Press Release - April 5th, 2011

“A victory for President Obama in 2012 is a victory for the LGBT community.”

“Barack Obama was the right choice for America in 2008 and is still very much the right choice for America in 2012,” said Michael Mitchell, National Stonewall Democrats Executive Director. “Because of the scores of actions beneficial to the LGBT community that the Obama administration has taken – all of which would have never happened under a GOP administration – President Obama is also the right choice for the LGBT community.

“Whether keeping his promise to sign Hate Crimes legislation and Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell repeal, or requiring that hospitals that receive government funding recognize same-sex partners, or directing the Department of Justice to not defend the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), or directing the State Department to allow transgender Americans the ability to have passports that reflect their gender identity, or any of the dozens of other actions the administration has taken to make sure that LGBT Americans are better included in the fabric of our great country, President Obama and his administration have proven themselves time and again to our community,” Mitchell said.

“The extremist rhetoric about our community and our families coming out of the current crop of Republican presidential candidates would be laughable if it wasn’t so sinister,” said Olga Hernandez, Co-Chair of National Stonewall Democrats PAC. “It is a stark reminder of how easily the LGBT community could lose the great progress we’ve made in the last two years. Given the tack that GOP candidates are already taking with regards to our community, we can only assume that a GOP victory would be horrible for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in America.”

“Of course, part of the mission of National Stonewall Democrats is to hold Democrats accountable when they make missteps” said Craig Roberts, Chair of National Stonewall Democrats. “We have been publicly forthright with the administration when they have taken a wrong turn, specifically around things such as briefs on DOMA that used derogatory language. Even with those few missteps, we believe this President and his administration has done more positive, meaningful and even lifesaving things for the LGBT community than any other administration – combined.

“Barack Obama should be reelected to another well-deserved term as President of the United States and National Stonewall Democrats will be rolling up our sleeves to ensure a victory in 2012 for him and Democrats down the ticket. A victory for President Obama in 2012 is a victory for the LGBT community.”