WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT: Homo-Extremism

The current news-blitz surrounding Pres. O’s perceived lack of concern for the GLBT community is beginning to reach a fevered — and worrisome — pitch.

Clearly — as a Democrat ushered in to the White House in a burst of populist euphoria — the president has an obligation to uphold the campaign promises made to GLBT supoorters, or at least demonstrate he is doing so to the best of his ability.

Repealing the Defense of Marriage Act, doing away with “Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell” and finding a realistic solution to the same-sex marriage debate must be tackled by Pres. O — and soon.

But the vitriol now being lobbied against the White House is bordering on the extreme — as is the emergence of the concerning trend of “homo-extremism”.

The “homo-extremists” take on two dominant characteristics — viewing the world/administration only through a GLBT lens and using every means necessary to promote this agenda, regardless of its effectiveness and consequences.

Much like Islamic extremists engage the world solely via the Koran or Orthodox Jewish-extremists via the Torah, homo-extremists have a similarly myopic world-view anchored solely around their own issues/agenda.

One need only look at the dozens of comments following THIS recent article to get a sense of what we mean.

It is saddening to see the limited view in which so many commentators judge the administration.  Buzz phrases like “us”, “we”, “me” and “my” pepper the responses — giving them a disappointingly selfish and self-centered POV.

Yes, GLBTs need to ensure their fair due — but when did GLBTs stop being part of the larger society.

Are Gays/Lesbians no longer siblings, uncles, aunts, children, parents, worshipers, employees, Jews, Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, Muslims — etc, etc, etc.

And as such, shouldn’t OUR/MY  issues also extend to policies affecting education, health care, immigration policies, elderly care, public safety, foreign policy, poverty-eradication, the economy, the environment, fair-housing — etc, etc, etc.

And would not fixing the issues above ALSO directly benefit GLBTs? Perhaps as profoundly and immediately as our “official” causes.

Progress and equality also come with responsibility — a responsibility for concern and compassion for all of American culture, and not just “my/our” culture. We are citizens of the entire nation — not just “our/my” nation.

Equally worrisome is the emergence of coded — and not so coded — language implying that Pres. O’s alliance with the Church (and by default the African American Church) is what has caused him to be “soft” on GLBT issues.

The same sort of rhetoric was raised just after the November election essentially blaming — again via subtext — Black churches for Proposition 8′s passing.

While it is clear churches of all colors are certainly not the GLBT community’s friend, vilifying African American church-goers will only create a divide-and-conquer atmosphere that will leave GLBTs the laughing stocks of our real enemies (and we all know who they are).

It is obvious Pres. O has a lot more work to do when it comes to upholding the GLBT-related promises he made during the campaign — and we certainly expect him to do so.

But Pres. O has a lot to do — period! Including undoing eight years of Bush damage and many misguided Clintonian policies such as DOMA and “Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell”.

GLBTs disappointed with Pres. O thus far need to step back, regroup and begin to think how best they can serve their causes — shifting from a “problems-based” rhetoric to a “solutions-based” rhetoric.

On another note, there is a churlishness and childishness in the glee surrounding the upcoming DNC Fundraiser — and the list of folks who are no longer going!

We wonder where are they going instead?

Without doubt these debates are important and essential.

But this is no time for divisive politics, no space for loser banners such as the one above, and there is no room for any sort of “back of the bus” talk.

President O is driving this nation. A bus herded with GLBTs in the back would certainly be driven by someone far less compassionate — and quite possibly to our demise.

Here’s hoping the Homo-Extremists settle down before they do real damage to the causes they so passionately care about.