Obama's Campaign Logo adapted for the LGBTQ community
I read an interesting article today in the Huffington Post:
In the piece, author Emma Ruby-Sachs decides to “Grade” our new President on his leadership on behalf of the LGBT Community during his first 100 days in office. Obama received a D-.
Upon reading the title, “An LGBT Report Card for Obama’s First 100 Days,” I was intrigued. Upon learning he received a failing grade, I was shocked! How could a man I love so much and worked so hard to elect not be representing me? Isn’t that why I voted for him? I found myself immediately hyper-defensive. I wanted to read more.
Ruby Sachs writes the following:
“We reject the notion that Obama’s political power and political capital are all used up by getting this country in basic working order.”
I paused there. The same defenses that I have been handing over to Obama’s lack of major action were being called out. I’ve willingly sacrificed my “liberty and justice for all” in favor of helping us ALL out. Maybe the LGBT community needs to take one for the team and push aside our desires in order for the entire country to get healed.
Rick Warren saying his piece
But then I thought back to how I gritted my teeth during Rick Warren’s undeserved stage performance during the inauguration. Feeling left out and less than human during such an important moment in history, I let Obama’s decision slide.
I also shook my head when Obama said that putting “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” on the back burner was necessary to allow the government to focus on “more important” issues. Once again, I swallowed my pride and asked myself to be patient. He’ll come through for us.
But this author brings up a good point:
“If we had ranked political problems, … equality gains, past, present and future, would never have been achieved.”
Suddenly I felt disappointed in my President. Suddenly I wanted him to multi-task better, take bigger political risks, ruffle some feathers, and do the right thing. It was if I had taken a complete 180º turn away from my initial defense of his actions. Suddenly I wanted him to do better. To try harder. To fight for me.
There is a fascinating chain of commentary at the bottom of the article where many folks carry on a discussion about how LGBT rights fit into the prioritization of issues in this broken country. Gay and Straight, folks encourage LGBT rights to be focused on just as often as they support downplaying equality. Those outside the community seem to have a lack of understanding and sometimes even hurl divisive messages at each other about who has more of a right to have Mr. Obama’s attention right now.
I was half-heartedly amused that this sort of exchange was happening. Bickering and finger-pointing. Claiming rights and denying them to others. At the end of it, I came back to the same quote that incited Emma Ruby-Sachs to write her review in the first place. The words come from Obama’s own mouth:
“While we have come a long way since the Stonewall riots in 1969, we still have a lot of work to do. Too often, the issue of LGBT rights is exploited by those seeking to divide us. But at its core, this issue is about who we are as Americans. It’s about whether this nation is going to live up to its founding promise of equality by treating all its citizens with dignity and respect.”
And this is exactly the point. I’m waiting for that founding promise to be kept. And I’m waiting for you to keep yours too, Mr. President.
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Janelle K. Eagle is infamous for always having her hands tied up in multiple projects simultaneously. She's directed a lot of theater, worked on some films, and raised lots of money for non-profits. She travels all the time and loves to share her videos, photography and writing via this blog. 
