June 23, 201213 yr Obama comes out in support of same sex marriage, the cover of Newsweek magazine proclaims Obama the "First Gay President" then he invites gay activists to the White House and they behave like this. Despite what one's views are of Ronald Reagan, when the President of the United States invites you to the White House, you are expected to behave in a respectable manner - don't you think? Imagine the Queen inviting someone to Buckingham Palace, and that person posting photos of themselves making obscene gestures at a portrait of Queen Victoria. Or for that matter, you inviting someone to your own home, only to see photos they took of themselves in your house making obscene gestures to a picture you display on your wall? <deleted>? Gay activists make obscene gesture at Reagan White House portrait http://www.washingto...eagan-white-ho/ The White House expressed disapproval Friday of photographs showing gay-rights activists, guests of President Obama, making obscene gestures at the portrait of President Reagan during a gay-pride reception at the White House last week. “While the White House does not control the conduct of guests at receptions, we certainly expect that all attendees conduct themselves in a respectful manner,” said White House spokesman Shin Inouye. “Most all do. These individuals clearly did not. Behavior like this doesn’t belong anywhere, least of all in the White House.” Matthew “Matty” Hart and Zoe Strauss, both from the Philadelphia area, posted photographs of themselves on Facebook giving the middle finger to Mr. Reagan’s official portrait hanging in the White House as they attended the party.
June 23, 201213 yr It was disrespectful to Obama to use their visit for their antics. I don't think those specific individuals should be invited again. Referring to the article from radical right wing Korean Moonie newspaper Washington Times, Reagan was actually a very horrible president during the breakout of the Aids epidemic in the USA. He did almost NOTHING in response. There is no excuse for it. http://washingtonexa...0?custom_click= As someone who appreciates what gay activists have done for gay civil rights, I feel that kind of action is not helpful to our good cause, and I do condemn it. Presidents, BTW, are not royalty. I imagine someday right wingers will be doing similar things in front of Obama's portrait, and that will be unseemly as well.
June 23, 201213 yr Presidents, BTW, are not royalty. I imagine someday right wingers will be doing similar things in front of Obama's portrait, and that will be unseemly as well. Pretty much everyone will, but not in the Whitehouse.
June 23, 201213 yr I imagine someday right wingers will be doing similar things in front of Obama's portrait, and that will be unseemly as well. Only a moronic, pathetic right wing thug. No one with a modicum of intelligence and/or self-respect would behave so shamelessly.
June 23, 201213 yr Presidents, BTW, are not royalty. I imagine someday right wingers will be doing similar things in front of Obama's portrait, and that will be unseemly as well. Pretty much everyone will, but not in the Whitehouse. Oh Obama haters have such high morals, huh?
June 23, 201213 yr Author Presidents, BTW, are not royalty. Tell that to HRH B. H. Obama I imagine someday right wingers will be doing similar things in front of Obama's portrait, and that will be unseemly as well. Maybe, but if you are right it is only because these scum have set the precedent. Of course it is still far less likely because the type of conservatives that actually get invited to the White House have more respect than anyone on the left could ever comprehend. Now, the best chance to see Obama's portrait in the White House treated this way will be the day a president invites a group of drunk rednecks (Rep or Dem) to the White House. OK, maybe I shouldn't call these activists "scum" but this really offends me that they would behave this way as guests in the White House. It just lowers the level of expected behavior even further. I guess this is to be expected though from people who think that outrageous/shocking behavior in public is some sort of "human right".
June 23, 201213 yr No. We're seeking equal civil rights under the law. The same as every other citizen. Not sure what you're shocked by, however. If two straight people can kiss in public, why can't two gay people?
June 23, 201213 yr No. We're seeking equal civil rights under the law. The same as every other citizen. Not sure what you're shocked by, however. If two straight people can kiss in public, why can't two gay people? What on earth has kissing in public got to do with the story? This was shameful behaviour, quite as shameful as it was done by gay activists as if it had been done by Nazi sympathisers. I cannot see why any decent American (or Brit, for that matter) would not condemn it.
