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President Obama made a major mark in civil rights history Wednesday, signing a defense bill that included a law making it a federal crime to attack people based on their sexual orientation.
While the bill extinguished several costly weapons projects and broadened certain war initiatives, it is the civil rights language that drew the most attention from some human rights advocates. It also caused many conservative and religious groups to accuse the Obama administration of devaluing American family values. Such a measure, critics argued, sends the signal that the United States endorses a homosexual lifestyle, which they contend is against God’s law.
President Barack Obama had promised to sign the National Defense Authorization Act, even though it did not slash as much fiscal waste as he had hoped, mainly because of its provisions for expanding hate crimes law. The act covers violence based on gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. Democratic supporters of the measure affixed it to the defense bill, despite strong objections of Republicans, because they knew the GOP would ensure that the defense bill made it into law.
The bill halts production of the F-22 fighter jet program, among other items and programs deemed antiquated in a post-Cold-War era. It also nixed the replacement helicopter program for the president's own fleet, which is six years behind schedule and whose estimated costs have doubled to more than $13 billion. However, the bill still contains provisions — over the president's strong objections — to develop a costly alternative engine for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the Air Force's fighter of the future.
"When Secretary Gates and I first proposed going after some of these wasteful projects, there were a lot of people who didn't think it was possible, who were certain we were going to lose, who were certain that we were going to get steamrolled," Obama said. "Today, we have proven them wrong."
"There's still more fights that we need to win," Obama said. "Changing the culture in Washington will take time and sustained effort." From now on, Obama said, people will be protected from violence based on "what they look like, who they love, how they pray or why they are."
Thank you Sally for finding this!
This folks is what Michael Moore was trying to say yesterday but said so much better, when one refreshes the memories of those who may have forgotten how monumental an impact Obama has had and continues to have on the world.
She very clearly answers the critics question of what has he done and she sets the record straight on the Nobel Peace Prize Award criteria. Well done! Well done!
I have a new Hero.....
Rachel I love U!
Saturday, October 10th, 2009
Friends,
Last night my wife asked me if I thought I was a little too hard on Obama in my letter yesterday congratulating him on his Nobel Prize. "No, I don't think so," I replied. I thought it was important to remind him he's now conducting the two wars he's inherited. "Yeah," she said, "but to tell him, 'Now earn it!'? Give the guy a break -- this is a great day for him and for all of us."
I went back and re-read what I had written. And I listened for far too long yesterday to the right wing hate machine who did what they could to crap all over Barack's big day. Did I -- and others on the left -- do the same?
We are weary, weary of war. The trillions that will have gone to these two wars have helped to bankrupt us as a nation -- financially and morally. To think of all the good we could have done with all that money! Two months of the War in Iraq would pay for all the wells that need to be dug in the Third World for drinking water! Obama is moving too slow for most of us -- but he needs to know we are with him and we stand beside him as he attempts to turn eight years of sheer madness around. Who could do that in nine months? Superman? Thor? Mitch McConnell?
Instead of waiting to see what the president is going to do, we all need to be pro-active and push the agenda that we want to see enacted. What keeps us from forming the same local groups we put together to get out the vote last November? C'mon! We're the majority now -- the majority by a significant margin! We call the shots -- and we need to tell this wimpy Congress to get busy and do what we say -- or else.
All I ask of those who voted for Obama is to not pile on him too quickly. Yes, make your voice heard (his phone number is 202-456-1414). But don't abandon the best hope we've had in our lifetime for change. And for God's sake, don't head to bummerville if he says or does something we don't like. Do you ever see Republicans behave that way? I mean, the Right had 20 years of Republican presidents and they still couldn't get prayer in the public schools, or outlaw abortion, or initiate a flat tax or put our Social Security into the stock market. They did a lot of damage, no doubt about that, but on the key issues that the Christian Right fought for, they came up nearly empty handed. No wonder they've been driven crazy lately. They'll never have it as good again as they've had it since Reagan took office.
But -- do you ever see them looking all gloomy and defeated? No! They keep on fighting! Every day. Our side? At the first sign of wavering, we just pack up our toys and go home.
