Ensure Sexual Orientation is NOT a Factor in Vetting Supreme Court Nominee

President Obama is tasked with choosing his second Supreme Court nominee, this time replacing Justice John Stevens. The court pick is always contentious because both sides of the political spectrum worry about the ideological positions of the nominee. The far right is pressuring Obama not to choose any potential judge who may be LGBT, they believe that queer sexual orientation should disqualify a potential candidate.

Sign the petition urging Obama to make sure sexual orientation is not a factor in his decision pick for the Supreme Court.

Tell Obama to Dump DOMA Now!

DOMA stands for the Defense of Marriage Act which prohibits federal recognition of same-sex unions. President-elect Barack Obama has vowed to overturn DOMA.

In light of the increasing pressure the administration has felt over the recent Department of Justices defense of this antiquated legislation, the time is now to let Obama know we demand he keep his campaign promises to the LGBT community to repeal DOMA.

The Dump Doma campaign is urging us to pressure the house speaker Nancy Pelosi, majority leader Harry Reid and the rest of congress to act quickly to send the bill to the president for him to sign.

Please fill out the action alert at dumpdoma.org and tell your friends!

Open Forum: Did Obama Learn From Clinton's Mistakes?

When former president Bill Clinton came into office, he was considered a saint for the gay community. He was the first president to mention gays and lesbians in his inauguration and he promised to allow gays in the military. The LGBT community saw his election as a major shift to come in government policy towards sexual minorities.

What happened was far less than we would have expected, and the administration now gets looked back on as the era when gays were thrown under the bus. His promise of letting gays join the military was met with controversy and as a result he instituted the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy. During that time period Hawaii was seen as the first state to likely legalize gay marriage. As a result under Clinton's watch the Defense of Marriage Act was passed, which barred federal recognition of same-sex marriage, and ensured that states did not have to accept other states marriage laws.

President Barack Obama has now come into office with what is seen as the most progressive list of issues relating to the LGBT community. His campaign promises include everything short of marriage equality. The LGBT community is angered that Obama has done little to nothing thus far to meet these campaign promises. Is Obama just another politician with empty promises, or did he learn from Clinton's mistake of acting too hastily, and wants to ensure that when he acts it will go through succesfully?

President Obama Say Federal Gov't Has No Business Regulating Marriage

Barack Obama in an interview with Brian Williams of MSNBC said that "gays have a friend in the White House" and that the "federal government shouldn't have a role in regulating marriage"



President Obama should heed his own words. If he believes the federal government should butt out, demand a full repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act now which bans any federal recognition of marriage, no words on the books are better than those.

E-contact form for White House

Switchboard: 202-456-1414

Operation DOMA Flip Flop

The government was served with a lawsuit the week of April 27th regarding the Defense of Marriage Act which bars federal recognition of same-sex couples. Now the Department of Justice, under President Obama's authority, has till the week of June 22nd to respond. They can either carry out on with the lawsuit defending DOMA, or choose not to defend an unconstitutional law.

Presidents have the option refusing to defend a law they view as unconstitutional on its face, of which there is no clearer example than DOMA (Defense Of Marriage Act). President Obama himself has called the law “abhorrent” and he’s a constitutional law professor. Given these premises, we feel that President Obama refuse to defend DOMA and should instead instruct his Department of Justice to join GLAD in this historic lawsuit. There is a deadline of June 29th for President Obama to make his decision.



1. Print out your very own FLIP FLOP CARD (with writing on it) or print out a blank FLIP FLOP CARD and write your own message on it.

2. Join the Facebook page .

3. Mail your Flip Flop Cards to the White House from now until June 29th (which is the deadline for President Obama’s decision).

The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Get active now with Operation DOMA Flip Flop.

Democrats Want More of the Pink Dollar - Some Say NO!

On June 25th there is going to be a Democratic National Committee LGBT Leadership Council fund raising dinner at Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Washington, DC.

It will be featuring Vice President Joe Biden as the guest of honor… the prices run from $30,400 to $1,000 per seat.

A President we can be Proud of?

Easter egg rolls while fun and PR good, they do not really provide us with much in the way of protections… and I think there is some kind of reality disconnect going on here.