June 23, 201213 yr No. We're seeking equal civil rights under the law. The same as every other citizen. Not sure what you're shocked by, however. If two straight people can kiss in public, why can't two gay people? What on earth has kissing in public got to do with the story? This was shameful behaviour, quite as shameful as it was done by gay activists as if it had been done by Nazi sympathisers. I cannot see why any decent American (or Brit, for that matter) would not condemn it. Some opponents of gay rights consider same sex public affection as outrageous behavior.I was responding to the other comment: I guess this is to be expected though from people who think that outrageous/shocking behavior in public is some sort of "human right". It's hard to know what he means by shocking behavior unless he spells it out. Perhaps he's talking about some lewd displays at gay parades. No, NOBODY is saying that displaying your bare butt in public is a human right. Why they aren't arrested for that if it's against local obscenity laws, I can't say, but nobody is saying that is a human right. Please keep Nazis out of this. Goodwin's law. I already did condemn the fingering action at the white house.
June 23, 201213 yr I am glad to hear that Obama made this gesture of inviting representatives of the GLBT community. I am doubly sorry to hear that these particular individuals showed this inappropriate behaviour. Very inappropriate and rather counter-productive.
June 23, 201213 yr I am glad to hear that Obama made this gesture of inviting representatives of the GLBT community. I am doubly sorry to hear that these particular individuals showed this inappropriate behaviour. Very inappropriate and rather counter-productive. Yes totally agree. But it's not like they represent all gay people who I sincerely think would mostly condemn that behavior in the white house. That still doesn't mean Reagan's inaction in office around the Aids issue was excusable, because it will never be excusable.
June 23, 201213 yr I am glad to hear that Obama made this gesture of inviting representatives of the GLBT community. I am doubly sorry to hear that these particular individuals showed this inappropriate behaviour. Very inappropriate and rather counter-productive. Yes totally agree. But it's not like they represent all gay people who I sincerely think would mostly condemn that behavior in the white house. That still doesn't mean Reagan's inaction in office around the Aids issue was excusable, because it will never be excusable. If their actions are inexcusable, why are you providing excuses for their actions?
June 23, 201213 yr Popular Post I am glad to hear that Obama made this gesture of inviting representatives of the GLBT community. I am doubly sorry to hear that these particular individuals showed this inappropriate behaviour. Very inappropriate and rather counter-productive. Yes totally agree. But it's not like they represent all gay people who I sincerely think would mostly condemn that behavior in the white house. That still doesn't mean Reagan's inaction in office around the Aids issue was excusable, because it will never be excusable. If their actions are inexcusable, why are you providing excuses for their actions? I am doing no such thing. But in case people wonder why most gay people do in fact despise Reagan, now you know. So yes I understand how those birders felt about Reagan. I feel the same way. But that doesn't mean they should have done what they did at the white house. I wouldn't have done it and they should have known better that such pictures posted publicly would be used by enemies of gay equality against us. So, no, no excuses. They should apologize not only to the white house but to gay Americans for hurting our cause.
June 23, 201213 yr Author Doing a little reading into the subject and it turns out Reagan was a supporter of Gay Rights long before it was trendy to do so. It makes sense as a Hollywood actor he probably had many more gay friends and acquaintances than the average person. As for his "inaction" over AIDS, why should that anger gays so much after almost 30 years?? That doesn't make any sense. It's not like AIDS is some kind of special gay disease. Anyone can get it. I would have thought that was common knowledge these days. Maybe blacks should get all upset because Bush didn't do enough to fight the Bird Flu?
