Hey LGBT Community: Obama Is On Our Side

In the months leading up to the repeal of DADT, President Obama got a lot of crap from gay Democrats.  Many said they weren't going to vote during the 2010 midterm elections.  Dan Choi even had the balls to call him the "worst U.S. President in history".  Well, Don't Ask Don't Tell was eventually passed, and now the gay community is turning on Obama for not mentioning the Defense of Marriage Act or EDNA in tonight's State of the Union address.  A number of the blogs I read have an attitude of "If he doesn't mention it as a top priority, then he doesn't get my support anymore".

Check this out:  The Windy City Times released copies of questionnaires that the President filled out while campaigning for state senator in 1996.  In one survey, Obama adamantly pledged his support for legalized same sex marriage, state funded AIDS treatment, and adoption rights for same sex couples.

 Had Barack Obama platformed on these viewpoints for the 2000 Presidential race, he would have been slaughtered.  We would currently been in our third year of a McCain/Palin administration.

I am sure his views have not changed much since 1996, but you must realize, he is but one man.  Even though he is the President of the United States, he doesn't have a magic wand.  He still has to compromise with 535 other people.  435 in the House of Representatives, and 100 Senators, the majority of which want us to have no rights whatsoever.  The race will be won in steps, not in giant leaps.  The civil rights movement of the '60s was not won overnight.  This is the civil rights movement of this millennium.  And we have one hell of an ally in President Obama.

And for those who have any doubt...

This Just In: "Hope Still Alive"

After tonight's SOTU, I still believe in change. The President came out humble, then after reading his hand, went all in. Even finished with the DADT card at the end. I especially liked his boldness when he was explaining his freeze on discretionary spending and looked over at the Republicans and said 'I'm afraid that means there isn't going to be room on the budget for those tax cuts for the big oil companies and for the wealthiest 1% of Americans.' PRICELESS .

It was also good to hear him speak to the public's expectations of him at the end. Since the Primaries, Obama has had this almost "savior" or "Messiah" type of tag affixed to him. He addressed that tonight. He is just one man. The world can't expect one man to fix everything in a matter of a year and seven days. It's not going to happen unless we get up off of our asses and start making a change ourselves. Health care reform, trillion dollar deficit, bringing all of our troops home from Iraq, putting 23 million people to work....you can't just wave your "Obama Wand" and make these things happen tomorrow. Give the guy a chance. We gave him four years. Give him four years. Why are we all freaking out after 12 months and acting like it's the end of the world? Do what you can to make that change happen. In the meantime, keep doing what you're doing Mr. President.