So, at least for this weekend, let us celebrate what people elsewhere are celebrating -- that America now has a sane and smart man in the White House, a man who truly wants a world at peace for his two daughters.
Many, for the past couple days (yes, myself included), have grumbled, "What has he done to earn this prize?" How 'bout this:
The simple fact that he was elected was reason enough for him to be the recipient of this year's Nobel Peace Prize.
Because on that day the murderous actions of the Bush/Cheney years were totally and thoroughly rebuked. One man -- a man who opposed the War in Iraq from the beginning -- offered to end the insanity. The world has stood by in utter horror for the past eight years as they watched the descendants of Washington, Lincoln and Jefferson light the fuse of our own self-destruction. We flipped off the nations on this planet by abandoning Kyoto and then proceeded to melt eight more years worth of the polar ice caps. We invaded two nations that didn't attack us, failed to find the real terrorists and, in effect, ignited our own wave of terror. People all over the world wondered if we had gone mad.
And if all that wasn't enough, the outgoing Joker presided over the worst global financial collapse since the Great Depression.
So, yeah, at precisely 11:00pm ET on November 4, 2008, Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize. And the 66 million people who voted for him won it, too. By the time he took the stage at midnight ET in the Grant Park Historic Hippie Battlefield in downtown Chicago, billions of people around the globe were already breathing a huge sigh of relief. It was as if, in that instant, one man did bring the promise of peace to the world -- and most were ready to go wherever he wanted to go to achieve that end. Never before had the election of one man made every other nation feel like they had won, too. When you've got billions of people ready, willing and able to join a cause like this, well, a prize in Oslo is the least that you deserve.
One other thought. The Peace Prize historically has been given to those who have worked to throw off the yoke of racial discrimination and segregation (Martin Luther King, Jr., Desmond Tutu). I think the Nobel committee, in awarding Obama the prize, was also rewarding the fact that something profound had happened in a nation that was founded on racial genocide, built on racist slavery, and held back for a hundred-plus years by vestiges of hateful bigotry (which can still be found on display at teabagger rallies and daily talk radio). The fact that this one man could cause this seismic historical event to occur -- and to do so with such grace and humility, never succumbing to the bait, but still not backing down (yes, he asked to be sworn in as "Barack Hussein Obama"!) -- is more than reason enough he should be in Oslo to meet the King on December 10. Maybe he could take us along with him. 'Cause I also suspect the Nobel committee was tipping its hat to all of us -- we, the American people, had conquered some of our racism and did the truly unexpected. After seeing searing images of our black fellow citizens left to drown in New Orleans -- and poor whites seeing their own treated no better than the black man they had been raised to hate -- we had all seen enough. It was time for change.
Thank you, Barack Obama, for giving us the opportunity to redeem ourselves. Now for the tasks ahead. We need you to do all that you promised to do. We need it. The world needs it.
My prediction for the future? You become the first *two-time* winner of the Nobel Peace Prize! Yeah!
Fred (that's Norwegian for "Peace"),
Michael Moore
Diva Note: I could not have said it better the hubby said isnt that what you were saying yesterday [we were talking about it in the car]
CJ --
This morning, Michelle and I awoke to some surprising and humbling news. At 6 a.m., we received word that I'd been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009.
To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures who've been honored by this prize -- men and women who've inspired me and inspired the entire world through their courageous pursuit of peace.
But I also know that throughout history the Nobel Peace Prize has not just been used to honor specific achievement; it's also been used as a means to give momentum to a set of causes.
That is why I've said that I will accept this award as a call to action, a call for all nations and all peoples to confront the common challenges of the 21st century. These challenges won't all be met during my presidency, or even my lifetime. But I know these challenges can be met so long as it's recognized that they will not be met by one person or one nation alone.
This award -- and the call to action that comes with it -- does not belong simply to me or my administration; it belongs to all people around the world who have fought for justice and for peace. And most of all, it belongs to you, the men and women of America, who have dared to hope and have worked so hard to make our world a little better.
