I think this is very....nice....but, I'm also concerned that maybe you still have a fever.

Certainly an awareness of cynicism and how it can be destructive, is helpful. Self awareness is always beneficial. But do not forget the causes of the cynicism and allow bad behavior because it could always be worse.

Extending the argument that we have to vote for a Democrat because the Republicans are worse into the new term is pointless and it completely disregards what we have learned from American history.

We have every reason in the world to mistrust politicians - Democrats in particular because they proclaim to be our friends, yet their actions seldom meet their promises - and we have absolute responsibility to demand their attention when we see it is lacking.

No one else will do this for us. There are many - FAR TOO MANY - apologists among us. We need to balance the scales and accumulate more people willing to make demands of our government officials in order to see real results. Our competition for the attention comes from well connected, high finance types. We have to work twice as hard to get their attention.

Yeah Waymon, I think we do. I think though that our vision has to be longer than issue by issue or action by action.

While I agree with you that we shouldn't just "get over it" on some issues, we should refrain from beating dead horses.

I also think we need to do better job of understanding and speaking the language of those who disagree with us. Establishment clause or no, culturally America is a religious nation. It has been that way for the last 200 years and I don't expect much of a change in the next 200 years. We need to do a better job of operating within that reality.

Yes, we do. Running a defensive game is much different than taking an offensive position. We need to adapt to the new playing field.

I don't think we should be needlessly combative, but to be blunt, Obama hasn't given us much reason to believe he'll be the "fierce defender" that he's claimed to be.

I voted for Obama and I have hope that we'll pass some major milestones in the next few years. But I also think we would be wise to remember that Obama's support of our cause is one of political consideration. As he showed with the invocation mess, when deciding whether to support us or extend an olive branch to the Religious Right, he'll choose them.

Our only reasonable course of action (Look at me being all declarative!) is to continue to remind President Obama of his commitment not to the LGBT community, but to the cause of justice and the equality of all Americans.

And you're right, Waymon, that is a different way of addressing the president than we've had to use with GWB. With GWB opposition was a foregone conclusion. With Obama, it's only a possibility.

Activists are going to have to be patient. I cannot speak for the gay or lesbian communities, but let me tell you that T people are the most impetuous and impatient activists you will work with, as some have seen around here. The conclusion jump is the official aerobic exercise of the T community, that is for certain. I've seen it happen dozens of times.

If anyone read Gene Robinson's prayer, or heard it on youtube, you can gain a sense of what Barack Obama faces. George Bush, in all his complete incompetence, is leaving Obama a million issues to immediately face. The issues will, for the most part, be facing Congressional debate. I have no doubt that Obama will sign ENDA, hate crimes, repeal of DADT, and even DOMA repeal by the end of a first term, but keep in mind, everyone, that we have 2 ongoing wars and an economy in shambles right now. Patience and a light touch will be needed to win.

"But have we been trained to be so defensive that we have become close-minded ourselves?"

YES! YES! YES! It is exactly what I've been screaming about every since the stupid Warren issue set off the tempest in the teapot. Waymon, you figured it out (finally.) I wonder how many decades it will take for others to figure it out.

I also think we need to do better job of understanding and speaking the language of those who disagree with us.

Very well put, and it bears repeating.

I will add to it, not everyone who disagrees with us is an enemy. I'm old enough that the other day when I was reading this blog, I started humming to myself: "There ain't no good guy, there ain't no bad guy, there's only you and me and we just disagree."

Yep Waymon, it does.

Well, we've gotten through the prelims and now the game begins.

Yes, the prelims were frustrating and disappointing, but we start from today.

The President elect(few more hours) says that he will be the most pro-gay President in history. Let's take him at his word, but let's also hold his feet to the fire a bit, and do our part to keep our issues on front burners, patrtially through protests to remind people that we are not happy, not equal, and waiting a bit less patiently

Bush, etc., were brick walls on these issues, and Obama probably won't be. Whether he's an ally or not on our issues is neither here nor there. We're going to have to raise a ruckus if we want him to do anything, no matter his personal feelings on the topic, because he won't be acting alone (yeah, we're still stuck with mostly the same Congress).

But, I wonder, why is the expression "threw X under the bus" played but "hold his/her feet to the fire" isn't? I think the latter has been used far more often, and I think that expressions that center around buses should have a longer shelf-life than those that center around feet. Maybe because I have issues about the latter....