Dear Dan Savage: Health Care Takes Priority

See Dan Savage on CNN (YouTube).

Dear Dan Savage:

You are one of our most articulate spokespeople. I love to watch you stand up to wild-eyed right-wingers and your writing is some of the best out there. But I'd like to respond to what you are saying these days about President Obama.

I want to remind you how much our country has changed from a year ago. This African American president is young and smart. Intelligent utterances now come from the Oval Office. We can hold our heads a little higher in the global community.

Mr. Obama is unflappable. He reasons with opponents, advocating for mutual respect and civility. When so many, from town meetings to talk shows, believe that "whoever yells the loudest wins," I have yet to see this president lose his cool.

His challenges are undeniable. He inherited two untenable wars, a terrible economic crisis, and a seriously divided and increasingly polarized political landscape. While giving his all to handle these, he also manages to pursue issues unique to his tenure.

While campaigning, he spoke out more than any presidential candidate in history about the need for LGBTQI* equality. While falling short of endorsing gay marriage, he let it be known that DOMA (the Defense of Marriage Act) was bad policy. He promised to repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell, which effectively bans gays and lesbians from the military. As significant as anything, his speeches included consistent inclusion of the word "gay." To a minority group largely conditioned to hide in silence, hearing a prominent politician openly acknowledge our existence was exciting. It sent shivers up my spine.

But some of the citizens are getting restless. Gay activists like you are increasingly impatient with Obama. Seven months into office, the president seems to have edited us out of his speeches. DOMA and Don't Ask Don't Tell are, at best, on the back burner. You and others call on us to hold his feet to the fire and keep his promises.

I agree that Obama and all the Democrats in congress should be held accountable. They need to be reminded of the money we raised and the large number of votes we optimistically cast to get them elected. They cannot be allowed to take our support for granted while continuously pushing us to the side so "more important" issues can be dealt with first. It happened in the Clinton administration and it could be happening again. They need to hear you calling for the progress we were promised or they risk losing us.

At the same time, I must distance myself from your rhetoric. While LGBTQI issues are important to me and I'll be happy to defend our rights to anyone, anytime, I am not just a gay man with a single interest in what our country does.

As a voter living with multiple chronic medical conditions, I believe that health care reform takes priority, for the moment, over gay rights. Poverty and bankruptcy are only one hospital stay away for a huge number of Americans. For now, I want Mr. Obama to focus on that.

Dan, I'm sorry, but climate change resulting in melting ice caps and world-wide coastal flooding are also more urgent than gay rights. The potential social and environmental instability resulting from global warming render all other issues moot. I'd like the president to spend his capital on clean energy, alternative fuels, and high speed rail which are not only good for the environment, but for the economy as well.

Dan, I'm always happy to see you on TV or read you in the Advocate. Keep it up. But you don't speak for me. I am a loyal supporter of President Obama. If he can get health care reform accomplished now, I'll wait off to the side a while longer.


*Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer Intersex (this acronym is a topic for another time)