gdp's Comments

Change.gov : Change.gov: The Obama-Biden Transition Team | General Discussion

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 06:05:33 +0000

Ah yes. That passage by Paul that has somehow been interpreted to say that gay sex is "bad". Actually, what it is says is that sex outside of someone's "natural" norm is bad which means if you are someone who is naturally "heterosexual" and you have sex with someone of the same sex, that's "bad" and by the same logic if you are someone who is naturally a "homosexual" and you have sex with someone of the opposite sex, that's also "bad". Doesn't Paul also go on to say later that you shouldn't judge because if you do, you are only judging yourself? (Romans 2:1) But this is still "off topic". We're supposed to be talking about "service".

Change.gov : Change.gov: The Obama-Biden Transition Team | General Discussion

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 05:41:13 +0000

I would agree with you that it's incorrect to say that the gay civil rights movement is "exactly" the same as the civil rights movement in the 60's. There are, however, many similarities and parallels that can be made which might be what people have been referring to. But whatever, I don't think it's a good idea to argue about which civil rights movement is more or less valid than the other. I think that you and I can both agree that civil rights is something that should be afforded to ALL people no matter what your race, gender, or sexual orientation may be. All I can say about Rick Warren is that many of us feel like inviting him to lead the invocation at the inauguration is a big deal because it sets the wrong tone for such historic occasion and it feels a bit like salt in our still open wounds left by the passing of Prop 8 here in California. I know that we all can't be happy and get our way all of the time and that we should take the good with the bad. However, I feel like I need to speak up for myself no matter what because my rights are very important to me and I do see this as an opportunity to express why they are important.

Change.gov : Change.gov: The Obama-Biden Transition Team | General Discussion

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 05:21:28 +0000

Do you know this from your own experience???

Change.gov : Change.gov: The Obama-Biden Transition Team | General Discussion

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 05:20:11 +0000

That's a matter of opinion and up for debate.

Change.gov : Join the Discussion: Service Response | Change.gov: The Obama-Biden Transition Team

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 04:48:48 +0000

Then why do you keep fanning the flames? Obviously, you want to talk about it. so lets talk...

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Mon, 22 Dec 2008 04:44:42 +0000

Really?!? How is supporting proposition 8 which stripped millions of californians of their rights helping the country??? Rick Warren is a fountain of divisive rhetoric. Inviting him to lead the invocation at the inauguration only validates him and bigots like him. I don't think it's selfish to speak up and voice one's opinion especially when it comes to civil rights for ALL people. Yes, this does affect me on a very personal level because I am gay and I do live in California and I AM married to the man that I love. I will give Barack Obama the benefit of the doubt that he is invited Rick Warren out of good faith so that our differences will be visible so we can talk about them like we are doing now. If you "don't care" about how I or anyone else who is "screaming and stamping their feet" about this feels, then you are the one who is being selfish. I am more than willing to come to an understanding if you are. It's a two way street my friend.

Change.gov : Change.gov: The Obama-Biden Transition Team | General Discussion

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 03:35:29 +0000

Fight we will. But why??? We have seen the how hate and discrimination have torn our nation apart time and time again. Why is it so hard for some people to understand that gays and lesbians deserve the same rights as everyone else? We've stated our case time and time again. how much more clear do we need to make it? Seriously! Tell me. what is not being said to people who are against gay civil rights that we need to say to change their minds? If your answer is that they will not change their minds because their faith won't let them, then lets let the supreme court do their job and stand up for gays and lesbians like they did with the the civil rights movement in the 60's and give them the rights they desire so that we can all heal as a nation. When is this going to happen? When are we finally going to learn?

Change.gov : Change.gov: The Obama-Biden Transition Team | General Discussion

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 03:20:32 +0000

I think you are taking things out of context as well. I don't think anyone is saying that gay people are the same as black people. What we ARE saying is that black, hispanic, asian, native american people all know what discrimination is because they have felt it personally. I shouldn't have to point out that there are gay people who come in every color, shape, size, and gender. We feel the same discrimination that anyone who is perceived as being "different" feels. We as gays and lesbians don't ask you to like what we do in our own personal lives. We just want civility and fairness when it comes to how we are treated in the social sphere.

Change.gov : Change.gov: The Obama-Biden Transition Team | General Discussion

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 03:12:53 +0000

How is the GLBT civil rights movement NOT the same. Civil rights are not just for racial minorities, they are for EVERYONE.

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Mon, 22 Dec 2008 02:07:25 +0000

I NEVER implied that gays and lesbians are the only people in this country being discriminated against. Of course discrimination happens all around us. Even when we come together as a society to say that it is wrong to treat people who are not white as second class citizens, it is wrong to deny women the right to vote, discrimination still happens. I'm just waiting (believe it or not) patiently for us to come together as a society and say that is is wrong to deny people equal rights based on their sexual orientation.

