What did the Clintons do for the LGBT community during the 8 years they were in office?

[XemaSab]

:shrug:

Also, what has Hillary Clinton done for the LGBT community as a senator? :shrug:

And why do you think Hillary won't throw you under the bus if she becomes president? :shrug:

[Spider Jerusalem]

1. 'Don't ask, don't tell' and the 'Defense of Marriage Act' come to mind...

[jlake]

2. Please watch this Youtube clip:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=gvuwovEAl9s

Hillary Clinton has done so much....especially in NY.... when has Obama spoken out so strongly for GLBT folk.... oh, that's right...

[blm]

7. And what ACTIONS were there? Kerry led an advocacy offensive for gays to serve openly

in the military expecting Bill would stand his ground and use his pulpit and Bill couldn't roll over fast enough.

Same with DOMA.

During 2004, Bill didn't use his cache as ex president to push BACK against Rove's strategy to make gay marriage, he advised Kerry to support antigay ballot measures in red states, which Kerry would not do.

Clinton told Rove a few weeks later that he did a fantastic job on that election and that the two of them should sit down and talk.

THAT is the reality you all avoid dealing with as you pile on Obama. Clintons GAME you and you take it.

[jlake]

10. Hillary has done so much for gays in NY - Kerry didn't accomplish shit.

And all Obama has done is throw us under the bus.

[XemaSab]

13. How has Obama thrown you under the bus?

By sponsoring legislation to ban employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation?

By co-sponsoring legislation to add violence on the basis of sexual orientation to the list of hate crimes?

By doing a huge amount for HIV/AIDS awareness, treatment, and prevention, both here and in Africa?

By taking an HIV test publically?

By supporting civil unions and gay adoption, and opposing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"?

:shrug:

[jlake]

16. Because nothing he does will make up for giving the stage to McClurkin

and refusing to apologize.
NOTHING.
I can't go on a shooting rampage and then sponsor a bill to ban guns and expect everything to be okay.

[XemaSab]

55. But it seems like things like DOMA and DADT would also be a big problem

The McClurkin thing is certainly insulting, but DADT and DOMA change the lives of actual gay people for the worse.

Am I conceptualizing this the wrong way? :shrug:

[LordJFT]

80. so to you this is worse than voting to drop clusterbombs in areas with children?

[TankLV]

71. Don't you DARE throw DATD up against the Clintons. Don't you DARE!

WE know the TRUTH about that - and WE have REPEATEDLY explaind the history of that to you IGNORANT IDIOTS WHO REFUSE TO LEARN!

It is a waste of time even trying to discuss things with you idiots.

[Danger Mouse]

77. She asked an honest question. There was no need for you to bite her head off...

you immature fleck of garbage.

[XemaSab]

79. You're right.

It's not Clinton's fault. It was signed by the other guy who was president in 1993. :crazy:

[blm]

15. Kerry submitted the very FIRST gay protection bill in the Senate in 80s. BILL stopped

Kerry's efforts for gays to serve openly in 93. You attack Kerry. That's HORSESHIT and you have to be a worldclass SUCKAH to trash Kerry for that while you support Clintons after the constant betrayal of Bill. And if Hillary thought for one second it would clinch the primary or the general to cast you aside she'd do it.

Kerry never did anything for you? He gave you and every citizen more open government and a greater glimpse into the historic record.

But I guess all those matters of government corruption that he uncovered in IranContra, illegal wars in Central America, BCCI and CIA drugrunning weren't helpful to you in any way as a citizen entitled to open government, eh?

[sniffa]

36. How bad is it

whoever it is you're responding to. :shrug:

[Jed Dilligan]

60. My thoughts exactly

"Ignored" is saying controversial things in this thread, apparently. Surprise!

[Major Hogwash]

37. Yes, that's true, Kerry openly supported gays serving openly clear back in the early 90's.

That fellow could be "a fake Jake"
That's what we Marines refer to a fake Marine as - a fake Jake.

When someone says something that is totally antithetical to the position they have already stated, it makes one wonder whether it was honest or accurate to begin with.

[TankLV]

72. BULLSHIT - it was CLINTON - as one of his FIRST ACTS as president within DAYS of taking office, to

try to end the ban on Gays serving OPENLY in the Military - NOT KERRY - CLINTON. And the REPUKES and too many DINOS gave him HELL over it...

Stop spewing the LIES...

[blm]

89. Kerry LED the effort - CLINTON ROLLED OVER when the going got tough. He WOULDN'T fight

or back up those who WERE fighting that battle.

