People For the American Way ("PFAW") founded by Norman Lear is dedicated to making the promise of America real for every American: Equality. Freedom of speech. Freedom of religion. The right to seek justice in a court of law. The right to cast a vote that counts. One of the things PTAW does is work to counter Christianists and their efforts to impose their perverted version of Christianity on all Americans. Through its Right Wing Watch blog a spotlight is maintained on the machinations of the Christianists and the anti-freedom allies. Yesterday, PFAW called out President Obama on the crumbs he has thrown to some LGBT couples while continuing to fail to deliver on his campaign promises:*
Tonight, President Obama announced that he is moving administratively to provide some benefits to the same-sex partners of federal employees. This is a very small step in the right direction, but it's really just a token, and tokens are no longer enough. What stands in the way of real progress for all same-sex couples is DOMA, which denies the most important benefits -- healthcare, retirement, health insurance and more -- to anyone but "spouses" under DOMA's definition of marriage (ie. married heterosexual couples).
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And sadly, the administration has not lived up to the president's earlier calls to repeal DOMA. On Friday, the Justice Department filed a legal brief in which it went far above and beyond simply defending DOMA as a federal policy against a court challenge. The brief cited laws regarding incest ... it called DOMA a policy of government "neutrality" (which it is clearly anything but) ... and it justified the government's continued discrimination on the basis that it's cheaper than expanding fundamental rights and protections.
And sadly, the administration has not lived up to the president's earlier calls to repeal DOMA. On Friday, the Justice Department filed a legal brief in which it went far above and beyond simply defending DOMA as a federal policy against a court challenge. The brief cited laws regarding incest ... it called DOMA a policy of government "neutrality" (which it is clearly anything but) ... and it justified the government's continued discrimination on the basis that it's cheaper than expanding fundamental rights and protections.
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There is no defense for the Defense of Marriage Act. Help spread the word that less unequal is still unequal -- help get others to sign the petition at DumpDoma.com.
There is no defense for the Defense of Marriage Act. Help spread the word that less unequal is still unequal -- help get others to sign the petition at DumpDoma.com.
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If you have not done so, please sign the petition and make your thoughts heard.
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