June 23, 201213 yr Reagan started out rather liberal but as president he was a conservative republican. Aids was an unprecedented epidemic. Personally, only two gay people I know from the 1980's didn't die from it in the 1980's under Reagan. We felt our government was against us. He wouldn't even speak to the issue. Obviously emergency measures needed to be taken at earlier stage. In the earlier days of the epidemic, the Reagan 80's yes it was mostly a disease of gay men and IV drug users. In those days, it wasn't unusual to see a healthy young man one week then see them a month later looking like an old man, then quickly dead. It felt like a plague. We felt this group was seen as expendable and undesirable by the Reagan administration and that they were perfectly fine with the masses of us just dying, as so many of us did. Imagine if there was a disease that mostly hit young white straight republicans under Reagan and they were dying like flies, can you honestly say he wouldn't have sprung into action? You also have to understand in the earlier years, we didn't even know yet what was causing it. While you can "blame" later people for getting it from unsafe behavior, in the early days we really didn't know how to react. There was widespread panic and phobias. Strong supportive government action is needed in a crisis like that. He wasn't there for us and we will forever despise him for that. If you blame us for having an emotional reaction to a right wing president who wasn't there for us at all during a dramatic plague, well, that's just not human. The political actions taken such as ACT UP, were yes, anti-Reagan and understandably so. Younger gay Americans wouldn't feel that way because they didn't live through it. Survivors like me would, with absolutely no excuses. But Obama is a friend and there is no excuse for dissing a friend in his white house over old grievances about an ex-president. I feel they not only dissed Reagan but also Obama.
June 23, 201213 yr Author But it's not like they represent all gay people who I sincerely think would mostly condemn that behavior in the white house. They are Gay Rights activist leaders who are held in such high regard that they were invited to the White House. They are as representative as you can get.
June 23, 201213 yr But Obama is a friend and there is no excuse for dissing a friend in his white house over old grievances about an ex-president. I feel they not only dissed Reagan but also Obama. Two comments about your last paragraph. It is not "his" (Obama's) White House. It is the People's White House. They not only "dissed" Reagan and Obama, they dissed the American people with your actions. As much as I dislike Obama for his Presidency, I would never dishonor the Office, which is what they have done.
June 23, 201213 yr But it's not like they represent all gay people who I sincerely think would mostly condemn that behavior in the white house. They are Gay Rights activist leaders who are held in such high regard that they were invited to the White House. They are as representative as you can get. I little question I have (as a non-US citizen): Who chose those representatives? - I think that this "somebody" made a mistake. I think they are an embarrassment. They spoiled a very good opportunity to make world history for the GLBT community. Well, they did make history but not in a way that would help anybody outside of their own sad parochial world.
June 23, 201213 yr But it's not like they represent all gay people who I sincerely think would mostly condemn that behavior in the white house. They are Gay Rights activist leaders who are held in such high regard that they were invited to the White House. They are as representative as you can get. They don't represent me. Is that good enough for you? Though I can relate for their distaste for Reagan. He was a horrible villain in the way he totally didn't even talk about the Aids crisis that happened on his watch. Not only did nothing; wouldn't even mention it.
June 23, 201213 yr But Obama is a friend and there is no excuse for dissing a friend in his white house over old grievances about an ex-president. I feel they not only dissed Reagan but also Obama. Two comments about your last paragraph. It is not "his" (Obama's) White House. It is the People's White House. They not only "dissed" Reagan and Obama, they dissed the American people with your actions. As much as I dislike Obama for his Presidency, I would never dishonor the Office, which is what they have done. No, you're wrong. That is how people speak about the white house. I know. You say the Reagan White House. The Nixon White House. The Obama White House. Just a manner of speaking. Obvious, new president, new name attached.To wit: http://www.nytimes.c...ailing-him.html This isn't even debatable. Also, why do you say YOU two times? That's very snarky. It wasn't me. Do you think I am responsible for everything any gay person does? I already made it clear I condemn the fingering actions at the Obama White House and I think they should apologize profusely.
June 23, 201213 yr BTW, right now gay Americans don't have any clear political leader. Nobody like Martin Luther King since Harvey Milk and he was assassinated ... like MLK.
