On Gay Issues, Obama Still Wrestling With His Faith

With Michael Jackson and Republican Govs. Sarah Palin and Mark Sanford dominating the news cycle, President Barack Obama's sit-down/schmooze session with the Catholic press went unreported by most main stream media outlets.   But Dan Gilgoff's blog on U.S. News covered the event, and it provides more examples of slippery language coming from the Prez on gay rights. 

After soothing Catholic journalists with carefully chosen words revealing his inherent disapproval of abortion, Obama had this to say about LGBT Americans: 

"For the gay and lesbian community in this country, I think it's clear that they feel victimized in fairly powerful ways and they're often hurt by not just certain teachings of the Catholic Church, but the Christian faith generally.  And as a Christian, I'm constantly wrestling with my faith and my solicitude and regard and concern for gays and lesbians."

From that bouquet of flowery verbiage, Gilgoff plucks:  This is trademark Obama, seeming to effortlessly appeal to cultural conservatives and social liberals in the same breath.  Religious folks, cultural conservatives included, will appreciate that Obama takes his faith seriously enough that he's struggling with how to reconcile it with his commitment to gays and lesbians.  Social liberals and the LGBT community will appreciate that he's unequivocal about that commitment.

Oh contraire, Mr. Gilgoff.  Gays and lesbians do not necessarily believe that the Commander-in-chief is "unequivocal" in his commitment to our equality.  His assurances are like a pleasing aroma that disintegrates in the first breeze. 

For some reason Obama feels obliged to keep reminding us how his personal religious beliefs are intertwined with public policy - and in that particular dog show, LGBT rights will never win a ribbon.  The fact that the President waxes eloquent about how he must constantly "wrestle" with his faith regarding gays and lesbians is frankly insulting.  It insinuates that we are unacceptable to the God that he worships, a vew shared by Obama's Circle of Five spiritual advisors, America's evangelical community - and the Catholic Church, for that matter. 

During televangelist Rick Warren's highly publicized Saddleback forum last year, Obama said, "I believe that marriage is the union between a man and a woman.  Now, for me as a Christian, it's also a sacred union.  God is in the mix."  That jarring statement implies that, in Obama's considered opinion, the long-term committed relationships of millions of LGBT Americans are spiritually insignificant.  In his understanding of religion, the love we share with our partners doesn't count for much.  It's not sacred, God isn't "in the mix."

I doubt that Obama will fight for equal rights while he's engaged in a wrestling match with his own faith.  But do let us know, Mr. President, when that final bell rings.  If it rings.  We'll still be waiting.  Just like you told us to.  Praying that you win the bout.

Apparently our equality depends on the outcome.    

Comments

[Gaina]

Part of me is very annoyed with his apparent U turn on many things he 'stood for' in the run up to his presidency. The other part of me is wondering if he's actually playing a very clever game and charming his way around his opponents in order to get them to give far more ground that they normally would do on issues that were key to his campaign. A bit like an interviewer who gets the subject to spill more of the beans than they really wanted to just because the interviewer made them feel so comfortable that they dropped their guard!

It was the whole thing about Sarah Palin's daughter that made me suspect what his game is. I would have been ALL OVER Palin about her 'moral values' and pointed out the contradiction in her own family but he kept silent and I could not understand why he didn't take golden opportunity like that. Then I realised that by saying nothing he was shown to be something of a gentleman who didn't jump at the opportunity of taking cheap shots by hauling a political opponent's private life into the election race.

I really don't understand why he's dragging his heals over the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy when it seems he can do away with it any time he chooses. Maybe again, he is picking a moment when he's manoeuvred those who would oppose his efforts to scrap it into a weaker position from which to block him.

I am a deeply cynical person by nature but sometimes - just sometimes - I have cause to stop and wonder if I shouldn't give a person the benefit of the doubt and Barack Obama is one of those people.

I haven't heard anything from American disability bloggers yet, and this was another area where he seemed to be a breath of fresh air and I am wondering if they are also feeling any sense of disappointment at the moment.

[Drew]

It looks like the USN Dan Gilgoff blog link is broken. Find it here: http://www.usnews.com/blogs/god-and-country/2009/07/06/6-surprises-from-obamas-sit-down-with-the-catholic-press.html

[Max P.]

Thanks, Drew. I replaced the broken link with yours.