Promises Deferred

By Logan Rimel '10

I’m on the email list for OneNewsNow, a conservative Christian new website. Today in my inbox I received an email with the subject “Christians on high alert over hate crimes passage.” Intrigued, (but also aware that my blood pressure was probably going to be on the rise soon), I decided to read on.

Putting aside the blatant lies, half-truths, and mental gymnastics that one would expect from such an email (The hate crimes bill will NOT mean that pastors who speak about homosexuality in an ill light go to prison. That’s a bald-faced lie.), I focused instead on one line from Matt Barber of Liberty Council. Barber says that President Obama will likely sign the bill since he desires to, “throw a bone to homosexual activists because they have been breathing down his neck...and this is a way to hold them off."

It was sort of disturbingly funny to find myself agreeing with Mr. Barber. President Obama has made promise after promise to the LGBTQ community during his campaign and first several months in office, yet does nothing to ensure that these promises are fulfilled. His administration has castigated and promised to end Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and the Defense of Marriage Act while simultaneously defending them in court.

I, for one, am disgusted by this lack of leadership, but not exactly surprised. I just don’t like agreeing with Matt Barber.

The text of this email can be found here:
http://www.onenewsnow.com/Politics/Default.aspx?id=736154

For an explanation of the hate crimes bill, go here:
http://www.pamshouseblend.com/diary/13712/how-the-new-hate-crimes-prevention-act-works