Anyone remember Rick Warren at the inauguration? Anyone remember the discharge of Lt Dan Choi? Anyone remember the half-heart press release just hours before the vote on the Mathew Shepard hate crime law? Or the surreptitious write out of our issues from the White House web site? Or National Security Adviser James Jones saying he did not know if DADT would be repelled in our lifetime?

Anyone remember seeing any real leadership from President Obama or the congressional democrats on any of the issues that affect our LGBT community or our daily lives whatsoever?

The Democrats and President Obama must think we do…. Because they are coming to us for money again and don’t seem to get it… what we see is while they like gay dollars and votes, they don’t really like to do much on gay issues.

Lez Get Real is asking everyone in the LGBT community to let the DNC know… “NO WE CAN’T… till they can.”

DNC- 202-863-8000
877-336-7200

Urge The White House to Stand Firm on LGBT Equality

The airways and the Internet are saturated, literally dripping with analyses and discussions of President Barack Obama’s first 100 days in office. When Obama was sworn in, the White House announced an eight-point civil rights agenda for LGBT Americans.

In assessing Obama’s progress in fulfilling this agenda, it bears remembering that each of the goals listed require action from Congress. None of these can be addressed by a presidential order. But we’ve already been disappointed to see foot-dragging on the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” not just in Congress but at the White House as well.

Please urge the White House and President Obama to stand firm in his support for LGBT rights and in passing them as soon as possible.

White House Switchboard: 202-456-1414

E-Contact Form

Crossposted via Box Turtle Bulletin.

Keep Your Promise, President Obama

A new petition by the Courage Campaign is calling upon Obama to allow the federal government to provide the same health benefits to same-sex spouses and partners of federal employees that other federal employee spouses receive.

Join them in urging Obama to keep his promise for LGBT equality, sign the petition.

O'Reilly, Miller Falsely Suggested Obama Supported Prop 8

Fox News' Bill O'Reilly and Dennis Miller falsely suggested President Obama supported California's Proposition 8. After Miller described a call to his radio show in which the caller suggested that "had [Obama] been a California resident," he "would have voted for Proposition 8," O'Reilly stated that the caller "probably listened to The Radio Factor and then called you because we had said that." In fact, Obama opposed Proposition 8.



To contact Bill O'Reilly:
oreilly@foxnews.com

To contact Dennis Miller:
dennismillershow@nbc.com

Crossposted via Media Matters.

(Secretary of GLBT Affairs) Urged by National Grassroots Group

Equal Rep is now putting on a follow-up national campaign to strongly urge President-elect Obama to create a new Cabinet position, Secretary of GLBT Affairs.

"We are the only minority group to have outright discriminatory laws against us. We can't marry in 48 states, if we join the military we are required to lie or hide our sexual orientation lest we be discharged, and we are denied all federal recognition that we even exist just to name a few laws. If ever there was a critical need for a new Cabinet position, this is it." said Equal Rep founder, Paul Sousa. "And on top of that, GLBT Americans are the only minority group to have never been appointed to the Presidential Cabinet in the history of the United States. We're asking President Obama to give this community the legal and political attention it requires and the representation it deserves."

There are other Cabinet positions that represent minority groups such as the Secretary of Veterans' Affairs and Equal Rep is asking President Obama to create another position similarly for the GLBT community. It is commonplace for Presidents to create Cabinet positions due to community needs such as the creation of the Secretary of Homeland Security position in 2001.

ACTION FOR JAN 26 - JAN 30: CALL & EMAIL DAILY:
----------------------------------------------------------------------
STEP 1. Call Obama: 202-456-1111
STEP 2. Email Obama: comments@whitehouse.gov
STEP 3. Repeat daily till Friday.

Congratulate Obama and Remind Him to Act for LGBT Equality!

Barack Obama is now officially the president of the United States of America. The celebrations continue, and the excitement can still be felt throughout the nation. That being said, the president faces tough challenges ahead.

Please call and email to congratulate him on this historic election and to remind him that the LGBT community is counting on him to act quickly to advance our civil rights.

White House E-Contact Form

Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
FAX: 202-456-2461

http://www.whitehouse.gov/

'Refresh Everything' - Dear Mr. President...

