Dear Log Cabin Republicans

Regarding your press release in response to Obama’s proclamation on marriage equality yesterday ~

“That the president has chosen today, when LGBT Americans are mourning the passage of Amendment One, to finally speak up for marriage equality is offensive and callous.  Log Cabin Republicans appreciate that President Obama has finally come in line with leaders like Vice President Dick Cheney on this issue, but LGBT Americans are right to be angry that this calculated announcement comes too late to be of any use to the people of North Carolina, or any of the other states that have addressed this issue on his watch. This administration has manipulated LGBT families for political gain as much as anybody, and after his campaign’s ridiculous contortions to deny support for marriage equality this week he does not deserve praise for an announcement that comes a day late and a dollar short.”

I just have to ask ~

What planet do you people live on?

Offensive and callous?  You’re kidding, right?  The Republican Party has made a sport of lying about gay people for the sole purpose of winning votes and you’re going to call Obama’s statement on equality callous because you don’t like the way it was timed?  Seriously?  Of course his timing was suspect!  Maybe he was a day late and a dollar short.  The Republicans, however, are running Mitt Romney.  What time table is he on exactly and where is his dollar?  When it comes to donating to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints he’s always right on time and never seems to be lacking for a dollar ~ or a stock option.  You remember the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, right?  They’re the ones who poured money into California over Prop 8.  Perhaps you’ve forgotten which side they were fighting on ~ and whose money they appear to have been fighting with.

According to you, Obama has “manipulated LGBT families for political gain.”  Interesting you should mention LGBT families.  If your party has its way the United States Constitution will be amended to extinguish those LGBT families that do exist and prevent any more from forming.  And, for the sake of argument, let’s say that we are being manipulated by Obama and his team of merry panderers.  You know what I say to that?  Fanfuckingtastic!!!  Hey Mitt, feel free to stop being openly hostile towards the LGBT community and start attempting to manipulate us at any time.  I guarantee you, you will have more fun pandering to us at a Pride event than pandering to the religious right in a megachurch.

Oddly, your press release failed to mention that Obama signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act into law.  It failed to mention the repeal of DADT or that he stopped defending DOMA in court.  If these were all acts of manipulation, then bring on four more years!  Will Mitt be half as manipulative if he becomes our president?  Would John McCain have been?

Yesterday was historic.  Was it perfect?  No.  But it was historic.  It was the first time that Americans heard their sitting president say he believes in full LGBT equality.  Did he soften it by talking about state’s rights?  Absolutely.  But I find it unlikely that any future Democratic presidential candidate will be able to revert to the rhetoric of inequality.  Barack Obama pushed us forward yesterday.  And what were the Republicans doing?  White knuckling the past.  Oh, and penning petty press releases.

Yesterday was huge and it was cause for celebration.  Until you can come up with some GOP candidates who don’t attempt to win votes by creating fear of a gay apocalypse (talk about manipulation!) ~ until the Republican primary debates cease to be the Ironman of bigotry ~ until we have GOP leaders who believe fully in equal rights for LGBT citizens ~ your statement about Obama’s timing will continue to seem vindictive and childish.

Sincerely, Ian Rosen