President Obama spoke Saturday at the
Human Rights Campaign (HRC) national dinner. HRC is the nation's
largest gay rights advocate. The president's received a standing
ovation inside the Walter E. Washington Convention Center where he
spoke, but gay
activists protesting Sunday at the National Equality March called
the speech nothing new.
You be the judge. Obama was introduced
by Joe Solmonese, president of HRC.
To Joe Solmonese, who's doing an
outstanding job on behalf of HRC. (Applause.) To my great friend and
supporter, Terry Bean, co-founder of HRC. (Applause.) Representative
Patrick Kennedy. (Applause.) David Huebner, the Ambassador-designee
to New Zealand and Samoa. (Applause.) John Berry, our Director of
OPM, who's doing a great job. (Applause.) Nancy Sutley, Chairman of
Council on Environmental Quality. (Applause.) Fred Hochberg, Chairman
of Export-Import Bank. (Applause.) And my dear friend, Tipper Gore,
who's in the house. (Applause.)
Thank you so much, all of you. It
is a privilege to be here tonight to open for Lady GaGa. (Applause.)
I've made it. (Laughter.) I want to thank the Human Rights Campaign
for inviting me to speak and for the work you do every day in pursuit
of equality on behalf of the millions of people in this country who
work hard in their jobs and care deeply about their families -- and
who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender. (Applause.)
For nearly 30 years, you've
advocated on behalf of those without a voice. That's not easy. For
despite the real gains that we've made, there's still laws to change
and there's still hearts to open. There are still fellow citizens,
perhaps neighbors, even loved ones -- good and decent people -- who
hold fast to outworn arguments and old attitudes; who fail to see
your families like their families; who would deny you the rights most
Americans take for granted. And that's painful and it's
heartbreaking. (Applause.) And yet you continue, leading by the force
of the arguments you make, and by the power of the example that you
set in your own lives -- as parents and friends, as PTA members and
church members, as advocates and leaders in your communities. And
you're making a difference.
That's the story of the movement
for fairness and equality, and not just for those who are gay, but
for all those in our history who've been denied the rights and
responsibilities of citizenship -- (applause) -- for all who've been
told that the full blessings and opportunities of this country were
closed to them. It's the story of progress sought by those with
little influence or power; by men and women who brought about change
through quiet, personal acts of compassion -- and defiance --
wherever and whenever they could.
It's the story of the Stonewall
protests, when a group of citizens -- (applause) -- when a group of
citizens with few options, and fewer supporters stood up against
discrimination and helped to inspire a movement. It's the story of an
epidemic that decimated a community -- and the gay men and women who
came to support one another and save one another; who continue to
fight this scourge; and who have demonstrated before the world that
different kinds of families can show the same compassion in a time of
need. (Applause.) And it's the story of the Human Rights Campaign and
the fights you've fought for nearly 30 years: helping to elect
candidates who share your values; standing against those who would
enshrine discrimination into our Constitution; advocating on behalf
of those living with HIV/AIDS; and fighting for progress in our
capital and across America. (Applause.)
This story, this fight continue
now. And I'm here with a simple message: I'm here with you in that
fight. (Applause.) For even as we face extraordinary challenges as a
nation, we cannot -- and we will not -- put aside issues of basic
equality. I greatly appreciate the support I've received from many in
this room. I also appreciate that many of you don't believe progress
has come fast enough. I want to be honest about that, because it's
important to be honest among friends.
Now, I've said this before, I'll
repeat it again -- it's not for me to tell you to be patient, any
more than it was for others to counsel patience to African Americans
petitioning for equal rights half a century ago. (Applause.) But I
will say this: We have made progress and we will make more. And I
think it's important to remember that there is not a single issue
that my administration deals with on a daily basis that does not
touch on the lives of the LGBT community. (Applause.) We all have a
stake in reviving this economy. We all have a stake in putting people
back to work. We all have a stake in improving our schools and
achieving quality, affordable health care. We all have a stake in
meeting the difficult challenges we face in Iraq and Afghanistan.
(Applause.)
For while some may wish to define
you solely by your sexual orientation or gender identity alone, you
know -- and I know -- that none of us wants to be defined by just one
part of what makes us whole. (Applause.) You're also parents worried
about your children's futures. You're spouses who fear that you or
the person you love will lose a job. You're workers worried about the
rising cost of health insurance. You're soldiers. You are neighbors.
You are friends. And, most importantly, you are Americans who care
deeply about this country and its future. (Applause.)