PepsiCo (an LGBT affirming company) started a new site called 'Refresh Everything' where you can make your own video starting with Dear Mr. President and send any message you choose to be broadcast to the nation. You can choose to present singing, standing upside down, acting, tell a joke or express your message in whatever fashion you so choose. The best videos will get placed on the front page. Who knows, maybe someone important will get to see it, Obama has internet access too!

Here is a video of two guys for same-sex marriage...

Got something to say or want to check it out? Goto Refresh Everything.

Did Obama Team Play Us Over Bishop Robinson?

During the inauguration kick off party at the Lincoln Memorial, openly gay Bishop Gene Robinson of the Diocese of NH gave the opening prayer. This was seen by many as an olive branch given to the gay community in light of the anti-gay preacher Rick Warren invitation.

While, the appearance of Bishop Robinson is historic in nature, it was not carried by HBO or NPR the only two companies with filming rights.

After receiving hundreds of comaplints, they then promised to carry it on the later broadcast, yet it was not seen on the 7pm transmission.

After Elton has contacted HBO to find out why the Bishop was not televised.

"The producer of the concert has said that the Presidential Inaugural Committee made the decision to keep the invocation as part of the pre-show."

There are also reports from people who were there live that there were 'sound difficulties' and most people in the crowd of 500,000 did not even hear Bishop Gene Robinson speak.

Is the Obama team trying to play it both ways? Trying to shut us up, over the Rick Warren fiasco, while also silencing the voices of the LGBT community?

We are not pointing fingers, or accusing anyone of any wrongdoing, but we have a right to know why the well planned event did not go according to plan, or did it?

Contact the Presidential Inauguration Committee at 202-651-2009.

Starting Tuesday, Jan 20th all mail can be directed to:

The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

E-mail President Barack Obama.

Inside The Transition: LGBT Advocates

The Obama administration has released video of a new high level meeting it has had with LGBT leaders. This is the first ever of such meetings held with any presidents transition team in history.

Your Activism Had An Effect! Openly Gay Bishop Part of Inauguration!

Congratulations, Rev. Warren critics: You did it. Yesterday's announcement that Episcopal New Hampshire Bishop V. Gene Robinson would lead the opening invocation of the Inauguration is great news for the gay community, but more importantly, it's proof that vocal opposition to Rev. Warren had an effect.

An unnamed transition official claimed the appearance was planned all along, but of course, that's a lie.

If it were true, why would it not have been announced in tandem with or shortly after the announcement that Rev. Warren would lead the day-of invocation? Are we to believe that Mr. Political Strategy decided to hold off on the announcement for three weeks while he suffered blistering criticism (from us, among many others) for being completely tone deaf to the needs of the LGBT community? Are we to believe that Bishop Robinson's criticism of Warren's inclusion in the event was done while all along, he knew he was going to be invited.

Crossposted via Queerty

Open Letter to Barack Obama

The following is a letter writing campaign by Join The Impact to President-elect Barack Obama urging him to remain committed to addressing LGBT issues while in office.

"Dear President Obama,

Congratulations on your historic and inspiring victory. Your lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender citizens, along with families, friends, and heterosexual allies, would like to welcome you to the White House. We are thrilled to see that true change has come to this country.

During your election campaign you wrote an open letter to us, making it clear that you were committed to gaining ‘full equality for the millions of LGBT people in this country.’ In that letter you asked for our vote and promised to:

* Repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and ensure that states treat same-sex couples with full equality in their family and adoption laws

* Enact a fully inclusive Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) to outlaw discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity

* Repeal ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’

* Enact the Matthew Shepard Act to outlaw hate crimes against our community

* Confront the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the stigma surrounding it

* Amend the Uniting American Families Act to afford same-sex couples the same rights and obligations as married couples in our immigration system


We come to you as esteemed citizens of the United States of America in need of equal protections under the law for all families. The LGBT community is part of this diverse country, but do not share the same rights as their heterosexual brothers and sisters. In the spirit of family, respect, and of course, hope, we will work with you to make these promises become a reality.

We paid attention to the statements you made during your campaign, and we voted for you. Now, as you take office, we ask something in return. Please keep your promises to the LGBT community and provide the leadership needed to achieve true equality for all Americans.

Sincerely,
Your Fellow Americans"

The deadline for mailing the signature pages is January 12 for us to get them to Barack Obama on his first day in office.

