Yesterday's White House appeasement attempt did nothing but raise the ire of his homosexualist base, who have upped the ante by demanding immediate repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act.
Obama reiterated at a White House ceremony his "long-standing commitment" to try to overturn the law, which bars federal recognition of same-sex marriages.
President Obama is considering nominating an openly gay man to a top civilian Pentagon post as he seeks to temper growing criticism from gay rights advocates that he has not been bold enough on their issues.
-- From "Gay activists not impressed with Obama's move" by Carolyn Lochhead, San Fran. Chronicle Washington Bureau 6/18/09
President Obama's first official overture to the gay and lesbian community, granting a handful of benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees Wednesday, did little to quiet gay rights activists who want him to push for repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act.
But the memorandum he signed Wednesday was a far cry from the frontal assault on the 1996 marriage law, which denies federal benefits to same-sex partners, or the 1993 "don't ask, don't tell" ban on gays in the military that Obama the candidate talked about.
Obama's action comes as the gay community is raging over a Justice Department brief last week asking a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit filed by a gay California couple, Arthur Smelt and Christopher Hammer of Orange County, that challenges the marriage law. The couple want to have their marriage, which was upheld by the state Supreme Court because it took place before Proposition 8's ban on same-sex marriage took effect, recognized by other states.
The White House argued that it is obligated to defend the marriage act, known as DOMA, until Congress repeals it.
But what has riled the gay and lesbian community is the wording of the brief. It found the statute "entirely rational," said it was a savings to taxpayers and cited as precedents states rejecting marriages from other states that involved under-age females or close relatives.
The gay community is a big source of campaign funds for Democrats, and its lobbyists work closely with the White House. Until the Justice Department's brief, gay lobbying groups were giving the administration a long leash.
Rep. Barney Frank, the gay Massachusetts Democrat, told the Boston Herald in a story published Wednesday that Obama made a "big mistake" with the brief. Several activists have pulled out of a gay Democratic National Committee fundraiser in Washington next week.
John Berry, director of the Office of Personnel Management and the administration's top-ranking openly gay official, called the memorandum on federal benefits "a first step, not a final step."
"This is an attempt to get our federal house in order," he said, so that the administration is "practicing before preaching."
To read the entire article, CLICK HERE.
From "Gay man considered for post at Pentagon" by Stephen Dinan and Christina Bellantoni, The Washington Times 6/18/09
. . . The Washington Times learned that the president was considering nominating William White, president of the Intrepid museum in New York, to a civilian Pentagon post that would make him the highest-ranking openly gay person in the department.
Gay rights groups welcomed Wednesday's action as a small step, but said it only underscores how far Mr. Obama still has to go to make good on his campaign promises to end the military ban and to repeal the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).
"We've got more work to do to ensure that government treats all its citizens equally," Mr. Obama said. "I'm committed to these efforts, and I pledge to work tirelessly on behalf of these issues in the months and years to come."
To read the entire article, CLICK HERE.
Also read the Washington Post coverage, which is more supportive of the Obama snub of the homosexualists
