The LGBT community knows all about speeches

[Prism]

Just musing before tonight's Big Speech, and how, somehow, the speech itself has become the event to be judged, praised, and criticized rather than the acts that will eventually follow.

I've heard so many very nice speeches in my adult life, many of them very positive on LGBT rights. And then, the acts never arrive, the promises are never touched, the progress is never alluded to in polite company. After the speeches are done, we approach the politicians and say, "Hey, remember me? You said you'd help with . . ." and then they and their supporters glare at us like we just left a turd on the living room floor.

I remember being very moved by Candidate Obama during the campaign, remembered feeling the palpable electricty in the crowd, the frission that moved through a million people in Grant Park the night of his election.

Now, here comes another speech, and the usual people will love it. I just don't care. What's another speech unless there's something tangible and real behind it?

Words. Always words. Always words and charisma and personality. Beyond that is unimportant. He's our political Tiger Beat star.

Whatever. We'll see.

[saracat]

1. We will indeed.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

2. Remember Eliza's great song from

"My Fair Lady"?

"Words, words, words,
I'm so sick of words.
I get words all day through,
first from him,
now from you.

Is that all you blighters can do?"

I believe the song is entitled "Show Me," which sounds exactly like what you're singing, and, oh, do I agree with you!

[aquart]

3. Don't talk at all! SHOW ME!

Quite appropriate.

[Prism]

4. Yep

When his pen is poised above the final bill, then we'll know. The words? Ain't nothin in there that hasn't been in the millions of syllables that came before.

[Toasterlad]

9. I Modified It a Bit.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=221x144454#144491

[tbyg52]

10. No apologies to Lerner and Lowe necessary!

:applause:

[msongs]

5. He's hung up on republicans liking him even tho they'd rather lynch him lol nt

[MNBrewer]

7. "Bipartisan" is not necessarily a good thing

especially if it goes like this:

D: Health care/insurance reform?
R: NO!
D: Well... OK.

[virgogal]

6. The United States of Blah,blah,blah.

[t0dd]

8. Yeah

I'm kinda disillusioned at this point. I won't vote for Obama again. I was pretty sure of that a few months ago, but tonight was the straw that broke the camel's back. His speech was rousing, inspiring, moving, touching, all that shit. But it had little substance to it. He advocated for an even worse public option, but those too busy fawning over him failed to notice that. But you're absolutely right: words, always words. He is a great orator, so little matters beyond that.

I think I'll just sit back and enjoy the ride and do what I'm told. I wanted single payer universal health care. I wanted us to have a system we could be proud of, and I wanted us to join the rest of the industrialized world. But that was never an option. It was jettisoned before negotiations began. Now the public option is gone, and I'm a "spoiled brat for raising my voice to object". Kinda like when some of us a few months back tried to point out he could end DADT by signing a moratorium if he wanted to. But that was expecting too much, that was us being impatient. Actually, I'll never forget the day after Prop 8 was upheld by the CA Supreme Court, and Obama attended a dinner in LA; people were outside protesting this horrible law was upheld, and Obama snidely remarked that he was unaware what protesters were upset about.

Let people cry over the beauty of his rhetoric. Let him use bipartisanship as a disguise to pass extremely watered-down health care reform to appease our corporate oligarchy. Let the celebrations continue as more Americans suffer. Let the Democrats think real progressives and the GLBT community will vote for them no matter what. Hey, maybe we will. Where else are we going to go? Actually, I'd rather stay home.