Last week, President Bill Clinton accepted GLAAD’s ‘Advocate for Change’ Award in Los Angeles last night but not everyone was buying Clinton’s latest change of heart over gay marriage. GLADD notably left out of the award that Clinton not only signed but helped push through the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). This was not in 1896 but in 1996. Clinton was heckled by some in the crowd as he accepted the award as a leader on gay rights, yelling “you signed it” when he referred to DOMA as if it was some alien or GOP legislation. What is truly annoying is Clinton’s “some of my best friends are now gay” rationalization.
Clinton called on the Supreme Court to strike down DOMA which he made law without acknowledging his key role. GLADD attempted to help him in this piece of historical revisionism not only with the award but the omission of his inglorious role. At the time of DOMA many people denounced Clinton and the Congress for codifying what was seen as an act of open discrimination.
Clinton quickly adopted the mantra of many Democratic and Republican leaders who suddenly became aware of gay rights or had a personal change of heart just as polls showed that they could now support it.
I have become increasingly irritated by politicians who have cloaked themselves in principle in supporting gay marriage after years of opposition . . . after polls showed a majority of voters supporting it. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D., Mo.) waited until after an election when this issue was raised to change her position. She was showered with praise by those who failed to ask why she opposed gay rights for years on the issue.
It is particularly maddening to see leaders who explain that they just didn’t understand the issue until one of their kids revealed that they were gay. That is the case with Sen. Rob Portman (R. Ohio) who changed his position when his son revealed he is gay. Dick Cheney changed his public position on gay rights generally when his daughter came out. Wouldn’t it be a wonderful thing if civil rights were recognized even without having a personal stake or interest in the matter? It is hardly redeeming to say that “I really didn’t think of the denial of basic rights to other people until my son was included in the disenfranchised group.”
As for Clinton, he says that he really did not understand why DOMA was such a big deal or a bad idea until his daughter Chelsea explained it to him:
“She has had a profound impact in many ways on the way I see the world. It’s sort of humbling when you get to be my age when your child knows more than you do about everything….Chelsea and her gay friends and her wonderful husband have modeled to me how we should all treat each other regardless of our sexual orientation or any other artificial difference that divides us. Many of them come and join us every Thanksgiving for a meal. I have grown very attached to them. And over the years, I was forced to confront the fact that people who oppose equal rights for gays in the marriage sphere are basically acting out of concerns for their own identity, not out of respect for anyone else.”
This is one of the classic methods of politicians to avoid personal accountability in their prior actions. By citing to a father’s love for a child, the politician raises positive images to counter the image of their prior role of leading the mob against an insular minority. Did Chelsea really have to explain this to Clinton? In 1996, thousands of people were in Washington asking to explain it to him. He did not want to hear it because it was politically popular to be against the gays and lesbians on the issue. You should not have to “have grown very attached to them” to recognize equal rights. That sounds a lot like “some of my best friends are now gay.” The test of true principle … supporting rights that do not directly benefit or personally appeal to you. That is one test Clinton never tried to pass as president.
I have to agree with the naysayers at GLADD. I think the omission of this role by the organization in its award is hypocritical and wrong. I also do not believe Clinton deserves any award or acclaim for finally and belatedly doing the right thing — particularly after leading the effort to deny this right to millions.
What do you think?
Source: Raw Story
Politicians are not evolving. These vile cretins are merely seeing which way the wind blows in order to maintain public favor. They are lying, narcissistic psychopaths.
Make no mistake, Clinton did not evolve, this is all about Hillary’s 2016 run. Gay voters already feel disenfranchised after being lied to and misled by Obama, TWICE. Then again, many leftwing voters have been lied to multiple times by Obama. I still cannot believe he has any supporters left. The truly blind.
There’s an old saying in Tennessee – I know it’s in Texas, probably in Tennessee – that says, fool me once, shame on – shame on you. Fool me – you can’t get fooled again.