So today we humbly recommit to the important work that we've begun together. I'm grateful that you've stood with me thus far, and I'm honored to continue our vital work in the years to come.
Thank you,
President Barack Obama
I am overjoyed each time he speaks....
he reaffirms for me why I think he is such a great man!
President Barack Obama has been awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize for "his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and co-operation between peoples".
The committee said they agreed with Obama's "vision of and work for a world without nuclear weapons".
Already many news commentators from various media sites have question this award and that it 'may be to early to judge Obamas work'.
The Nobel Committee said on issuing the award: "Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future"
"His diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world's population."
The prize worth 10 million Swedish kronor ($1.4m/£880,000) includes a gold medal and a diploma, all the prizes will be presented to Obama in Oslo on December 10.
Some of the favourites this year were Zimbabwe's prime minister and a Chinese dissident, There was a record total of 205 nominations for the title.
The Associated Press-GfK poll shows a 6-percent rise over the past month in the public’s attitude about the president’s job performance. In September, 50 percent of those polled said they approved of Obama’s performance. It marked the first time since he took office that his approval rating has risen.
What the numbers suggest is that the nation is feeling better about his handling of the economy and his proposed health care overhaul. However, when it comes to the war in Afghanistan, his numbers have dipped.
Overall, 39 percent said they disapproved of Obama's performance in office, down from 49 percent last month.
“While a majority of those surveyed remain pessimistic about the direction of the country, that number has begun to improve, too,” AP reports. “The poll found 41 percent now believe the U.S. is headed in the right direction, compared with 37 percent in September.
“But a large majority of respondents said they remain very concerned about most of the major issues facing the country. The economy was the biggest concern, with 88 percent saying they consider it extremely or very important, followed by unemployment, health care, terrorism, the budget deficit, taxes and the war in Afghanistan.
The increase in Obama's job approval rating was driven by a more positive view of his handling of nearly all of those issues.
“Fifty percent of those surveyed said they approved of the president's handling of the economy, up from 44 percent in September. And 48 percent said they approved of his handling of health care, up six points and about equal to the 47 percent who said they disapproved. Obama has made health care the signature domestic issue of his presidency.”
The president, whom many gay activists deemed the lesser of two evils between Democrat Obama and Republican John McCain during the last general election, will speak at the annual dinner of the Human Rights Campaign on Saturday, the White House has announced.
During the presidential campaign, neither Obama nor McCain advocated gay “marriage,” both agreeing that marriage was an institution reserved for a man and a woman. Both supported gay “unions” instead.
"We are honored to share this night with President Obama, who has called upon our nation to embrace LGBT people as brothers and sisters," said Joe Solmonese of the Human Rights Campaign, which calls itself "America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality."
Solmonese has been an outspoken critic of Obama, blasting the president for not standing against the anti-gay-marriage Defense of Marriage Act earlier this year and for inviting a staunch proponent of the act, Rev. Rick Warren, to deliver his inauguration prayer.
Conservatives and many members of Black clergy are among the most fervent critics of gay marriage.
Obama’s speech before the Human Rights Campaign falls one day before the National Equality March on Washington, where demonstrators will demand equal rights for gays, lesbians and transgendered people. The march is guaranteed to be chock full of Obama critics, still angry over his failure to see through his promise to stamp out the "don't ask, don't tell" policy banning gays in the military or to overturn the Defense of Marriage Act.
"Eleven months after his election, he has failed to deliver on any of his commitments to gay Americans, but even worse has been his refusal to engage around these issues," Richard Socarides, an adviser to former President Bill Clinton on gay and lesbian policy, told The Associated Press.
Obama says he has a proud record regarding his support of gay rights. Don’t judge him on the “promises I've made but by the promises that my administration keeps," he says.
"I know that many in this room don't believe progress has come fast enough, and I understand that," he said. "It's not for me to tell you to be patient any more than it was for others to counsel patience to African-Americans who were petitioning for equal rights a half-century ago."
"We've been in office six months now," continued the president. "I suspect that by the time this administration is over, I think you guys will have pretty good feelings about the Obama administration."
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