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Alan Cumming slams Obama on gay rights
Tony winner Alan Cumming, currently playing a political spin doctor on the CBS drama The Good Wife, had some choice words for President Barack Obama when it comes to the president’s efforts on behalf of LGBT equality.
Cumming was once a big supporter of Obama and I recall speaking to him about it when we were both at the Democratic National Convention in Denver two years ago. He was there as part of the Creative Coalition and a feeling of optimism was in the air.
That has changed for Cumming who in an interview with Scotland’s The Herald accused Obama of not doing “diddly squat” for gay rights.
Said Cumming: “We keep hearing that Obama is an ally, that ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ will end under his watch, but what do we actually get? Diddly squat thus far on a federal level, and in addition to that some very offensive statements that would have made the Republicans look bad.”
“When America is full of hatred of all kinds, but especially hatred towards young gay people, what message is the President sending when he repeatedly goes out of his way to spread the message that the gay population is not worthy of the respect that everyone else is?
“How can we counsel our children not to bully their gay classmates or mock their gay friends when they see their President, their beloved President Obama, refusing to do the equivalent in regards to troops and other adults?”
Comments
(All comments are reviewed before being published, and I review submissions several times per day.)
Mike says:
Is he a citizen of the USA? For all the ones who are so quick to bash Obama on two issues, maybe they would be better suited to see what he actually has done for the glbt community since he got into office and better yet, learn how government works in this country.
There are more than two issues that affect gay America.
Greg Hernandez says:
Mike, Alan is a US citizen, became one in 2008 specifically to vote for Obama.
Mort says:
I’m getting really tired of all the pollyannas who voted to nominate Obama because they felt he’d change the world and are now disappointed because he didn’t wave a magic wand and make it all beautiful. It doesn’t happen that way.
I believed (and still believe) that Hillary Clinton would’ve been far more effective, but the pollyannas wanted someone with 2-3 years in the Senate and no accomplishments because he had a nice smile or something. But really, people. He isn’t doing a terrible job for becoming president in the middle of a huge economic disaster with wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and with a fourth of Americans taking lunacy pills claiming that he’s Muslim and wasn’t born in the US.
One of the main drags about democracy is that change takes time. When you elect someone with no experience, it’s going to take even longer.
Gabriel Oak says:
I understand where Alan Cumming’s comments are coming from but I’m much more fearful about what will happen if we have a Republican Congress and possibly a Republican president in the future. It will just enable homophobic people in the US to get even louder and more angry.
I haven’t given up on Obama yet. I think he may improve in the next two years with his back against the wall.
K. Martinez says:
I’m quite alarmed to hear such a loud voice in the LGBT community recommending to vote against the Democrats or sit out the elections in protest of Obama’s lack of action on repealing DADT and DOMA. At least this is what I see from the on-line community when browsing the various LGBT discussion boards.
Were people actually expecting changes to happen overnight? I’m not disappointed in Obama because my expectations of him were low to begin with. So many people vote by what a candidate says and promises instead of looking at their track record and political experience. I do have to admit he’s doing a better job than I thought he would considering the severe state of the economy and polarization of this country.
For myself, I can say that the economy has had more of an impact on me than the lack of action on repealing DADT and DOMA. Being a 50 year old gay man I have now been unemployed going on a 2nd year. Creating GOOD JOBS is my top concern, even above ending DADT and DOMA. As stated elsewhere, there are more than two issues affecting gay America.
The best thing to do at this point is to vote for those individual candidates who have the best record of supporting LBGT issues. Hopefully in the next two years DADT and DOMA will end. Also there is more at stake than just these two LGBT issues that are affecting the welfare of our country. Whatever you do. Don’t sit it out! Get out and VOTE!