President Obama’s second inaugural address -gay rights

[Guest anonone]

Gay Rights made the President's inaugural address today as he continues to try and move the ball forward.

Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law, for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal, as well.

Full Transcript:  Quote above taken from page 4 of the link
http://http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/president-obamas-second-inaugural-address-transcript/2013/01/21/f148d234-63d6-11e2-85f5-a8a9228e55e7_story.html

A pretty good speech overall. Articulating the liberal message in a positive way, inclusiveness and community.

[TotallyOz]

I thought he did an excellent job as well. He put gay rights in the speech for the first time for any President ever. That gives me great hope.

 

He was also very obvious in his support for Latin voters as the stage was filled with them.

[Guest fountainhall]

Michelle Obama has done her bit as well. As at the first Inaugural, she has worn an evening gown designed by Jason Wu, a gay young Taiwanese Canadian. I remember reading that when she appeared in his all-white gown 4 years ago, he had no idea she had chosen it. And when later asked by one of the magazines what his priorities would be in the following years, he said one of the most important would be looking after his partner.

[baobao]

As well as Obama's brave comments, the committee's selection of gay poet Richard Blanco to do a reading and Rev. Leon from St John's church (a gay-friendly Episcopal church near the White House) to deliver the final benediction were also welcome additions to the ceremonies, in my opinion.  Although there's still a long way to go, it was an encouraging morning of television.

[Guest anonone]

Agree baobao.

 

Also, in the theme that Michael already noted, Blanco is Hispanic (Cuban heritage, immigrated to US) as well as openly gay.  Also the youngest innagural poet.

 

The poem was very well done and fit the mood of the day perfectly.

 

 

...All of us as vital as the one light we move through,
the same light on blackboards with lessons for the day:
equations to solve, history to question, or atoms imagined,
the "I have a dream" we keep dreaming,
or the impossible vocabulary of sorrow that won't explain
the empty desks of twenty children marked absent
today, and forever....

 

...One sky, toward which we sometimes lift our eyes
tired from work: some days guessing at the weather
of our lives, some days giving thanks for a love
that loves you back, sometimes praising a mother
who knew how to give, or forgiving a father
who couldn't give what you wanted....

 

Article profiling Blanco.  Full text of poem at the end....

 

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/01/21/richard-blanco-obama-s-historic-inauguration-poet.html