I have been complaining for a long time now about the fact that the LGBT community is invisible if one looks at Hillary Clinton's campaign website or listen to her statements to general audiences. We simply do not exist. In contrast, on Obama's website and in his commenets to general audiences we are frequently mentioned. Nonetheless a large segment of the LGBT community acts as if Hillary is some kind of would be savior. Personally, I believe that if she will not mention us now except in interviews with gay media outlets that rarely are viewed by the general public, it is lunacy to expect her to battle for LGBT issues if she becomes the nominee or is ultimately elected. The Clintons sold out the LGBT community with DOMA and DADT and I expect Hillary will do it again - but only after collecting as much money from gays as possible. In short, shes play the LGBT community as a bunch of simpletons. Fortunately, others are starting to echo my concerns, particularly at America Blog that also has a video of Hillary's interview on LOGO where she can barely say the word "gay." Here are some highlights:
Last month, a gay Philadelphian LGBT publisher raised the issue that Senator Obama, though often addressing LGBT issues and including us in his major speeches, was not granting his publication an exclusive interview. Senator Obama quickly addressed the issue and granted an exclusive interview to the national LGBT publication, The Advocate.
Tonight, following the Pennsylvania Primary, Senator Obama once again showed his commitment to our community by including us in his address to the nation. Senator Clinton, speech, once again, did not include us, and it brings up the issue that hers never do.
Obama mentions us in his speeches, a lot. And yes, Hillary will say those are just words. But you know, Obama was willing to chastize his own community for their homophobia in a speech given on Martin Luther King's birthday in MLK's own church to thousands of black leaders. Those are words that matter. Here's to hoping that Hillary can find it in herself to utter the word gay (and even lesbian) in a setting that isn't limited to a gay audience.
[N}otice how repeatedly in the interview Hillary hesitates and stumbles at places where you would naturally expect her to say the word "gay" - she doesn't say it - she kind of stops, doesn't say gay, then moves on. She's not comfortable saying the word. Obama is. I think that tells you something about how they feel about the issue inside.
4 comments:
No disagreement here...but just as a hypothetical, if by some happenstance it's Hillary the nominee, then what?
If Hillary's the nominee, expect total silence from her on LGBT issues. We will utterly cease to exist.
Of course, since she will lose to McCain, it will have no impact in the long run other than the fact that a historic opportunity for gays will have been lost in Obama not being the nominee who could defeat McCain.
Actually, the hypothetical was with respect to you come V-day.
The problem I have with Hillary is her skewering the election toward McCain and then setting herself up again for 2012.
Either scenario is not good.
To be candid, if Hillary's the nominee, I may abstain from voting for the presidential slot and vote for Democrats running for lower offices. Depending on McCain's VP choice, there is a slim chance I'll hold my noice and vote for McCain.
The thought of four years of the Clintons back in the White House makes me nauseous and I see her doing NOTHING for LGBT citizens. She just wants our money and votes and then will forget us.
Post a Comment