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President Obama gave a speech to the HRC last night, and, as usual, it was wonderfully crafted and moving.

However, that’s where the positive things I can say stop.

President Obama has promised everything he can to the LGBT community: a repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, ending Bush’s horrid HIV travel ban [Immigration and Nationality Act, Section 212(a)(1)(A)(i)], creating equality for gay couples, ending employment discrimination, etc.

He hasn’t done anything on any of those issues. Nothing at all. In fact, this paragraph is pretty much just filler, because there’s absolutely nothing to talk about with Obama’s track record (or lack thereof) of sticking to his word on matters that affect the gay community. He’s done nothing but give pretty speeches.

To top it all off, Joe Solmonese, president of the HRC, is all but fellating the Pre
Contributor Emma Ruby-Sachs imagined Obama marrying the gay agenda to another liberal issue, having him say:

Within one year, by November 2010, we will introduce comprehensive immigration reform. This immigration package will include spousal sponsorship for same-sex couples in a committed relationship. Immigration reform is a priority for my administration and no reform package will be complete without this provision for the unification of American families thus far separated by discriminatory immigration policies.

President Obama, speaking to the nation’s largest gay rights organization, pledged tonight to end the law prohibiting openly gay and lesbian citizens from serving in the military.

“I will end ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’; that is my commitment,” said Obama, adding that he is also committed to ending the Defense of Marriage Act.Obama, speaking to nearly 3,000 gay and lesbian activists at a dinner-fundraiser hosted by the Human Rights Campaign, addressed the larger effort for equality. “I’m here with you in that fight,” he said. The president also said that there were “still laws to change and hearts to open.”

Obama’s address came amid growing concern in the LGBT community that he’s not acting fast enough on campaign pledges to more fully incorporate gays and lesbians into the fabric of American life.
Activists working to pass federal gay rights legislation should move now to take advantage of the current political climate, an Obama official said Friday.
“This is the best opportunity we will ever have as a community and shame on us if we don't succeed,” openly gay John Berry, director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, said.
Berry made his remarks at the Out & Equal Workplace Advocates conference that ended Friday in Orlando, the AP reported. Michael Guest, the first openly gay ambassador to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate, and Malcolm Lazin, executive director of Equality Forum, also spoke at the four-day event.
“The clock is against us,” Berry said. “If we lose this, it could be years if not a decade before this opportunity comes around.”
... you are not included in any of tonight's promises under the Immigration and Naturalization Act, until repeal of DOMA or passage of stand-alone legislation such as the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA) or Comprehensive Immigration ...
Let me get this straight. When President Obama was put on the spot after DOJ released the disastrous DOMA brief, he reiterated his support for DOMA repeal but said Congress has to act on it. When Congress answered his call and introduced a DOMA Repeal bill, his associates then called it hopeless. Now they say our only hope is the Supreme Court, which of course is a convenient thing for the White House since the social conservatives can't blame him if DOMA is repealed through the Court.
It was just several months ago that White House officials were promising that President Obama would address immigration reform before the end of the year. It seems as if the LGBT immigration equality leadership has continued to hang its top hat on the passage of Comprehensive Immigration Reform, as being the only way the LGBT community can earn recognition in the immigration system, through the incorporation of the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA) in the larger reform legislation.
When UAFA was introduced again this year in January by New York Congressman Jerrold Nadler, it was hailed by the organizations and money was raised from our community in the name of this proposed stand-alone legislation. We were all excited and on board for the big push.
“Now is the time to let Congress and President Obama know that DOMA must go. The introduction of a bill to repeal DOMA with this unprecedented momentum behind it will mark a tidal shift in this fight,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. “This hurtful and discriminatory law denies millions of Americans federal recognition of marriage and the critical rights and benefits that come with it – Social Security survivors’ benefits, equal treatment under U.S. immigration laws, the right to take leave to care for a spouse, and more. It is more important than ever to push for repeal of DOMA.”
Sacramento – Today the State Assembly passed a resolution officially endorsing a federal law ending discriminatory immigration policies by permitting U.S. citizens and permanent residents to obtain lawful immigration status for a same-sex partner by a 41-28 vote. The resolution, AJR 15, introduced by Assembly Member Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles) and co-sponsored by Equality California (EQCA) and Asian Americans for Civil Rights and Equality (AACRE), formally requests that the United States Congress pass and President Barack Obama sign the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA).

