This week the U.S. Congress moved one step closer to expanding Hate Crimes Legislation to include protections against crimes committed on the basis of sexual orientation.
There is no doubt that this is a huge step forward in the fight against discrimination based on sexual orientation. What’s more, President Obama again pledged to today to end the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy in the military. This pledge, unfortunately comes without any specifics with regard to a timeline for such an end.
Despite these positive steps, however, our federal government doesn’t seem to have any problem discriminating based on sexual orientation in the military. Our federal government doesn’t seem to have any problem discriminating based on sexual orientation when it comes to same-sex couples, denying them benefits and ‘marriage.’
To me this is a huge and glaring hypocrisy that I cannot overlook. While on the one hand, Congress and the President should be lauded for their expansion of Hate Crimes Legislation, essentially what their doing is saying its not OK for individuals to discriminate based on sexual orientation. But the very same Congress and the very same President isn’t willing to apply the same essential standard to themselves.
With the fight for same-sex marriage and/or Civil Unions taking place across the country, this President and this Democratic-controlled Congress needs to do more. They need to turn their shaking, scolding fingers around on themselves and stop discriminating against this same group of people.
Repeal ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’
Repeal the Defense of Marriage Act.
Pass legislation which codifies federal rights and benefits for same-sex couples in the form of a federal same-sex marriage law. Then, and only then, will our elected officials in D.C. truly garner my respect on their efforts toward this disenfranchised segment of our citizenry.