The White House Wrote Back

This email was sent to me on Wed, September 1, 2010 2:22:06 PM. This is the government response to a gay rights petition I signed. Whenever I sign petitions, I make sure to add information about myself and to question the stance of politicians being addressed. Occasionally, I receive return correspondence--usually from an office flackey--I make no qualms about not "ranking high enough" to receive actual correspondence. I asked for a run down on the President's stance on LGBT rights and received this letter:

Dear Friend:

Thank you for writing. We must stand united to protect
liberty and justice for all our citizens, and I appreciate your
perspective on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights.

My Administration has taken a number of steps to address
issues affecting the LGBT community. Leading by example, I
extended benefits to same-sex partners of Federal employees in the
Civil and Foreign Services. I also signed a Presidential Memorandum
directing hospitals receiving Medicare and Medicaid funds to give all
patients the compassion and security they deserve in their time of
need, including the ability to choose who can visit them and make
medical decisions. To help take on discrimination in all its forms, we
are working to ensure that core Federal housing programs are open to all, and I signed landmark legislation that strengthens protections
against hate crimes based on gender identity or sexual orientation.

We also ended the ban on entry to the United States for people living
with HIV/AIDS, and we issued the first comprehensive National
HIV/AIDS Strategy.

While we have made great strides, much work remains to
achieve full equality for LGBT individuals. I stand by my
commitment to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell, and Pentagon leaders
are ensuring we can change this in a way that strengthens our Armed
Forces and national security. I have urged Congress to pass the
bipartisan Domestic Partners Benefits and Obligations Act, and I
support extending the over 1,100 Federal marital rights and benefits to same-sex couples. I support the Employment Non-Discrimination
Act, as well as legislative repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act.

Adoption rights must also be secured for LGBT families, and we need
to ensure our children are free to learn in supportive environments in school.

To learn more information about my Administration's efforts
to create a more open and tolerant society, please visit:
www.WhiteHouse.gov/Issues/Civil-Rights.

Sincerely,

Barack Obama

To be a part of our agenda for change, visit: http://www.whitehouse.gov/"

End of letter, beginning of head scratching: this letter is beautifully written, wonderfully rhetorical, designed to brighten and enlighten the modern progressive mind, and meant as testimony to the efforts of the current administration (though, you'll shortly see the futility). I do applaud both the quick response time (approx. 6-8 weeks) and the direct response to the question of a single citizen (unfortunately, I can't find the copy of petition letter I sent). It must be noted that Presidential Memorandum is not permanent law, the very next president could choose to write their own Presidential Memorandum removing/revoking great strides as desired. That said, I'll give props for rhetoric regarding what more needs to be done for the LGBT communities, while I actively observe whether these needs are met, or continued to be denied.

On another note:
I think of the Police song "Every Breath You Take" and I think of the illustrious Department of Homeland Security, thank the goddess I'm not that creepy. Do you think the Police song was predictive of Homeland Security (our own little Gestapo)? Or, is it just a stalker song?