Monday Musing: Obama in 2012

When Hillary Clinton addressed the Human Rights Council in Geneva in December 2011. She outlined the Obama Administration’s directives:


* U.S. agencies overseas are directed to strengthen efforts to combat the criminalization by foreign governments of LGBT status or conduct in addition to expanding efforts to combat discrimination overseas on this basis.


* The Departments of State and Homeland Security are directed to ensure LGBT people seeking asylum in the United States have equal access to protection and assistance. Additionally, the Departments of State, Justice and Homeland Security are to ensure appropriate training is in place for government personnel to help LGBT refugees and asylum seekers.


* U.S. foreign aid agencies are directed to engage regularly with governments, citizens, civil society and the private sector to foster an awareness of LGBT human rights.


* The State Department is to lead a “standing group” geared toward ensuring swift response to serious incidents threatening the human rights of LGBT people overseas.


* U.S. agencies overseas are directed to work with international organizations to counter anti-LGBT discrimination and increase the number of countries willing to defend LGBT issues.


* U.S. agencies engaged abroad are required to prepare a report for the State Department within 180 days on their progress on these initiatives. The department will then compile a larger report for the president.
She pointed out that gay rights are human rights. There can be no doubt that President Obama has been the best President the gay community has ever had. These directives are profoundly important, the most important LGBT advance.

This was going to be a discussion about how there are no perfect candidates and point out that liberals who are disappoint¬ed, e.g. Matt Damon, are that way because they placed all their eggs in a messianic candidate. There are none and never have been. Obama has been painted with a far left brush, but he was never that--not even as a candidate. Oh, and neither was Hillary. There was also going to be a discussion about what an embarrassment to true conservatives have the recent crop of conservative candidates been. A sad commentary on American politics that Santorum or Bachmann or Palin are front and center at all, even in a local election.

Has realistic and honest discourse disappeared from the political landscape? At least, with a less than perfect, but also the most progressive candidate—relatively speaking—Mr. Obama, there is discourse: at least he is intelligent and not crazy.

Obama for President in 2012.