June 23, 201213 yr But Obama is a friend and there is no excuse for dissing a friend in his white house over old grievances about an ex-president. I feel they not only dissed Reagan but also Obama. Two comments about your last paragraph. It is not "his" (Obama's) White House. It is the People's White House. They not only "dissed" Reagan and Obama, they dissed the American people with your actions. As much as I dislike Obama for his Presidency, I would never dishonor the Office, which is what they have done. No, you're wrong. That is how people speak about the white house. I know. You say the Reagan White House. The Nixon White House. The Obama White House. Just a manner of speaking. Obvious, new president, new name attached.To wit: http://www.nytimes.c...ailing-him.html This isn't even debatable. Also, why do you say YOU two times? That's very snarky. It wasn't me. Do you think I am responsible for everything any gay person does? I already made it clear I condemn the fingering actions at the Obama White House and I think they should apologize profusely. I owe you an apology for being "snarky", whatever that is. The second "your" should read "their" actions. My intent was obvious but the wrong choice of words was typed. My apology is formally extended herewith.
June 23, 201213 yr Your apology is accepted. Keep some perspective please about this bird flipping incident. Clearly there were a few morons who did it. However, that's only a few people out of a long list of gay people included in the historic event. List of invited guests at the LGBT event in the East Room White House LGBT Event June 29, 2009 Administration Officials John Berry, Director, Office of Personnel Management Fred Hochberg, Chair, Export-Import Bank John Easton, Director, Institute of Education Sciences at the Department of Education City and State Officials Jason Bartlett, Connecticut House of Representatives Kate Brown, Oregon Secretary of State David Dibble, Minnesota State Senator Evan Low, Vice-Mayor, Campbell, CA City Council Al McAffrey, Oklahoma House of Representatives Andrew Mcdonald, Connecticut House of Representatives Robert Meza, Arizona House of Representatives Christine Quinn, New York City Council Debra Shore, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago Denise Simmons, Mayor of Cambridge, MA Kyrsten Sinema, Arizona House of Representatives Patricia Todd, Alabama House of Representatives Lupe Valdez, Dallas County Sheriff Other Invited Guests (Invite Only) Michael Adams, Service and Advocacy for LGBT Elders (SAGE) Mark Agrast, Washington, DC Madeline Alk, New York, NY Ron Ansin, Harvard, MA Judith Appelbaum, Department of Justice Chip Arndt, Miami Beach, FL Cornelius Baker, National Black Gay Men's Advocacy Coalition Tom Barbera, SEIU Lavender Caucus Andrew Barnett, Sexual Minority Youth Assistance League (SMYAL) Jarrett Barrios, Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) Vic Basile, Office of Personnel Management Christopher Bates, Washington, DC Michael Bauer, Chicago, IL Terrance Bean, Portland, OR Jeremy Bernard, National Endowement for the Humanities Jennifer Besson, Washington, DC Dana Beyer, Chevy Chase, MD David Binder, San Francisco, CA Elizabeth Birch, Washington, DC Jeremy Bishop, Pride at Work (AFL-CIO) David Bohnett, Beverly Hills, CA Marsha Botzer, Quilcene, WA Raymond Buckley, DNC Vice-Chair Eliza Byard, Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) Christopher Caldwell, Los Angeles, CA Leslie Calman, Mautner Project Rea Carey, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Charles Carter, New York, NY Kevin Cathcart, Lambda Legal Curtis Chin, Los Angeles, CA Jennifer Chrisler, Family Equality Council Jamie Citron, Department of Health and Human Services Wes Combs, Washington, DC Roberta Conroy, Santa Monica, CA Cheryl Cook, Department of Agriculture Stampp Corbin, San Diego, CA Michael Council, Columbus, OH Wilson Cruz, West Hollywood, CA Mark Davis, Philadelphia, PA Q Todd Dickinson, Washington, DC Daniel Dozier, Washington, DC Ruby Dunning, Washington, DC Ingrid Duran, Falls Church, VA Christopher Dyer, Washington, DC Office of LGBT Affairs Steven Elmendorf, Washington, DC Fred Eychaner, Chicago, IL Eric Fanning, Department of Justice Bishop Yvette Flunder, City of Refuge United Church of Christ Earl Fowlkes, International Federation