“Our current immigration laws keep thousands of families apart simply because they are headed by same-sex couples,” said EQCA Executive Director Geoff Kors. “We urge Congress and the President to stop penalizing these families and to pass the Uniting American Families Act so that all families enjoy equ
Remember when President Obama promised to be our fierce advocate, then got to the White House and sat on his hands, and then invited us over for tea to make nice? Looks like LGBTs aren't the only "special interest" (hah!) group outraged at the way he operates.

Some of us (bi-national couples) are waiting for comprehensive immigration reform that also includes same sex bi-national couples, my name is InExile for a reason. Some of us are sitting here waiting for immigration reform ...
In a nutshell, nothing's changed. Obama wants us to believe that immigration reform remains a high priority even though it keeps getting pushed further and further back on the calendar, Napolitano's still on board and advocates are still hopeful and waiting for something to happen. If anyone's still holding their breath expecting some measurable movement on the issue, they might as well relax--at least for a few months....
“President Obama continues his quiet retreat from a campaign pledge to make comprehensive immigration reform “a top priority in my first year as President.” Following a summit meeting in Guadalajara last week with the leaders of Mexico and Canada, Mr. Obama said that an immigration overhaul will have to wait until next year.”

In the next Congressional session it is hoped that Comprehensive Immigration Reform will be dealt with and the current problems associated with large numbers of illegal aliens in the United States will finally be put to rest. Of further concern to some immigration equality advocates is the issue of US family based visas for couples of the same sex. Currently the Defense of Marriage Act bars the Federal government from granting US Immigration benefits based upon a same sex marriage or an intent to enter into a same sex marriage.

However, t
Sacramento – Today, the Assembly Judiciary Committee passed three resolutions with a 6-3 vote of the committee on critical federal laws affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people including a resolution in support of the Uniting American Families Act (AJR 15).

"It is important for California, the state with the largest LGBT population, to urge the federal government to repeal discriminatory federal policies that ultimately hurt all people in the United States," said EQCA Executive Director Geoff Kors. "We have more potential now than ever before to make a positive impact at the federal level, and we call on Congress and the President to seize this historic opportunity."

The measure formally requests that the United States Congress pass and President Barack Obama sign the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA). "Thousands of American families a
Get ready to laugh. I'm going to lead you through the twists and turns of one of the most ridiculous places known to humankind: the U.S. Congress. The purpose of this exercise is to explain what has happened to the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act.

But I have a deeper goal. The hate crimes bill is the first in a series of pro-LGBT proposals expected to come before Congress. These include the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, changes in immigration laws and repeals of the Defense of Marriage Act and the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" ban on lesbians and gays in the military.

Given that President Obama has said he favors these proposals, the trick for LGBT America is to get them through Congress and onto his desk. This is no easy task. To succeed, our community and allies must understand how Congress really works. We need to know when to relax and let the pro
The California Assembly Judiciary Committee will be hearing testimony on AJR 15, a California resolution to support the federal Uniting American Families Act (UAFA).
The resolution, introduced by Assembly Member Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles) and co-sponsored by Equality California (EQCA) and Asian Americans for Civil Rights and Equality (AACRE), formally requests that the US Congress pass and that President Barack Obama sign the Uniting American Families Act. Under current federal law, American citizens are permitted to sponsor an opposite-sex spouse. LGBT partners do not have the same right and are specifically excluded even if married under State law, sue to the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA which defines marriage as between a man and a woman only. The UAFA would extend this basic right to committed same-sex couples, who can prove they are in a committed relationship.

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Promoting public awareness of the need for fairness in immigration policy particularly as it relates to the rights of same-sex bi-national couples in the United States who seek equal immigration rights; Providing information regarding political issues relating to gay immigration equality issues, rights and policy.