The timing of the event makes it pretty clear: Barack Obama agreed to speak in public before the Human Rights Campaign, a group that advocates for quiet, in the closet, lobbying for LGBT equality, in an effort to counter the National Equality March . The speech comes, after all, right on the eve of the march, for which large numbers of Americans have come to Washington D.C. to protest against President Obama’s cynical use of anti-gay prejudice in his presidential campaign, and in his presidency itself.
From honoring anti-gay Rick Warren to issuing legal opinions that equate homosexuality with incest, Barack Obama has used fear and hatred of homosexuals to gain political leverage. But then, Obama finally agreed to give a token speech, in which he made some promises – not backed up with any action – before the HRC.
Senior members of the HRC snort and sniff at the idea of open protests by LGBT Americans, begging angry activists to stay hidden, where they belong. But, would Obama’s speech before the HRC ever have happened without the pressure of the National Equality March?
Obama is very good at making promises to do things… later. But, Obama has also a record of breaking his promises. He promised to take public funding for his presidential campaign, and then broke that promise. He promised to veto any legislation giving immunity to telecommunications corporations, and then voted in favor of that legislation. He promised that he would reform the Office of Faith Based Initiatives as he expanded it, but the expansion of that office has come without any reform.
What does it matter if the HRC got Obama to repeat his promises? Obama breaks his promises like most people break bread. Obama needs the open pressure of events like the National Equality March to force him to keep his promises. Meek begging in private hasn’t gotten the goods.