of Black Prides Rebecca Fox, National Coalition for LGBT Health R. Brandon Fradd, New York, NY Daniel Galindo, San Antonio, TX Adolfo Garay, New York, N Jesus Garcia, TX LULAC 4871 Joan Garry, Montclair, NJ Rufus Gifford, Washington, DC Emily Giske, New York, NY Mitchell Gold, Hickory, NC John Gonzalez, Washington, DC Vernita Gray, Chicago, IL Chad Griffin, Los Angeles, CA Patrick Guerriero, Gill Action Hon. Michael Guest, Former Ambassador Rebecca Haag, AIDS Action Steve Hildebrand, Sioux Falls, SD Gavin Hilgemeier, Federal GLOBE Leonard Hirsch, Federal GLOBE Lorilyn Holmes, Federal GLOBE Clifford Honicker, Knoxville, TN Conrad Honicker, Knoxville, TN Gerald Hoose, Stonewall Participant Ernest Hopkins, Communities Advocating Emergency AIDS Relief Hon. James Hormel, Former Ambassador Paul Horning, Atlanta, GA Brad Hoylman, Village Independent Democrats Jody Huckaby, Parents, Families, & Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) Kevin Jennings, Department of Education Jennifer Jones, Department of Housing and Urban Development Frank Kamney, Washington, DC Elaine Kaplan, Office of Personnel Management Paul Kawata, National Minority AIDS Council Mara Keisling, National Center for Transgender Equity Kate Kendell, National Center for Lesbian Rights Jacqueline Kittrell, Knoxville, TN Harry Knox, Human Rights Campaign Steven Latasa-Nicks, New York, NY Andre Leon Talley, White Plains, NY Richard Llewellyn, Los Angeles, CA Robert Llewellyn, Los Angeles, CA Rosemary Llewellyn, Los Angeles, CA Thomas Lopach, Export-Import Bank Lin Lougheed, Miami Beach, FL Claire Lucas, Corona del Mar, CA Glenn Magpantay, Federation of LGBTQ AAPI Organizations Mary Beth Maxwell, Department of Labor Lisbeth MelendezRivera, Unid@s Shannon Minter, National Center for Lesbian Rights Chance Mitchell, National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce Mary Morten, Chicago, IL Babak Movahedi, Miami Beach, FL David Munar, National Association of People with AIDS Kevin Naff, Washington Blade Justin Nelson, National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce J. Alexander Nicholson, Servicemembers United David Noble, NASA Matt Nosanchuk, Silver Spring, MD Robyn Ochs, BiNet USA and Bisexual Resource Center Derek Orr, DC Office of Disability Rights C. Dixon Osborn, Washington, DC Kathleen Padilla, Philadelphia, PA Pari Parker, Washington, DC Skip Paul, Beverly Hills, CA Terry Penrod, Columbus, OH Troy Perry, Founder Metropolitan Community Churches Thomas Petrillo, Washington, DC Frank Pond, Los Angeles, CA Robert Raben, Raben Group Gautam Raghavan, Department of Defense Steven Ralls, Washington, DC Ellen Ratner, Washington, DC Miriam Redleaf, Chicago, IL Catherine Renna, Chicago, IL Dr. Sylvia Rhue, National Black Justice Coalition Jeffrey Richardson, Washington, DC Laura Ricketts, Chicago, IL Anthony Riley, Prince Georges County, MD Carmen Robello, New York, NY Bishop Gene Robinson, Diocese of New Hampshire Hilary Rosen, Washington, DC David Rosenauer, New York, NY Renee Rosenfield, New York, NY Jane Saks, Chicago, IL Aubrey Sarvis, Servicemembers Legal Defense Network Thomas Schmidt, Stonewall Participant Marsha Scott, Washington, DC Evan Shapiro, New York, NY Jonathan Sheffer, New York, NY Judy Shepard, Matthew Shepard Foundation Babs Siperstein, Edison, NJ Melissa Sklarz, National Stonewall Democrats Mary Snider, Silver Spring, MD Courtney Snowden, The Raben Group Joe Solmonese, Human Rights Campaign Rick Stafford, DNC LGBT Caucus Chair Eric Stern, UC Berkeley School of Law Jon Stryker, Kalamazoo, MI Sally Susman, New York, NY John Tedstrom, Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GBC) Kevin Thompson, Seattle, WA Andrew Tobias, DNC Treasurer Jeffrey Trammell, Washington, DC Ted Trimpa, Denver, CO Gregory Varnum, National Youth Advocacy Coalition (NYAC) Alex Wagner, Department of Defense Paquita Wiggins, Beltsville, MD Phil Wilson, Black AIDS Institute Peter Wilson, New York, NY Robert Witeck, Arlington, VA Chuck Wolfe, Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund Tobias Wolff, Philadelphia, PA http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2009/06/chicagoans_at_lgbt_white_house.html
June 23, 201213 yr All it shows is a lack of class on the part of the individuals concerned, it doesn't matter if they are gay or straight, they lack class.