And Clinton DIDN'T bring it up - Bob Dole did to TRAP Clinton.

[mtnsnake]

86. I see you just got caught again spewing false information. Why am I not surprised

Your agenda is so lame.

[blm]

90. Baloney - No one can refute the truth of what happened. YOU are so DESPERATE to

see it happen you'll swallow anything.

How do those worms taste? Maybe you should read congressional records instead of reply posts at DU.

[LSK]

17. so she made a youtube video supporting a school...

Thats all we get from you so far...

[jlake]

19. Yeah, I'd rather listen to an "ex-gay" preacher too.

[LSK]

23. another post with no substance from you

why is that?

[jlake]

27. Then why don't you do us both a favor and put my on ignore.

[LSK]

33. why dont you do yourself a favor and learn to back up what you say

You might actually convince people of your argument if you use facts instead of insults. Right now you are convincing nobody and driving people insane trying to get any substance out of you.

But I will do you a favor and say goodbye to this thread.

[XemaSab]

9. I like this video

The only concrete things she said was her supporting the school for gay teens in New York. I don't know what she, as a senator, did to create or further that school, but she supports it and that's good.

Everything else she said was totally lacking in specific proposals or measures she would take as president to help LGBT teens. :shrug:

[jlake]

11. Yeah, but the specifics that Obama offers are for us to be "cured" or we are going to "hell"

[LSK]

14. I cant find that on his website n/t

[jlake]

24. Gee, I seem to remember it being trumpeted at one of his fundraisers....

[XemaSab]

58. Have a video link?

:shrug:

[jlake]

3. And I would like to add, that that clip brings tears to my eyes - and Obama does too - but for a

very different reason.

[Alexander]

4. I'm sure gay people were impressed by DOMA and "Don't Ask, Don't Tell".

Oh wait, that was Bill. When Hillary speaks of the Clinton years, she refers to what "we" got done - I guess that only applies to the good things Bill did with his presidency. The bad stuff was all Bill, by himself.

:crazy:

On edit: I need to spell-check more.

[David Zephyr]

30. Yeah, we just learned that Hillary "quietly" opposed Bill's NAFTA.

Real quietly, huh?

It's amazing how some can re-invent history. And we laugh at the fundamentalists around here. :hi:

[Alexander]

39. She takes credit for all the good stuff Bill did, but opposed all the bad stuff.

Supposedly she was against NAFTA, DOMA, Welfare Reform and "Don't Ask, Don't Tell".

But she helped with the economic gains of the 1990s.

That's a little too convenient for me to believe.

[johnnydrama]

70. here's a handy list of who was responsible for what

Nafta - Bill
millions of jobs - Hillary
DMCA - Bill
Don't Ask Don't Tell -Bill
Welfare Reform - Bill
Dotcom BOOM - Hillary
Dotcom BUST - Bill

:sarcasm:

[XemaSab]

81. Exactly

:D

[TankLV]

73. You don't know SHIT about Don't Ask Don't Tell and DOMA.

Stop spewing the LIES already...

[joeybee12]

5. Bill Clinton was the first President to address a gay organization in person...

...I believe it was the Human Rights Campaign. That's a big deal...at least symbolically...but I'm sure you don't get the signifcance of that since all you want to do is slam the Clintons once more instead of having a meaningful discussion.

[XemaSab]

18. That is a good, positive thing they did.

Thanks for educating me about this. :)

[joeybee12]

87. You're welcome.

:hi:

[hulklogan]

6. The same thing a President Obama is going to do for us

A little bit of nothing and a lot of hot air.

[burythehatchet]

38. uhhh

[ellisonz]

8. Don't ask.

[XemaSab]

22. Do tell.

:popcorn:

[mtnsnake]

12. Bill was the first president to appoint openly gay men and lesbians to all levels of government

including judicial appointments and top Executive Branch positions requiring Senate confirmation. In fact, President Clinton is the first President to appoint an openly gay or lesbian person to an Administration post. Clinton nominated more than 150 openly gay and lesbian appointees.

He also fought to end discrimination against people with aids.

http://www.ontheissues.org/Celeb/Bill_Clinton_Civil_Rights.htm

[XemaSab]

25. Excellent point.

Thank you. :)

[goodgd_yall]

26. Good post, mtnsnake

I hope that helps shut them up.

[TankLV]

75. And he was the FIRST to support gays OPENLY serving in the MILITARY....

which the repukes then tried to shut down with a Constitutional Ammendment, so the Dems compromised on DADT...which was a GOOD thing!!!

