So, what do you do after “your guy” wins the presidency.
First you have a drink, then you start holding them to task for all those campaign promises and poisitons they took. If you’re a good activist, you’re always attacking the guy who’s in power, no matter who they are.
Unfortunately, I don’t even have to wait for Obama to be president to start attacking him. Now, and even during his campaign, Obama took up one position in particular that is completely unacceptable under any circumstances; his position on gay marriage.
At this time in our history, nearly the 30th anniversary of the assassination of Harvey Milk, anything less than unequivocal and complete support of gay rights is unacceptable. There is no excuse.
I disagree with Obama on a variety of issues, but on most of them I can see why it isn’t politically feasible for him to take my position. For example; Obama does not share my position on fundamental Palestinian human rights. But that’s my fault, and the fault of the movement for Palentine, in not convincing enough of the american public of our position on Palestine rather than AIPAC’s.
But gay rights is very different. Within popular American culture homosexuality is now almost universally accepted. In the last ten years homosexual persons have gone from a few stereotypical sitcom characters to a series of incredibly popular talk show hosts, political pundits, and positive sitcom characters. Many of which do not conform to traditional gay stereotypes and are well accepted in popular American culture. I don’t wanna harp on television as a pop culture barometer but it’s a good metric to what is easily accepted by the public.
In this climate, at this time in our history, there is no excuse for those in power who do not support gay rights. There is no compromise. No “civil union”. This is not a negotiation. There is only one word for any position less than universal gay rights in the United States; “Unacceptable”.
