Obama’s LGBT pride month

It would seem that President Obama has posted a very shiny proclamation making June LGBT pride month in America

Linky linky: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Presidential-Proclamation-LGBT-Pride-Month/

Now, let me start by saying that this is an immensely good thing. It brings acknowledgement and awareness. And hells, did anyone think a president would be doing this through the last few admins? I think 2 years ago it looked as likely as George Bush and Sarah Palin becoming the new heads of Mensa

So this is incredible, heart warming wonderful news.


Now, my cynicism. And yes, you know that has to ruin everything.

See, I don’t like charismatic politicians. I don’t. We had waaaay too many years of Blair for me ever to trust charisma. The charismatic can pull shit that the dull and boring are never allowed to get away with. They can spin words, say a pretty speech and suddenly people forgive the crap they do. I don’t trust it, I don’t like it.

And what my cynicism sees here is a sop to American homosexuals. I hang around many a forum and blog and increasingly there’s rumbles of discontent. Sure, proposition 8 got a lot of people really pissed and grumpy, but Obama’s Rick Warren incident, apparent u-turn on “don’t ask, don’t tell” and general indifference to several CURRENT gay rights dramas has left some people feeling - unhappy. The phrase I’ve seen coined is “Yes we can - we’re just not going to.”

So what to do? Well the easy thing to do is to have a nice big proclamation that sys “I do care, really!” And everyone’s happy again. That’s what a CHARISMATIC politician does. Because words have power - not a whole not a whole lot of substance though

So they’re nice words - but be careful he isn’t using words as a cover so he doesn’t actually have to do anything. Be careful that you don’t have a charismatic politician feeding you a line to keep you happy and keep you quiet. Be careful this isn’t an empty gesture meant to mollify the irritated.


I hope it’s more. And even as words and gesture it means something, it has some impact. It is still special and shiny and wonderful and everyone should be really happy about it. But keep an eye out to see if this is all it is.

Political campaigning? You're doing it wrong

I have a letter from David Cameron containing all the normal bullshit attempts to make me vote for them tomorrow (ha! not in this lifetime!)

Pretty standard - except it includes the line

"We know we can rely on your support blah blah blah"

You know? Wow, really? I'm impressed. Sadly I know rather differently so assuming you KNOW where my vote is going to fall is just a leeetle presumptuous, don't you think?

Anyway, don't you have researchers? I'm a Lib Dem after all, party membership et al (not that I like the Lib Dems, but that's another issue).

It just strikes me as a very odd junk mail - I actually feel less inclined to vote for the Tories than I was before