So I know you want me working on
jobs and the economy and all the other issues that we're dealing
with. But my commitment to you is unwavering even as we wrestle with
these enormous problems. And 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 heading and the destination we will
reach. (Applause.)
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. (Applause.) 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. (Applause.) You will see a nation that's valuing and
cherishing these families as we build a more perfect union -- a union
in which gay Americans are an important part. I am committed to these
goals. And my administration will continue fighting to achieve them.
And there's no more poignant or
painful reminder of how important it is that we do so than the loss
experienced by Dennis and Judy Shepard, whose son Matthew was stolen
in a terrible act of violence 11 years ago. In May, I met with Judy
-- who's here tonight with her husband -- I met her in the Oval
Office, and I promised her that we were going to pass an inclusive
hate crimes bill -- a bill named for her son. (Applause.)
This struggle has been long. Time
and again we faced opposition. Time and again, the measure was
defeated or delayed. But the Shepards never gave up. (Applause.) They
turned tragedy into an unshakeable commitment. (Applause.) Countless
activists and organizers never gave up. You held vigils, you spoke
out, year after year, Congress after Congress. The House passed the
bill again this week. (Applause.) And I can announce that after more
than a decade, this bill is set to pass and I will sign it into law.
(Applause.)
It's a testament to the decade-long
struggle of Judy and Dennis, who tonight will receive a tribute named
for somebody who inspired so many of us -- named for Senator Ted
Kennedy, who fought tirelessly for this legislation. (Applause.) And
it's a testament to the Human Rights Campaign and those who organized
and advocated. And it's a testament to Matthew and to others who've
been the victims of attacks not just meant to break bones, but to
break spirits -- not meant just to inflict harm, but to instill fear.
Together, we will have moved closer to that day when no one has to be
afraid to be gay in America. (Applause.) When no one has to fear
walking down the street holding the hand of the person they love.
(Applause.)
But we know there's far more work
to do. We're pushing hard to pass an inclusive employee
non-discrimination bill. (Applause.) For the first time ever, an
administration official testified in Congress in favor of this law.
Nobody in America should be fired because they're gay, despite doing
a great job and meeting their responsibilities. It's not fair. It's
not right. We're going to put a stop to it. (Applause.) And it's for
this reason that if any of my nominees are attacked not for what they
believe but for who they are, I will not waver in my support, because
I will not waver in my commitment to ending discrimination in all its
forms. (Applause.)
We are reinvigorating our response
to HIV/AIDS here at home and around the world. (Applause.) We're
working closely with the Congress to renew the Ryan White program and
I look forward to signing it into law in the very near future.
(Applause.) We are rescinding the discriminatory ban on entry to the
United States based on HIV status. (Applause.) The regulatory process
to enact this important change is already underway. And we also know
that HIV/AIDS continues to be a public health threat in many
communities, including right here in the District of Columbia.
Jeffrey Crowley, the Director of the Office of National AIDS Policy,
recently held a forum in Washington, D.C., and is holding forums
across the country, to seek input as we craft a national strategy to
address this crisis.
We are moving ahead on Don't Ask
Don't Tell. (Applause.) We should not be punishing patriotic
Americans who have stepped forward to serve this country. We should
be celebrating their willingness to show such courage and
selflessness on behalf of their fellow citizens, especially when
we're fighting two wars. (Applause.)
We cannot afford to cut from our
ranks people with the critical skills we need to fight any more than
we can afford -- for our military's integrity -- to force those
willing to do so into careers encumbered and compromised by having to
live a lie. So I'm working with the Pentagon, its leadership, and the
members of the House and Senate on ending this policy. Legislation
has been introduced in the
House to make this happen. I will end
Don't Ask, Don't Tell. That's my commitment to you. (Applause.)
It is no secret that issues of
great concern to gays and lesbians are ones that raise a great deal
of emotion in this country. And it's no secret that progress has been
incredibly difficult -- we can see that with the time and dedication
it took to pass hate crimes legislation. But these issues also go to
the heart of who we are as a people. Are we a nation that can
transcend old attitudes and worn divides? Can we embrace our
differences and look to the hopes and dreams that we share? Will we
uphold the ideals on which this nation was founded: that all of us
are equal, that all of us deserve the same opportunity to live our
lives freely and pursue our chance at happiness? I believe we can; I
believe we will. (Applause.)
And that is why -- that's why I
support ensuring that committed gay couples have the same rights and
responsibilities afforded to any married couple in this country.
(Applause.) I believe strongly in stopping laws designed to take
rights away and passing laws that extend equal rights to gay couples.