June 23, 201213 yr Interestingly, if you google about this unfortunate incident, which again I do condemn, and I speak as someone who has a good reason to despise Reagan, you will find a plethora of some of the most vile anti-gay hate speech you can possibly imagine. So while the incident was not excusable, in comparison to the hate speech, there really isn't any comparison. I am not talking about people just hating on the few morons, which is understandable especially to Reagan worshipers (he is regarded like a God to right wingers), but hating on ALL gay people. Believe me, these people hated on gay people before this incident and will be hating on them their entire lives. They didn't need a few gay morons to bring on the hate. They already had the hate.
June 23, 201213 yr Your apology is accepted. Keep some perspective please about this bird flipping incident. Clearly there were a few morons who did it. However, that's only a few people out of a long list of gay people included in the historic event. List of invited guests at the LGBT event in the East Room White House LGBT Event June 29, 2009 {snipped for brevity} http://blogs.suntime...hite_house.html 2009? I thought we were talking about an incident that happened a few days ago.
June 23, 201213 yr My mistake. I'm sure the guess list was similarly large this time as well. My point still stands. A few morons out of a large group. Their behavior does NOT represent gay activists or gay Americans in any way. BTW, over 300 people attended the 2012 gay pride Obama white house event in which the morons did the thing in front of the Reagan portrait. http://goqnotes.com/11564/white-house-holds-pride-month-reception/
June 24, 201213 yr My mistake. I'm sure the guess list was similarly large this time as well. My point still stands. A few morons out of a large group. Their behavior does NOT represent gay activists or gay Americans in any way. BTW, over 300 people attended the 2012 gay pride Obama white house event in which the morons did the thing in front of the Reagan portrait. http://goqnotes.com/...onth-reception/ No, I'm quite sure the actions were not representative of gay activists... but an awful lot of Americans are going to see it that way. That is where the damage is done.
June 24, 201213 yr My mistake. I'm sure the guess list was similarly large this time as well. My point still stands. A few morons out of a large group. Their behavior does NOT represent gay activists or gay Americans in any way. BTW, over 300 people attended the 2012 gay pride Obama white house event in which the morons did the thing in front of the Reagan portrait. http://goqnotes.com/...onth-reception/ No, I'm quite sure the actions were not representative of gay activists... but an awful lot of Americans are going to see it that way. That is where the damage is done. True and unfortunate.
June 24, 201213 yr My mistake. I'm sure the guess list was similarly large this time as well. My point still stands. A few morons out of a large group. Their behavior does NOT represent gay activists or gay Americans in any way. BTW, over 300 people attended the 2012 gay pride Obama white house event in which the morons did the thing in front of the Reagan portrait. http://goqnotes.com/...onth-reception/ No, I'm quite sure the actions were not representative of gay activists... but an awful lot of Americans are going to see it that way. That is where the damage is done. Yes and no. The people jumping on this story seem to be people who already hate gays. Preaching to the converted. Yes, it's a bad thing but I doubt there is any long term political damage.
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