[DURHAM D]

20. What have you done for the LBGT community lately? n/t

[XemaSab]

28. Eh, night before last my friend Clay called and talked my ear off about his boyfriend Steve

It's funny how as a straight person I assume that a lot of the drama that goes on in straight relationships wouldn't be there in a gay relationship, but dude... not the case. :P

[ruggerson]

43. Kathy Griffin talks about Clay all the time

maybe you'll get mentioned in her next stand up routine

[XemaSab]

59. Maybe.

:pocporn:

Clay the native plant guy in San Diego? :shrug:

[dsc]

21. He eliminated discrimination against gays in every single, solitary

federal agency save the uniform military. He appointed the first openly gay ambassador, the first openly gay sub cabinent member and more openly gay federal appointees than all the Presidents who came before of after him combined. He vastly increased funding for AIDS research, AIDS treatment, and AIDS prevention. He was literally our Truman. I am disappointed he lost on the military and a lack of ENDA was upsetting, but the difference between BC and AC is massive.

[XemaSab]

29. Good to know.

Thanks for the response. :)

[NJObamaWoman]

32. Speaking of Aids he may have increased funding but look at my

black sistas who are dying of this? Again he did not do enough. The black community is suffering too much after all the support we gave the Clintons.

[dsc]

35. what a croc

AIDS took off in the black community after Clinton left office and I answered the rest below.

[NJObamaWoman]

50. So much for you saying that the Clintons did so much for pervention

if they did so much than all this wouldn't have happened.

[dsc]

51. It isn't his fault

that the black community has so many McClurkins running around. His message, which Obama helped promote, is a huge reason why AIDS is so rampant in the AA community amoungst women.

[NJObamaWoman]

56. WTF does McClurkin have to do with any of this.

No its our government and presidents like Reagan, Bill Clinton, and Bush which is the reason why Aids is so rampant in the AA community. Their failed policy/programs that benefit other groups is the problem. I'm glad many black people are now telling the Clintons to kiss their asses like they deserve.

[dsc]

66. It is black people on the down low

just like McClurkin, who are the largest part of this problem. Yes, goverment can make thinks worse in this regard, but in the final analysis if you have a bunch of people totally ashamed of who they are spreading AIDS no government can save them.

[XemaSab]

83. My understanding is that it's partly the "down low" lifestyle

but it's also in large part prison sex. If a huge percent of black men are, have been, or will be in prison, that's a major area for transmission to take place.

But like the "down low" lifestyle, it's not talked about at all. :shrug:

[XemaSab]

54. I'm having trouble finding graphs...

One of the things that I suspect makes this argument about rates of HIV/AIDS in the African American community a difficult one is that there were a lot of new drugs and treatments introduced in the last 20 years. This has prolonged survivorship and reduced the rate of transmission, but a lot of poor people are locked out of that.

It's obvious that the proportion of new HIV/AIDS cases in the African American community relative to the number of total cases has climbed, but like the tech boom, attributing it to a specific president may be a bit tough.

I'm sure we can all agree that the percent of black men in prison is unacceptable, and the prison/drug/thug lifestyle is a heavy contributer to the rise in new cases among African Americans.

From the New York Times:

By their mid-30's, 30 percent of black men with no more than a high school education have served time in prison, and 60 percent of dropouts have, Mr. Western said.

Among black dropouts in their late 20's, more are in prison on a given day — 34 percent — than are working — 30 percent — according to an analysis of 2000 census data by Steven Raphael of the University of California, Berkeley.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/20/national/20blackmen.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

[NJObamaWoman]

61. I do blame ALL the recent presidents but I feel that Bill should be

to blame the most for the black community. IMHO what you stated is what has caused this high rate. Black families are hurting you guys. Some of us make it..Like myself who was raised by a single parent. But My father has died of aids. That aids prevention that some here want to talk about really didn't do its job because theres no reason for our community to be affected like it is now. Just because Bush is president doesn't mean that he's the cause of the high rate. There was a progression's. It started somewhere and IMHO the growing rate was ignored during the Clinton years. Black families are being destroyed by the high rate of men going to prison. How can black women be parents to little boys and keep them on the right track when these little boys see ballers & bling and their fathers, uncles etc going to prison. Then some think that getting an education is a white thing and not for them. Come on now people a lot of this mess started under the Clintons. They should have done more to preserve the black family. When black families fell apart that means its harder for the parents who are around to control/watchover their children. If you have to work 2-3 jobs to provide its damn hard to watch out for your kids and prevent them from pre-marital sex so that they wont have babies or contract aids.

[eridani]

84. The big increase in the prison population started with Reagan

It dramatically accelerated under Bush the First and Clinton.

