Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Proof that Change Has Come -- The President on Sexual Justice Issues

My son sent me an email on Tuesday asking if I enjoyed the first day of President Obama's administration.

I felt elated all day...but even more so when I went to www.whitehouse.gov

Go to www.whitehouse.gov/agenda/women and www.whitehouse.gov/agenda/civil_rights

If for some reason those links don't work, just go to www.whitehouse.gov and follow the agenda items.

And you'll see why I feel so elated. The White House lists the policy positions for the new administration: they included a commitment to Roe, a commitment to reducing unintended pregnancies through comprehensive sex education and family planning services, a commitment to overturn DOMA, pass a transinclusive ENDA, support for full civil unions, adoption rights...they even use LGBT as the label of a section. Read it yourself!

Change HAS happened. You helped make that change happen. We all need to continue to work to make sure it can.

4 comments:

Lilylou said...

Wow, Debra, just WOW! I am so heartened by the new horizons before us. Thanks for posting the links.

Robin Edgar said...

So far the only change that has actually happened, in terms of what you are talking about here, is that the White House website has changed. Lists the policy positions, whatever they may be, by whoever may create them, are not in and of themselves proof that any real change has come or even will come. The UUA has all kinds of policy positions listed om its website that it makes little or no effort to actually "honor and uphold" implement and enforce. I certainly hope that brand-spanking new U.S. President Barack Hussein Obama will do a much better job of practicing what he preaches than outgoing UUA president Bill Sinkford and other UUA leaders do but policy positions posted to websites in no way prove that any real tangible change has come.

Sincerely,

Robin Edgar

Robin Edgar said...

Yet another thank you from The Emerson Avenger Rev. Haffner. In fact I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank you for publishing virtually every comment that I have ever submitted to your "less than perfect" but otherwise quite excellent blog, other than a very small handful of comments that you obviously considered to be a bit *too* hot to handle. You are very much in my "good books" and have my sincere gratitude and respect.

Hopefully the latter feeling, if not the former, is mutual.

Feel free to post this comment publicly or to consider it a private and confidential personal message.

Yet again it is your call.

With Respect and In Good Faith,

Robin Edgar

aka

GodKnowsWhateverPseudonymHe'sUsingNow ;-)

Debra W. Haffner said...

Robin, since I don't know how to reach you directly, I'm going to hope you read this here. I will post your comments when you are commenting on the blog itself...but I didn't read the second one here completely (I'm away) and wouldn't not have if I had realized it was an attack on the UUA, Bill Sinkford, or its other leaders. I am proud of our denomination, proud of our leadership, and a new member of the MFC. I know you have concerns, I know you have spoken to many people about them...I want you to know that I recently provided a two hour session to the UUA BOT on strengthening our policies and procedures on sexual harassment, and will be working with them. I am sorry you continue to feel hurt and unheard...but my blog is NOT the place for you to continue your attacks. You have your own.

Respectfully,

Rev. Debra