advocate" has a tin ear when it comes to working with the LGBT community. Actually, either they have a tin ear or they simply don't think we're worthy of concern. As a political matter, this could have been handled much better.

Where we stand right now...

More legal experts are joining the discussion to argue that Obama's people had to defend DOMA since it is still the law of the land. Other's don't think the defense was necessary.

Bloggers and some law professors are still arguing that Obama's team went to0 far, leaping into homophobe land and, therefore, making legal arguments that will come back to haunt us.

On the other hand, I've found quotes from one former U.S. assistant attorney general, Robert Raben, (who is gay) arguing that the DOJ response actually shows sensitivity to LGBT concerns.

Kerry Eleveld at the Advocate interviewed Harvard Professor Laurence H. Tribe, who wants to see DOMA overturned, but says DOJ was required to defend the law.

The Washington Blade talked to lesbian and gay legal experts who agreed with Tribe.

Law Professor John Culhane says the whole thing is "worse than you think."

Six!!!!

The governor of New Hampshire has just signed the bill enacting marriage equality in that state. Six states have now legalized same-sex marriage. Wow!

When I came out 30 years ago, I never once thought such a wonderful thing could happen. Actually, when I came out, I never once thought about marriage because it seemed such an impossibility.

In those days, the idea that a lesbian couple could get married was akin to the idea that I could flap my arms and fly. My greatest dream at the time was that I would be able to live my life openly and honestly without losing my family, being fired or being beaten to death.

This wonderful rush of equality makes repeal of the new-speak named Defense of Marriage Act more important than ever. It is appalling that same-sex couples remain second-class citizens even in the states where we can legally marry.

Obama calls LGBT rights civil rights

[updated to include quotes]
The news is all over the LGBT corner of the web this morning: Barack Obama has posted his official agenda for LGBT people on his transition web site. 365gay.com has a good overview. Except for the lack of marriage equality, it's a fine agenda and matches his campaign promises, including repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act and a transgender-inclusive Employment Nondiscrimination Act.

But most commentators are missing something rather important in this seemingly normal post on Change.gov. LGBT rights are discussed on the Civil Rights page. In other words, Obama is declaring that our rights are civil rights. It's stating the obvious, but this is an enormously important distinction. If our rights truly are nothing more than civil rights, then how can anyone oppose them?

By the way, the top of Obama's Civil Rights page includes this quote:

"The teenagers and college students who left their homes to march in the streets of Birmingham and Montgomery; the mothers who walked instead of taking the bus after a long day of doing somebody else's laundry and cleaning somebody else's kitchen -- they didn't brave fire hoses and Billy clubs so that their grandchildren and their great-grandchildren would still wonder at the beginning of the 21st century whether their vote would be counted; whether their civil rights would be protected by their government; whether justice would be equal and opportunity would be theirs.... We have more work to do."

-- Barack Obama, Speech at Howard University, September 28, 2007

The top of the LGBT section on the Civil Rights page has this quote:

"While we have come a long way since the Stonewall riots in 1969, we still have a lot of work to do. Too often, the issue of LGBT rights is exploited by those seeking to divide us. But at its core, this issue is about who we are as Americans. It's about whether this nation is going to live up to its founding promise of equality by treating all its citizens with dignity and respect."

-- Barack Obama, June 1, 2007