[NJObamaWoman]

31. What Have The Clintons Done For Blacks?

Don't tell me that they appointed blacks to high positions. I want to know what have they done to help black people survive in America. How Blacks are treated terrible compared to their white counterparts when they ask for loans/mortgages. How about our inner city schools that are still over crowded. I mean does anyone get how serious it is that many schools are OLD and children need better facilities instead of trailers? Trailers are being put up in area where children use to play. No wonder the weight epidemic we face in America. What have the Clintons done to stop childhood obesity? What have the Clintons done to help young people fund college? Why are tuition rates so outrageously expensive? What about the high cost of living? What have the Clintons done about D.C. Thats a black area and year this place looks a hot damn mess. When I visited D.C. on a school trip a few years ago I was shocked at how bad that area was. Shows like The Wire today wouldn't exist people during the Clinton years would have done something for inner cities. Lets talk about the fact that its so hard for women to get child support? There are so many questions I have about the Clinton years because IMHO they didn't do a hell of a lot at solving issues. They just padded them and supplied our economy with a little more money for the immediate time but didn't do anything about the future after they would leave the WH.

Alot of these issues today should have been stopped dead in their tracks under the Clinton years but were not.

[dsc]

34. All of the following

The lowest AA poverty rate in the history of the nation, the lowest AA unemployment rate in the history of the nation, the highest number of AA millionaires in the history of the nation, the highest AA literacy rate in the history of the nation, not bad as far as I can tell.

[FrenchieCat]

40. got links....because I fear that you are confusing Hillary's record with Bill's......

and considering that Bill signed NAFTA and Welfare reform into law, you may not want to do it quite this way.

What NAFTA and Welfare Reform did to all families in the US on a delayed reaction is what our economy is currently dealing with.

Be careful what you tout.

[dsc]

44. Evidently you didn't read the post I was responding to

It was entitled, I am sure confusingly to you, what have the Clintons (that is the plural) done for blacks and then went on to attack Bill's record.

[NJObamaWoman]

47. I've attacked both HRC and Bills record. Since so many want to

us Bills years in office as years that HRC gained all her precious experience. WTF did both HRC and Bill Clinton do for blacks. WTF have they done for D.C. people. Why aren't people talking about that area or Balt. which is very close to D.C. and the fact that these areas look a hot damn mess.

[dsc]

49. Until you answer one of the now five times I have answered you

I fail to see why we need to discuss anything anymore.

[NJObamaWoman]

45. Lets talk about Black women with aids. I'm tired of my beautiful black

sisters being ignored!!!! The Clintons didn't do anything to prevent the spread of aids. Oh they've done better in the gay and white culture but did nothing for the black culture. My black women are dying people.


I agree with you by the way.

[NMMNG]

67. DSC has been trying to discuss the matter with you

It has nothing to do with Bill Clinton. It has to do with homophobia. That's where people like Donnie McClurkin come in. People like Donnie McClurkin spread the poisonous hatred that creates the DL phenomena. The DL phenomena is what has helped cause the explosion of AA women with HIV.

Down Low

[blm]

41. And he covered up for Poppy Bush's CIA drugrunning operation that dumped TONS of cheap

IranContra cocaine into cities across the country and specifically targeting black communities, triggering the crack epidemic in the 80s that continues today. Bill chose the Bush way of attacking the messenger, in this case a Pulitzer Prize winning investigative reporter.

When it came right down to it, Bill sided with protecting Poppy Bush when the CORRECT and MORAL position would have been to acknowledge what was done OFFICIALLY and set up government sponsored drug clinics that would be EASILY accessible to ALL the families being torn apart.

[NJObamaWoman]

42. Yup not bad when my sisters have the HIGHEST rate of contracting

HIV/Aids. When I continue to see black children who think that Ebonics is a national language. What about black men going to prison more under the Clintons? Crack/Cocaine same shit but different time spent in jail. What about childhood obesity rate? Smarter AA's benefited during the Clinton years but others who know nothing but hardship and lack education continued to ponder. That is what the Clinton's should have focused on.

[dsc]

48. Give me an every loving break

99.9% of crack cases are state matters and thus had not one whit to do with Clinton. Yes, the federal disparity is wrong, but was pushed at least as much by blacks who were scared to death of crack as it was by whites. And, as I said once before, the AIDS rate exploded after, not during, but after Clinton left office.