Please mail to:
Join The Impact
PO Box 141491
Columbus, OH 43214

Print out letter pages here.

Print out signature collection pages here.

Appoint Openly Gay Fred Hochberg Commerce Secretary

Want to help shatter a glass ceiling? Give just 2 minutes a day to call and email the Obama transition and you can do just that. Equal Rep is putting on its third campaign to urge President-elect Obama to appoint Fred Hochberg the next Secretary of Commerce.

In more than 200 years, the United States Cabinet has never included an openly gay member. Growing national focus on GLBT civil rights has therefore made the Secretary of Commerce appointment a national issue in the struggle for equal representation.

Fred Hochberg is the most qualified candidate for the job. Hochberg has more than 25 years of experience in business, government, civil rights activities, and philanthropy. From 1998 through 2000, he served as deputy then acting administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA), an agency elevated to cabinet rank by President Bill Clinton, with more than 4,000 employees and 100 offices across the country. At the SBA, he directed the delivery of a comprehensive set of financial and business development programs for entrepreneurs, with particular outreach to women and minorities. He also served on President Clinton's Management Council.

From 1994 to 1998, Fred Hochberg worked as founder and president of Heyday Company, a private investment firm managing real estate, stock market investments, and venture capital projects. Prior to that, he was president and chief operating officer of the Lillian Vernon Corporation, where he led the transformation of a small family mail order company into a publicly traded direct marketing corporation, one of the great success stories of American entrepreneurship.

"It was devastating to learn that gay Americans wouldn't have a seat at the table within Barack Obama's Cabinet administration. They are the only minority group to have never been appointed in the history of the United States." said Paul Sousa, Equal Rep founder. "Hochberg is supremely qualified and this opening is the perfect opportunity for our President-elect to show gay Americans they have not been forgotten and he is truly committed to equal representation."

Phone Obama: 202-540-3000, press "2"
Email Obama

Join the facebook event, invite your friends, and plan on giving the Obama administration a friendly daily nudge to put his call of change into action. Here's to hoping that Fred Hochberg is the next Secretary of Commerce!

Rick-A-Thon

Rick Warren is a homophobic, anti-equality preacher who will be delivering a prayer at the inauguration ceremony for president-elect Barack Obama. For every second that Rick Warren speaks, he will be raising thousands of dollars for LGBT equality.

Be sure to check out and pledge support for the Rick-A-Thon. You can opt to pledge a given amount for every second he speaks or just give a flat rate for the entire time he is on the podium.

Next Illinois Senator, Attorney General Roland Burris?

Attorney General Roland Burris will be appointed to the U.S. senate by governor Blagojevich of Illinois. The governor is currently in a scandal over allegations that he was selling Barack Obama's former senate seat to the highest bidder. Whether the senate appointment will stick is anyone's guess at this time.

It seems we have a friend in Roland Burris though. With minimal information out there, all accounts seem to be LGBT friendly.

• He lobbied extensively to add sexual orientation and gender identity to the hate crimes law in the state.

• He pushed to include same-sex couples in domestic violence legislation.

• Burris has been reported to be a "trailblazer" by hiring openly LGBT people for his staff.

Much more will come out about Roland Burris and his positions on LGBT issues, as the media, political analysts, and bloggers will dissect his record. Whether he becomes senator of Illinois or not, it appears likely that we have an ally in this man.

Ideas For Change In America!

Change.org has invited us to submit an idea for a policy or program, discuss with others, and vote on the best ideas from around the country. Just before Inauguration Day they will host a major event with more than a dozen leading organizations in Washington, DC and deliver the top 10 rated ideas to a representative of the Obama Administration. They will also then announce the launch of a national lobbying campaign in collaboration with leading advocacy groups to mobilize the millions of people on Change.org and partner sites like MySpace to ensure that each winning idea gets the full consideration of the administration and the 111th Congress.

So here is where we come in, first I would ask you all to help in voting for LGBTQ issues, second what do YOU think is the most important issue that you want the Obama admin to consider, 'Queers United' will post our collective idea that generates the most interest and we can all vote to advance our idea of change, if the idea is already on the list, we will just promote that idea and ask for our readers to vote that up.