I've required all agencies in the federal government to extend as
many federal benefits as possible to LGBT families as the current law
allows. And I've called on Congress to repeal the so-called Defense
of Marriage Act and to pass the Domestic Partners Benefits and
Obligations Act. (Applause.) And we must all stand together against
divisive and deceptive efforts to feed people's lingering fears for
political and ideological gain.
For the struggle waged by the Human
Rights Campaign is about more than any policy we can enshrine into
law. It's about our capacity to love and commit to one another. It's
about whether or not we value as a society that love and commitment.
It's about our common humanity and our willingness to walk in someone
else's shoes: to imagine losing a job not because of your performance
at work but because of your relationship at home; to imagine worrying
about a spouse in the hospital, with the added fear that you'll have
to produce a legal document just to comfort the person you love --
(applause) -- to imagine the pain of losing a partner of decades and
then discovering that the law treats you like a stranger. (Applause.)
If we are honest with ourselves
we'll admit that there are too many who do not yet know in their
lives or feel in their hearts the urgency of this struggle. That's
why I continue to speak about the importance of equality for LGBT
families -- and not just in front of gay audiences. That's why
Michelle and I have invited LGBT families to the White House to
participate in events like the Easter Egg Roll -- because we want to
send a message. (Applause.) And that's why it's so important that you
continue to speak out, that you continue to set an example, that you
continue to pressure leaders -- including me -- and to make the case
all across America. (Applause.)
So, tonight I'm hopeful -- because
of the activism I see in this room, because of the compassion I've
seen all across America, and because of the progress we have made
throughout our history, including the history of the movement for
LGBT equality.
Soon after the protests at
Stonewall 40 years ago, the phone rang in the home of a soft-spoken
elementary school teacher named Jeanne Manford. It was 1:00 in the
morning, and it was the police. Now, her son, Morty, had been at the
Stonewall the night of the raids. Ever since, he had felt within him
a new sense of purpose. So when the officer told Jeanne that her son
had been arrested, which was happening often to gay protesters, she
was not entirely caught off guard. And then the officer added one
more thing, "And you know, he's homosexual." (Laughter.)
Well, that police officer sure was surprised when Jeanne responded,
"Yes, I know. Why are you bothering him?" (Applause.)
And not long after, Jeanne would be
marching side-by-side with her son through the streets of New York.
She carried a sign that stated her support. People cheered. Young men
and women ran up to her, kissed her, and asked her to talk to their
parents. And this gave Jeanne and Morty an idea.
And so, after that march on the
anniversary of the Stonewall protests, amidst the violence and the
vitriol of a difficult time for our nation, Jeanne and her husband
Jules -- two parents who loved their son deeply -- formed a group to
support other parents and, in turn, to support their children, as
well. At the first meeting Jeanne held, in 1973, about 20 people
showed up. But slowly, interest grew. Morty's life, tragically, was
cut short by AIDS. But the cause endured. Today, the organization
they founded for parents, families, and friends of lesbians and gays
-- (applause) -- has more than 200,000 members and supporters, and
has made a difference for countless families across America. And
Jeanne would later say, "I considered myself such a traditional
person. I didn't even cross the street against the light."
(Laughter.) "But I wasn't going to let anybody walk over Morty."
(Applause.)
That's the story of America: of
ordinary citizens organizing, agitating and advocating for change; of
hope stronger than hate; of love more powerful than any insult or
injury; of Americans fighting to build for themselves and their
families a nation in which no one is a second-class citizen, in which
no one is denied their basic rights, in which all of us are free to
live and love as we see fit. (Applause.)
Tonight, somewhere in America, a
young person, let's say a young man, will struggle to fall to sleep,
wrestling alone with a secret he's held as long as he can remember.
Soon, perhaps, he will decide it's time to let that secret out. What
happens next depends on him, his family, as well as his friends and
his teachers and his community. But it also depends on us -- on the
kind of society we engender, the kind of future we build.
I believe the future is bright for
that young person. For while there will be setbacks and bumps along
the road, the truth is that our common ideals are a force far
stronger than any division that some might sow. These ideals, when
voiced by generations of citizens, are what made it possible for me
to stand here today. (Applause.) These ideals are what made it
possible for the people in this room to live freely and openly when
for most of history that would have been inconceivable. That's the
promise of America, HRC. That's the promise we're called to fulfill.
(Applause.) Day by day, law by law, changing mind by mind, that is
the promise we are fulfilling.
Thank you for the work you're
doing. God bless you. God bless America. (Applause.)