"I have seen and witnessed so many things over the past two years and I can say with such certainty that this is the single most important moment of my career. ... The younger generation, my generation, we are the ones coming up in the world, and we must continue to push this movement forward and close the gap.
We must demand full equality for all. They say that this country is free and they say that this country is equal, but it is not equal if it's ( only ) sometimes ( equal ) . Obama, I know that you're listening. ARE YOU LISTENING?! We will continue to push you and your administration to bring your words of promise to a reality. We need change now. We demand action now." — Lady Gaga at the National Equality March in Washington, D.C., Oct. 11.
"I'm working with the Pentagon, its leadership and the members of the House and the Senate on ending this policy. ... I will end Don't Ask, Don't Tell. That's my commitment to you." — Barack Obama at the Human Rights Campaign's national dinner in Washington, D.C., Oct 10. The address was carried live on CNN.
"While progress may be taking longer than you'd like as a result of all that we face—and that's the truth—do not doubt the direction we are headed and the destination we will reach. My expectation is that when you look back on these years you will see a time in which we put a stop to discrimination against gays and lesbians, whether in the office or on the battlefield. You will see a time in which we as a nation finally recognize relationships between two men or two women as just as real and admirable as relationships between a man and a woman." — Barack Obama at the Human Rights Campaign's national dinner in Washington, D.C., Oct 10. The address was carried live on CNN.
"I could not discern anything new. It felt like a reiteration of the pledges he made during the campaign, it felt like a campaign speech. It was well-written, it was beautifully delivered—the man has the gift—but, you know, I hope this is not true but, we need to keep reminding ourselves and the young people who were not present during the Clinton administration that this is very similar. This is déjà vu all over again. The beautiful speeches, the flowery proclamations, the willingness to attend our parties, and the list of well-connected people who get great jobs. I'm sorry, but appointing a gay man ambassador to New Zealand is not a very bold step. ... We've got to keep doing the work to push him to do the right thing." — National Equality March lead organizer Cleve Jones responding to President Obama's Oct. 10 speech to the Human Rights Campaign, to this column, Oct. 11.
"I was totally disappointed ( by President Obama's Oct. 10 speech to the Human Rights Campaign dinner ) . Our community let him off and we did not force him by coming to that dinner to ( announce ) substantial change. All we got was another 'Please wait.' He got an A-plus on the Cliff Notes version of our rights that we're denied, but a C-minus on what he's actually doing to take care of it." — National Equality March Co-Director Robin McGehee to this column, Oct. 11.
"'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' has always been bad policy that was made out of a bullshit political compromise. You know, like you're doing now with health care. It never made sense to begin with: 'Here in the Army we're all about honor. And trusting the man next to you. Now lie to my face about your sexuality, Johnson, or I'll report you behind your back.' But forget all the good arguments for repeal, like because it was promised to us in the campaign or because it gets lonely on a submarine. Do it because it'll make Rush Limbaugh explode like a bag full of meat dropped from a helicopter. Do it because it'll make Sarah Palin go rogue in her pants." — HBO's Bill Maher writing at The Huffington Post, Oct. 9.
"I don't call what I do outing, I call it reporting—and I'd never report on the private life of a private person. Celebrities, politicians and professional athletes, on the other hand, made a choice to live their lives in the public eye for their careers. They need to be prepared for the public talking about their private life." — Gay blogger Perez Hilton to the Oregon gay newspaper Just Out, Sept. 18.
—Assistance: Bill Kelley