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Mon, 22 Dec 2008 01:10:46 +0000

Don't "pity" me. I am just fine with being gay and I DON'T need "pity". What I DO need is fairness and equality. You are just as guilty of going off topic as I am by responding to comments like mine and saying insulting things like claiming that I am angry and upset about an "imagined slight" and that I should be pitied for being gay. I am not "imagining" that Rick Warren, the mouthpiece of the largest megachurch in California, campaigned to have my rights stripped away from me by Prop 8 and has said many hateful and untrue things about gay people. I am not being unreasonable for being angered about Rick Warren being invited to lead the invocation at the inauguration of the person I supported and voted for. I do realize that, no matter what I, or anyone else on any forum says, Rick Warren will still speak on Jan. 20th and that's fine. I applaud Barack Obama for wanting to bring people with differing opinions to the table and bring to to light our social conflicts to light for all to see so that we CAN talk about them in a public forum.

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Mon, 22 Dec 2008 00:36:16 +0000

The fact of the matter is that there are special rights afforded to married people in this country such as healthcare, tax benefits, hospital visitation rights, etc... By defining marriage as being between one man and one woman, same sex couples are being discriminated against and barred from having access to those rights. The "one man one woman" distinction is derived from arbitrary "christian" morals that come from some people's questionable interpretation of the bible which, in some round about way, says that homosexuality is somehow a sin and therefor sinners can't get married (?) huh??? Regardless of whether or not any of this makes sense, even if christians really could make a compelling and convincing argument that gays and lesbians can't get married, it is still in violation if the this country's embrace of the concept of separation of church and state and, most importantly, it is UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

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Mon, 22 Dec 2008 00:21:35 +0000

Talk about "special interest" group... What do you think evangelical christians who scapegoat gays and lesbians as a hobby are??? I think you will find that a lot of the people "venting" about Rick Warren's symbolic invitation to the inauguration are in favor of equal rights for everyone and not just themselves. If it seems like many of the comments here are about gay and lesbian rights, it's probably because they are being left by gay and lesbians who are upset that Barack Obama invited someone who has said publicly that he is against gay people having access to the same rights as heterosexual people.

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Mon, 22 Dec 2008 00:08:33 +0000

And he's pissed a bunch of people off by inviting him. He shouldn't have invited Rick Warren in the first place. He could have invited a religious figurehead who wasn't said such false and hateful things about gay people and still pandered to the evangelical crowd.

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Sun, 21 Dec 2008 23:51:35 +0000

Barack Obama invited someone who has publicly said hateful and bigoted things about gay people and was a big supporter of Prop 8 which stripped gay and lesbian Californians of their rights. That is why we have an issue with Rick Warren. Wouldn't you be upset if Barack Obama invited someone who equated people with disabilities with pedophiles and actively tried to take your rights away and give this person a prominent role in the inauguration of some that you fervently supported, voted for, gave money to, and even campaigned for? I do applaud Barack Obama for wanting to bring evangelicals to the table. Just don't expect me or anyone else to "like" Rick Warren.

Change.gov : Change.gov: The Obama-Biden Transition Team | General Discussion

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 01:58:23 +0000

So because we are a minority, we don't matter?

Change.gov : Change.gov: The Obama-Biden Transition Team | General Discussion

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 01:56:34 +0000

Um.. do you not know what Prop 8 is?????

Change.gov : Change.gov: The Obama-Biden Transition Team | General Discussion

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 01:54:50 +0000

I would rather have a person who shares the new administration's progressive agenda as you've pointed out in those two excerpts from this websites section about LGBT civil rights.

Change.gov : Change.gov: The Obama-Biden Transition Team | General Discussion

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 01:05:09 +0000

You need to the go to the "Civil Rights" section of this very website: http://change.gov/agenda/civil_rights_agenda/There's a whole section about LGBT civil rights that includes things like opposing a federal ban on gay marriages, repealing don't as don't tell, adoption rights, etc. etc. Why would he have LGBT rights be part of his agenda and then go around and have someone who equates gays and lesbians with pedophiles have a prominent voice at his inauguration? That is not exactly "walking his talk".

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Sat, 20 Dec 2008 00:07:23 +0000

How about you deal with the fact that many of us who fought long and hard to get Barack Obama elected are deeply hurt and insulted that he would invite a bigot to lead the invocation at his inauguration. Talk about throwing salt in a wound. This past Nov. 4th, millions of Californians had their rights stripped away from them and reduced to second class citizen. Rick Warren was one of the biggest supported of the effort to take those rights away. This was a BIG mistake and we are NOT going to be quiet about this anymore.