Obama promises to end gay military ban
Updated on 11 October 2009
As if winning the Nobel Peace Prize was not enough, now he has become the first president to give a major speech on lesbian and gay rights in his first term in office.
As activists prepare to march on Washington to demand action on gay rights, President Obama has promised to end the policy of 'don't ask, don't tell' restrictions for gays in the military.
Speaking to the Human Rights Campaign's annual dinner, Obama promised to push for more measures including broadening the definition of hate crimes to include homophobic attacks.
The crowd in the room cheered him on, giving the President's message of unity and support a standing ovation.
And the HRC itself, a big donor to Democratic campaigns, declared they had "never had a stronger ally in the White House".
What's the problem, then?
Many LBTG activists still aren't convinced of his true commitment to their cause.
On Huffington Post, Harvard academic Timothy Patrick McCarthy complains that while Obama made 'some audacious promises' during his campaign - 'we are still waiting' for it all to happen.
And Andrew Sullivan has maintained a barrage of criticism on his Daily Dish blog, claiming the speech could have been given any time in the last three years, accusing Obama of failing to set out a deadline for action on 'don't ask, don't tell' and offering no support for gay marriage initiatives in a number of states. "What did he promise to achieve in the next year? Or two years? Or four?" demands Sullivan. "The answer is nothing".
And a key organiser of the Washington march, Dave Valk, said the protest had been called to demand "action, real action", adding "we need it now".
So far, so absolutist.
A brief trawl through the instant reaction on Twitter does show a more balanced view - plenty of people talk of being "so proud"... this from one woman: "our brilliant president has taken a stand against hatred" while another supporter simply declared "Bravo, Mr President".
But overall the message seems to be 'could do better'. It's not enough, it seems, to stand up and be counted.
The demands on Obama's presidency are vast: Afghanistan, climate change, the global financial crisis... and yet he has still found time for an impassioned speech on gay rights.
But judging from the response of most activists they're expecting far, far more than promises.
The long march for equality certainly ain't over yet.
