The Advocate is a magazine source that supports LGBT issues. Senator Obama's face was most recently on the front cover with words that read, "Obama, worth pinning your hopes on?"
The article introduced us to former Obama campaign aide Kevin Thompson, who is openly gay. Thompson shared his personal story of Senator Obama marching side by side with him, in a Chicago pride parade.
The former aide stated that after the parade Obama, floored him with constant questions about the history of pride, how is it that every city has one, and what was the origin?
The former aide stated that after the parade Obama, floored him with constant questions about the history of pride, how is it that every city has one, and what was the origin?
Mr. Thompson commented that he first met the Obama's when he came to work with Michelle Obama, in the Chicago Mayor's office in the early 90's. At the time Thompson, was married to a woman and having a hard time coming out. He confided in Michelle because he knew the Obama's were "the kind of friends that would never leave him."
On a car ride with the Illinois senator, after Obama hung up his cell from telling his daughter's goodnight, he turned to Thompson and asked "So Kevin, have you and Greg thought about having kids?"
Rick Garcia of the Illinois Federation for Human Rights, also known as the states largest gay and lesbian political organization described Obama this way,
"He was able to talk about the issues in a natural, normal, comfortable way. He didn't struggle for language. He didn't say things like "homosexual preference" or "sexual preference". He was up to speed even before we started working with him."
As soon as Obama, was elected into the senate immediately he sponsored legislation to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. He has spoken on LGBTQ issues more than any presidential nominee in history.
"He was able to talk about the issues in a natural, normal, comfortable way. He didn't struggle for language. He didn't say things like "homosexual preference" or "sexual preference". He was up to speed even before we started working with him."
As soon as Obama, was elected into the senate immediately he sponsored legislation to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. He has spoken on LGBTQ issues more than any presidential nominee in history.
In Obama's words, "Now, I'm a Christian, and I praise Jesus every Sunday.....sometimes, particularly in the African American community, in the church sometimes, I hear people saying things that I don't think are very Christian with respect to people who are gay and lesbian. The Sermon on the Mount says, treat people as you'd want to be treated. When we start blaming gay people for our problems, all we're doing is dividing each other. That's not the kind of politics I want to practice."
If you can't tell how open-minded, involved and forever present Senator Obama and his wife Michelle, are within the gay community do your research.
At the end of the day with Obama, LGBTQ communities have a chance at equality and with John McCain, who opposes anything good for the LGBT community -- I think the choice is clear.
2008 LA
