LGBT POV

Friday night, former US Ambassador Jim Hormel attended GLSEN’s very moving Respect Awards at the Beverly Hills Hotel – more about that in upcoming posts. He’s pictured here with his partner Michael Nguyen and Simone Scharff.

I asked Ambassador Hormel, a longtime and generous contributor to the movement for LGBT equality, for his perspective on the LGBT community’s relationship with President Obama – whether we should cut him a break or push him hard. I think his response was considered and considerate, measured but also underscored our sense of frustration and urgency.

Here is what he said:

Well, I think we are pushing him (Obama). And at the same time, we need to realize that the atmosphere in Washington is not the atmosphere elsewhere. It is terrible. It is poisonous – almost literally poisonous. People are saying things that are unforgivable. The level of civility is practically nil. And this is the atmosphere where he is trying to get work done. He has commitments – not just to this constituency – but he can’t even get a healthcare package through without people saying the most atrocious things – outrageous things. The simplest pieces of legislation are being held up because there are vindictive members of Congress who want to embarrass him.

So this is what he’s dealing with. And I think we’ve got to give him credit for being able to move forward at all in that atmosphere. I was an ardent supporter. I am a fervent admirer. And although things haven’t moved as fast as one would like, I have no doubt that he is doing what he can in a very perverse atmosphere to accomplish goals which we all want.

I am as eager as anyone else to have action on the various pieces of legislation – some of which are a generation old – like ENDA (the Employment Non-Discrimination Act). ENDA has been in the Senate for a literal generation.

So when I exercise any restraint whatsoever – it’s out of knowledge and awareness of the atmosphere under which the president is operating. But I am eager – and I think all the considerations we have- whether it’s ENDA, whether it’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (antigay military policy), hate crimes legislation – and especially that outrageous, unconstitutional act called DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act)– I want them gone. I want them gone NOW.

I am almost 77 years old. I don’t have time to wait. And I don’t see any reason why anyone in this room – whatever their age – should wait for things having to do with fairness and justice.