U.S. to Aid Gay Rights Abroad, Obama and Clinton Say

[olp1fan]

Very good policy here U.S! I was expecting a 10.0 richter scale quake coming from the republicans..maybe I'm not looking at the right articles..wonder how Rush is taking it? LOL

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/07/world/united-states-to-use-aid-to-promote-gay-rights-abroad.html

GENEVA — The Obama administration announced on Tuesday that the United States would use all the tools of American diplomacy, including the potent enticement of foreign aid, to promote gay rights around the world.

In a memorandum issued by President Obama in Washington and in a speech by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton here, the administration vowed to actively combat efforts by other nations that criminalize homosexual conduct, abuse gay men, lesbians, bisexuals or transgendered people, or ignore abuse against them.

“Some have suggested that gay rights and human rights are separate and distinct,” Mrs. Clinton said at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, “but in fact they are one and the same.”

Neither Mr. Obama nor Mrs. Clinton specified how to give the initiative teeth. Caitlin Hayden, the National Security Council’s deputy spokeswoman, said the administration was “not cutting or tying” foreign aid to changes in other nation’s practices.

Still, raising the issue to such prominence on the administration’s foreign policy agenda is important, symbolically, much like President Jimmy Carter’s emphasis on human rights.

[cybercoma]

That's all very nice.

How about aiding gay rights at home as well?

[olp1fan]

That's all very nice.

How about aiding gay rights at home as well?

Repubs haven't been allowing a lot of that... they couldnt control dont ask dont tell / DOMA though

Edited December 7, 2011 by olp1fan

[Guest American Woman]

That's all very nice.

How about aiding gay rights at home as well?

the administration vowed to actively combat efforts by other nations that criminalize homosexual conduct, abuse gay men, lesbians, bisexuals or transgendered people, or ignore abuse against them.

This may come as a shock to you, but that's not happening in the U.S. Gays do have rights in the U.S.

[olp1fan]

the administration vowed to actively combat efforts by other nations that criminalize homosexual conduct, abuse gay men, lesbians, bisexuals or transgendered people, or ignore abuse against them.

This may come as a shock to you, but that's not happening in the U.S. Gays do have rights in the U.S.

Not the right to marry nor do most have the right to adopt

[Guest American Woman]

Not the right to marry nor do most have the right to adopt

I see. So "aiding gay rights at home" actually means 'allowing gays to marry in every state,' because it sure doesn't come across that way; it comes across as if gays don't have rights in the U.S. - as if we should be aiding the same rights in the U.S. as in countries that criminalize homosexual conduct, abuse gay men, lesbians, bisexuals or transgendered people, or ignore abuse against them. but now it's narrowed down to allowing gays the right to marry in every state - you do realize there are states where it is legal, right? As for most not having the right to adopt, I can't help but wonder where you are getting that from, but you're wrong.

But yeah. Let's take a situation like countries that criminalize homosexual conduct, abuse gay men, lesbians, bisexuals or transgendered people, or ignore abuse against them and make it about the U.S., too. As if there's a comparison.

[Michael Hardner]

I find this initiative to be very brave, and game-changing. I applaud the US govt. for making this move, and I don't understand the negative sniping that goes with it. Of course same-sex couples in the US don't have the same rights as elsewhere in the world, would you have them not stand up for human rights in other countries because of that ?

[Guest American Woman]

Of course same-sex couples in the US don't have the same rights as elsewhere in the world

Again. That's not a true statement as it stands; gay marriage is legal in some states, so some same sex couples in the U.S. do have the same rights as in other countries that have legalized gay marriage. But, it's only legal in ten countries, so your reference to "elsewhere in the world" makes it sound much more inclusive than it actually is.

A leading rights group says 10 countries have legalized same-sex marriage in the past decade.

But Human Rights Watch said in a survey released Monday that bias continues against people who want to marry people of the same gender in those 10 countries and many others.

link

So perhaps all countries could, and should, work on changing attitudes.

As for the "negative sniping," there will always be some who are negative about anything and everything the U.S. does. It's the nature of the beast.

[Michael Hardner]

Of course same-sex couples in the US don't have the same rights as elsewhere in the world

Again. That's not a true statement as it stands; gay marriage is legal in some states, so some same sex couples in the U.S. do have the same rights as in other countries that have legalized gay marriage. But, it's only legal in ten countries, so your reference to "elsewhere in the world" makes it sound much more inclusive than it actually is.

Sure - but my point is that it's different.

As for the "negative sniping," there will always be some who are negative about anything and everything the U.S. does. It's the nature of the beast.

Negativity for its own sake deserves to be called out.

[Guest American Woman]

Sure - but my point is that it's different.

But as it stands, it's wrong. It's like taking the laws of a province in Canada and applying it to the country; making a statement about Canada when it's actually individual provinces. It's not accurate.

[Michael Hardner]

But as it stands, it's wrong. It's like taking the laws of a province in Canada and applying it to the country; making a statement about Canada when it's actually individual provinces. It's not accurate.

It would be accurate to say Canada's samesex population doesn't have the same rights as elsewhere too.

[Guest American Woman]

It would be accurate to say Canada's samesex population doesn't have the same rights as elsewhere too.

How so?

[Michael Hardner]

How so?

Because Canadian same-sex couples have some similar rights but not the same right as elsewhere. It's not pejorative to say so.

[Jack Weber]

the administration vowed to actively combat efforts by other nations that criminalize homosexual conduct, abuse gay men, lesbians, bisexuals or transgendered people, or ignore abuse against them.

Gee...I wonder what kooky regime this might be currently aimed at?

[sharkman]

This is simply a thinly veiled attempt by Obama to fire up his base. He'll point to this new 'policy' extensively during his campaign and compare it to the Rep. nomination, who ever that is. What's Obama going to say/do to Iran, Saudi Arabia, North Korea about gay rights? Maybe say a few words. Gay activists should watch whether he follows through with any actions.

[olp1fan]

Gay activists should watch whether he follows through with any actions.

He's done all he can without putting forward legislation that would end up losing cause of the republicans

they should be pretty happy with how much he has helped him

[sharkman]

He had two full years of majorities in both houses to put forward legislation if he was serious about this issue. He didn't and now he's paying lip service only. It'll be enough to make his base happy, but that's about it.

[olp1fan]

He had two full years of majorities in both houses to put forward legislation if he was serious about this issue. He didn't and now he's paying lip service only. It'll be enough to make his base happy, but that's about it.

his views have been evolving...

[sharkman]

Check that, his voting numbers have been evolving downward for some time now.