“Bill Clinton is a massive hypocrite. So is Hillary.”
Bingo.
What is GLAAD? Anacronyms should be explained on this blog. Is it a big trash bag? Is it Mad Mothers who got over it? GoutLiverAdvanced AlcoholDiareah ? Got Lucky After Arkansas Dumbell ? Get Laid Always After Dinner ?
Bill Clinton is a massive hypocrite. So is Hillary.
Our political scene is in a state of utter disgrace and failure. Both parties are worthy of nothing but contempt as they lead us down the road of ruin into corporate fascism and tyranny
Clinton, with that itShay eatin grin reminds me of Lindsey Graham Kracker. Why do southerners try to look South of the Mason Dixon Line?
No, CheatinDog, ya got it wrong. If Bill is gay and becomes First Lady then he gets to choose his favorite charity and run with it. He already heads up a charitable foundation which is kind of like Bill Gates on steroids. Then he and Bill can get together on weekends at Camp David and leave Hilary and Melinda in the White House. While those two are keeping house Chelsea can go live on Fox News and keep everyone unfair and unbalanced.
I think it was Blackmun who later changed his mind in a decision that allowed sodomy….not to be a criminal act…..
Maybe Clinton really didn’t have a clue… But who knows…
What Elaine said.
And Dogs? Don’t you have a “KnowWhenToShutUpDog” in your pack? If you don’t, you should.
Let me sort this out. If Bill is gay and Hilary becomes President, then Bill is First Lady and that makes him a second cousin once removed from Arkansas married to a Chicagoite turned Yankee New Yorkie. Huckabee has a long way to go to match this one. Birds of a feather do flock together.
Bend over Beethoven, Clinton just got me the news.
If Chelsea’s husband is gay, why did she marry him? Maybe she is gay and got it from daddy. Clinton is always hugging men. Maybe this is why he used the cigar on whatshername. Mem who hump men are not gay. Men who hump women and then have to use a cigar, are gay. Take it from a humpin kind of guy.
The very best that the ex-President deserved for his conversion was silence on the issue of his earlier hurtful politics- silence on a good day. But an award? For someone coming late to the game with that baggage? I don’t think so. DOMA has done serious harm to people and is this very day harming people. GLADD should be ashamed and so should President Clinton.
A lot of people seem to have evolving views on gay marriage. For one thing, more young people are coming out earlier. There is not as much secrecy. Parents are having to confront the fact they have a gay kid, and that kid deserves to have a life too. Social movements have a way of gaining speed and momentum. Let’s hope the trend continues.
At least he changed his mind and worked for the repeal. He has admitted publicly that he made a mistake on DOMA. How many top Republicans are still clamoring against gay rights?
OMG!!! Clinton is a politician who panders to voters just like every other politician in the world! Heaven Forefend!!
Its not something he should be proud of but its also not something we should lose any sleep over. He did much worse and hurt many more people in working with the GOP to screw up welfare. The arc of history bends slowly
Happy Earth Day.
Clinton is a professional liar and hypocrite, now seeking to burnish a liberal image that’s false. From DOMA to his “welfare reform” to his role in eviscerating financial regulation, Clinton was and is a DINO who helped push the Democratic Party rightward, a trend continued by Obama.
I think that while we need people to be better than that, the original strategy of letting family know, is still one that changes things in the most unlikely places.
I’m trans and I’m mostly lesbian, neither of my parents would be anywhere near as open minded about queer rights as they are today if they hadn’t experienced having me as a child.
I was surprised when I read that Clinton received the award. He deserved to be heckled. GLAAD should be honoring the real champions of gay and lesbian rights.
Surely it is better for such people to stop supporting something that is an unfair discrimination, than to continue with their discrimination.
You don’t have the option of such politicians never having opposed gay marriage in the first place.
It probably just puts them in the ‘don’t really care’ category. If they had strong convictions one way or the other, then they would probably stick to them.