President Obama didn’t mention ENDA and other issues important to the LGBT community in his speech but activists remain hopeful
NOT ASHAMED | Cathedral of Hope interim pastor Jim Mitulski said Obama’s speech could have been stronger if he had been more specific. (David Taffet/Dallas Voice)
Reaction to President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address varied among LGBT community leaders in Texas.
In his speech, Obama didn’t mention HIV or the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, nor was gay basketball player Jason Collins, who was sitting in the first lady’s box in the House of Representatives, introduced during the speech.
Jake Vanek commented on the Dallas Voice Facebook page, noting the president’s failure to mention ENDA.
“Of course he didn’t say anything about employment equality,” he wrote. “He got re-elected. He pandered to the gay/lesbian voting block just to get the vote, and y’all bought it hook line and sinker.”
Others were more understanding but would like to have had ENDA and other issues addressed.
Raul Hinojosa, an officer of Rainbow LULAC, liked the president’s comments on immigration reform.
“I think the president struck a good tone,” he said.
Referring to immigration reform, Obama said, “when people come here to fulfill their dreams — to study, invent, and contribute to our culture — they make our country a more attractive place for businesses to locate and create jobs for everyone.”
Hinojosa said he liked that the president called on Congress to take action and believes progress could be made this year. Immigration reform has been an important issue especially among undocumented LGBT immigrants because without a spouse that is a citizen, there are fewer paths to citizenship.
The Rev. Jim Mitulski of Cathedral of Hope called it a good Democratic speech that would have been stronger had the president been more specific.
“Say the word gay,” Mitulski advised. “Say the word abortion. It’s legal. We’re not ashamed.”
He said the president could have outlined the case for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act the way he outlined immigration reform.
“I don’t think it’s subtlety he’s after,” Mitulski said. “He’s not fooling his opponents. He’s pro-marriage.”
He said the president’s plan to expand his use of the executive order to increase the minimum wage for federal contractors is a good example of how he can use his power to advance ENDA. In his speech, Obama said, “In the coming weeks, I will issue an executive order requiring federal contractors to pay their federally-funded employees a fair wage of at least $10.10 an hour, because if you cook our troops’ meals or wash their dishes, you shouldn’t have to live in poverty.”
An executive order on ENDA would require federal contractors to include a nondiscrimination policy in its human resources statement that includes protection based on sexual orientation.
PRESS THE ISSUE | Abounding Prosperity CEO Kirk Myers said the gay community has to work on being more inclusive and work together to push ENDA and AIDS funding. (David Taffet/Dallas Voice)
“When he makes stronger statements, he gains support,” Mitulski said. “When he makes nebulous statements, that’s when I don’t believe him.”
Log Cabin Republicans wrote in a statement there’s irony in the “absence of any mention of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act for LGBT workers tonight, and likewise in the President’s threat to exercise unilateral executive actions with the explosive potential to ignite class warfare, while at the same time remaining silent on signing a common-sense executive order barring federal workplace discrimination.”
Stonewall Democrats of Dallas President Jay Narey said the president hit on a number of issues that affect the LGBT community such as income inequality. The lack of mention of ENDA, he felt, was more a careless omission rather than an intentional snub. He said he would contact Gautam Raghavan of the White House Office of Public
Engagement, whom he met at the Democratic Convention, and let him know he believes ENDA is an even more important issue than marriage equality to the community.
Narey said he thought Obama made it clear he would move forward with executive orders on issues Congress refused to address.
“He’s the most progressive president in American history on our issues,” he said.
Abounding Prosperity CEO Kirk Myers said the president’s omission of ENDA in the speech questions his commitment to it, but what’s important is what the LGBT community can do to press the issue.
“The gay community has to work on being inclusive, so we have that many more voices saying the same thing,” Myers said. “People who look like me need to stand up and say, ‘that’s me as well.’”
He said the speech also lacked any mention of HIV.
Whether the issues were mentioned or not, Myers said it was important to make sure the White House understands those issues are important. He said the White House has a policy of responding to petitions on the White House website with 100,000 signatures. He suggested a petition encouraging the White House to push Congress on ENDA and issue an executive order for federal contractors.
A current petition relating to Justin Beiber got the required number of signatures in just a few days.
“That affects almost no one,” Myers said. “ENDA affects millions of people.”
He said it’s important for the LGBT community to be proactive.
“Don’t get complacent,” he said.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition January 31, 2014.