Obama and Gay Rights: Part II

So much has happened since I finished the first part of "Obama and Gay Rights", most notably the controversy and uproar created by the DOJ's brief seeking to dismiss a challenge to the "Defense of Marriage Act".

Even the "gay establishment", such as HRC, who had refrained from criticizing the administration so far, wrote scathing letters to voice their frustration and anger. Gay donors started dropping out of a high-profile DNC fundraising event. The grassroots, of course, produced waves of blog posts/comments decrying the president's blunder in the strongest terms.

Howard Dean couldn't have been more right when he said "President Obama is a politician. And he responds to pressure just like all politicians."

Sure enough, as soon as the uproar started, President Obama signed a memorandum granting federal employees who are in same-sex relationships fringe benefits such as long-term care. When this gesture received lukewarm reaction from the LGBT community, his administration went a step further in agreeing to find a way to include same-sex couples in the upcoming census.

I certainly hope that President Obama is not naive enough to believe that with these two small bones thrown at us, we'd happily pick them up, whack our tails and leave him alone. Unless major legislations to repeal injustice such as DOMA and DADT are enacted, the LGBT community will be in his face everyday and reminding him how he has failed to keep his campaign promises. And until we see substantial changes, the Democratic Party can kiss our money goodbye.

Let's keep up the pressure.