tagged w/ Human Rights Council
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This weekend was the Human Rights Campaign gathering in DC. There was a gala dinner and a big gay march. President Obama gave a speech at the dinner and promised (again) to end "Don't Ask Don't Tell". It was an important night for Obama, who's commitment to the gay rights movement has been in question lately. Here's Part One of the speech:
(It's worth watching at least the very beginning where Obama cracks a joke about how honored he is to open for Lady Gaga. Certainly knows how to charm a room, doesn't he?)
So that was Saturday night and then Sunday there was the big march. And meanwhile online, people were pointing out that the speech Obama gave was more or less a recycled campaign speech.
And so not 24 hours after the speech came this from CNBC Chief Washington Correspondent John Harwood who said the Obama Administration wasn't worried about gay activists. He said:
Barack Obama is doing well with 90% or more of Democrats so the White House views this opposition as really part of the Internet left fringe....For a sign of how seriously the White House does or doesn't take this opposition, one adviser told me those bloggers need to take off the pajamas, get dressed, and realize that governing a closely divided country is complicated and difficult.
Which is perhaps a good point. Obama's approval ratings are still looking good, and he's got a lot of other big ticket items on his plate right now. And being in the middle of two wars and with the Administration's relationship with the military seemingly strained of late, maybe they don't want to force through a big change to existing military policy.
So when will the time be right? When do you think Obama will end Don't Ask Don't Tell? When do you think he should? Comment over here on Current News.
Also from Obama: The First Term:
- Obama’s Nobel Reactions: An albatross of expectation?
- Obama Remembers the Gays
- Obama postpones meeting with Dalai LamaThis weekend was the Human Rights Campaign gathering in DC. There was a gala dinner... more
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FROM THE NEWS BLOG:
This weekend was the Human Rights Campaign gathering in DC. There was a gala dinner and a big gay march. President Obama gave a speech at the dinner and promised (again) to end "Don't Ask Don't Tell". It was an important night for Obama, who's commitment to the gay rights movement has been in question lately.
So that was Saturday night and then Sunday there was the big march. And meanwhile online, people were pointing out that the speech Obama gave was more or less a recycled campaign speech.
And so not 24 hours after the speech came this from CNBC Chief Washington Correspondent John Harwood who said the Obama Administration wasn't worried about gay activists. He said:
"Barack Obama is doing well with 90% or more of Democrats so the White House views this opposition as really part of the Internet left fringe....For a sign of how seriously the White House does or doesn't take this opposition, one adviser told me those bloggers need to take off the pajamas, get dressed, and realize that governing a closely divided country is complicated and difficult."
Which is perhaps a good point. Obama's approval ratings are still looking good, and he's got a lot of other big ticket items on his plate right now. And being in the middle of two wars and with the Administration's relationship with the military seemingly strained of late, maybe they don't want to force through a big change to existing military policy.
So when will the time be right? When do you think Obama will end Don't Ask Don't Tell? When do you think he should?FROM THE NEWS BLOG:
This weekend was the Human Rights Campaign gathering in DC.... more
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Excerpt:
“The US remains deeply dedicated to human rights around the world but unfortunately the UN Human Rights Council has repeatedly demonstrated an unwillingness to serve that purpose. Instead it continues to refuse to address grave and ongoing human rights violations including Zimbabwe, Iran and taken only weak and ineffective action on Sudan while passing 20 unbalanced resolutions against a single country: Israel.”Excerpt:
“The US remains deeply dedicated to human rights around the world... more
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Excerpt:
Eric Sottas, director of the International Organisation against Torture sees it as a a political gesture. “The US has always clearly shown its opposition to the Council. This is a slightly more public way of putting pressure on it in order to raise the stakes. What is more the Bush dynasty is coming to the end of its mandate,” he said. “It reminds me of the time when the Nixon administration, which backed Pinochet in Chile, chastized the UN for criticising the Chilean dictator. But when Carter was elected in 1977, the American government took the floor at the Human Rights Commission to ask forgiveness. After a presidency like that of Bush, you can expect some important changes in US policy on human right.”Excerpt:
Eric Sottas, director of the International Organisation against Torture... more
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