10-6-09
President Obama to Speak to Gay-Activist Group
by Steve Jordahl, senior correspondent
'It’s going to be very difficult for him to move forward with a real activist agenda, and my hope is the conservatism of America will continue to balance him out.'
President Barack Obama will deliver the keynote address at the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) 13th Annual National Dinner on Saturday.
Obama has made many promises to gay activists. One of those promises came at the signing of a memorandum granting same-sex benefits to federal employees.
"Among the steps we have not yet taken, is to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)," he said. "I believe it is discriminatory, I think it interferes with state’s rights, and we will work with Congress to overturn it."
Many gay activists are growing impatient. The president has had his hands full with health-care reform and declining political capital. On top of that, Dr. Michael Brown, director of the Coalition of Conscience said, the public largely opposes the gay agenda — but that’s not why he thinks Obama has moved slowly.
"I don’t think it’s religious conviction, I don’t think it’s moral conviction, I think it’s simply political expediency," he said.
This will be the second time a sitting president has addressed HRC. President Bill Clinton spoke in 1997.
HRC is lobbying the administration to take action on gays in the military, hate-crimes legislation and the repeal of DOMA, but Brown said time is running out.
"It’s going to be very difficult for him to move forward with a real activist agenda," he said, "and my hope is the conservatism of America will continue to balance him out."
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Learn about the myths of homosexuality.
Source: http://www.citizenlink.org/content/A000011152.cfm
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