[NJObamaWoman]

52. Its about planting a solid foundation. If the foundation (Clinton's supposed

aids prevention program as you said) was solid then there is no way in hell that the Aids rate would explode in the black community after Clinton left office. You are pointed out exactly what I have a problem with. I don't want someone who does something right now. I need a president who is going to do something for now and the years to come like FDR with Social Security etc. Doing something now won't help in the future. NAFTA and other Clinton policies dealt with the now but never thought about the future in which my children and grandchild will be apart of.

[dsc]

53. blame the jackasses who voted for Nader

or the ones who stole votes in Florida. Clinton, nor any other President, can prevent a new one from undoing what he has done.

[XemaSab]

62. What did Clinton do that Bush undid?

I think Clinton has been our strongest president on HIV/AIDS, but that's not saying a hell of a lot considering that he's between a president who wore plastic gloves to shake hands with gays and a president who had done everything in his power to ENCOURAGE the spread of HIV/AIDS among all communities. :eyes:

[dsc]

64. Does abstinence education ring a bell? How about the gag rule?

Both of those are total reversals of Clinton policy. Bush also refuses to permit government funds to be spend on condum distribution (something that Clinton did spend money on).

[XemaSab]

68. I thought total HIV/AIDS cases had been pretty steady in the last decade

but on the increase among African Americans as a percent of total cases.

Am I wrong? :shrug:

[NJObamaWoman]

63. Then Clinton must not have been a strong president because

a STRONG president would create policies and programs that last beyond their time in the oval office. As a child of the Clinton years who's father died of aids. I don't buy what your selling. If the Clintons did so much for prevention of Aids than it wouldn't be rising now.

[dsc]

65. So I guess FDR was a failure since right after WW2 we were in Korea

that is nothing short of absurd.

[BR_Parkway]

46. She says she supports repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell - but hasn't

actually introduced the legislation that a sitting Senator would to start that process.

She says she wants to reform DOMA to make it more equitable for GLBT, but hasn't actually introduced the legislation that a sitting Senator has to to begin that process.

In all fairness, our other current Senator/Presidential candidate hasn't introduced legislation to do either of these even though he's publically stated that he wants the same repeals/reforms.

Sadly, I don't think either candidate will worry too much about our community once the votes are counted and the campaign dollars are no longer needed this cycle. Not so much "throw us under the bus", more "business as usual".

Yes, they've both done some things in government that are positive for GLBT - it just pisses me off that they can get on a debate stage and tell us how they really want to do all this stuff - once we elect them to the office they seek. But the office they currently hold is the one where they would actually introduce the legislation to do the repeals/reforms they claim they support so much.

It's just politics - we're just fodder.

[LostinVA]

88. Actually, the bill is repeal DADT is in the House of Representatives

It's called the Military Readiness Enhancement Act.

[undeterred]

57. Don't ask and we won't tell.

[kdpeters]

69. I think she WILL throw us under the bus. I know she will.

To the Clintons, the LGBT community is nothing more than a political tool to use for their electoral ambitions.

Anyone else remember the Clinton ads on right wing Christian radio in 1996 bragging about DOMA? Hillary will do the same thing. Anyone who claims the Clintons are friends of the GLBT community has completely forgotten the 1990s.

Gobama!!

[Rockholm]

76. We are always thrown under the bus.

Maybe Obama will have McGlukin sing at his coronation?

[LittleClarkie]

74. I only know that Bill counseled Kerry to somehow support DOMA in 2004

In other words, he counseled Kerry to throw the LGBT community under the bus to get elected. This was something Kerry said he could NEVER do. Bill might have been right that it was a pivotal issue in 2004, in fact I think he was.

However astute the observation was, being willing to do something like supporting DOMA to get elected tells me something about the Clintons. I think Hillary would definitely be willing to throw that community under the bus if it had something to do with getting elected.

Thus you could say that neither camp is exactly stellar in that regard.

[Iceburg]

78. We know who is for us and who is against us ...don't bait us...don't

paint over the painful years. The Clintons have been the real champion of human rights .. beit womens rights, GLBT right, workers rights ... they ARE the Changers.

[cloudythescribbler]

85. Who is "we"? There is hardly unanimity -- remember Larry Kramer and "Bill the Welsher"?

Simply asserting that the Clintons have been great for gay rights, it would be interesting to DOCUMENT it, or at least link to such.

On this thread I've seen some references to appointments, and a rather thin record of accomplishments in EIGHT years of the presidency. Surely Clinton would have done better to introduce some basic civil rights legislation back in 93-4 .... yes?

[mondo joe]

82. DSC answered so well, I don't need to add to it. NT

[Califooyah Operative]

91. DADT and DOMA? nt