Alex Okrent's Blog

Equality is a Moral Imperative

Alex Okrent, Louisiana Field Director — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 11:53:30 EST

Senator Obama just released an open letter concerning LGBT equality in America, reaffirming his steadfast commitment to equal rights for ALL Americans.

I’m running for President to build an America that lives up to our founding
promise of equality for all – a promise that extends to our gay brothers
and sisters. It’s wrong to have millions of Americans living as second-class
citizens in this nation. And I ask for your support in this election so that
together we can bring about real change for all LGBT Americans.

Click here to read the rest.

Spreading the word

Alex Okrent, Louisiana Field Director — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 19:00:36 EST

In a display of his commitment to spreading the message of equal rights for all, Senator Obama has taken out full-page ads in several LGBT newspapers in Texas and Ohio.

The ad, which will be featured in Outlook Weekly in Columbus, the Gay People's Chronicle in Cleveland, The Dallas Voice, and OutSmart in Houston.

Click here to read more on the advertisements.

Obama's Gay Supporters Speak!

Alex Okrent, Louisiana Field Director — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 15:28:20 EST

This article recently published in Bay Windows, a leading LGBT newspaper.

Obama’s gay supporters speak
by Laura Kiritsy
Editor-in-chief
Friday Feb 22, 2008

Queerty.com has some interesting interviews with three of Barack Obama’s gay supporters, Tobias Wolff, Stampp Corbin and Eric Stern - who, incidentally, initially backed John Edwards. Some interesting insights from these guys about why they’re supporting Obama, including the fact that unlike his rival Sen. Hillary Clinton, Obama wants to repeal DOMA in its entirety.

Check out the article at Queerty

A Letter from a Supporter

Alex Okrent, Louisiana Field Director — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 13:38:36 EST

The campaign received this email today, and I wanted to repost it to show the effect this campaign is having on ordinary Americans.

I'm a lesbian who grew up in a family of Southern Church of Christ Christians. I'm a military brat even more than that, the daughter of a warrant officer in the army. In high school, I spent a lot of time being afraid and disgusted at how the world treated lesbians and gays, and I didn't even come out of the closet until I graduated college and had divorced twice. (Both marriages pressured by my parents.) When Bush was elected, I had hoped that America would change, but it just got worse. And worse. And worse.

When I came out to my parents, they shunned me, and my father told me that we would never have a relationship again because I didn't hold the same convictions that they did.

The fear and bleakness of my future terrified me.

This year, I'll be 25, and my son will be 3. Senator, I want you to know that more than voting for you, I'll be putting my son's future in your hands. I know that you can help us shape this country into what it was supposed to be... A haven of peace for everyone. What it should have been from the start.

Read the rest below the fold...

It's the Final Countdown

Alex Okrent, Louisiana Field Director — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 13:54:28 EST

It's just three days away. On February 5th, nearly half the country will cast their votes to determine the Democratic Nominee for President of the United States. If you're reading this, you probably know as well as I do that our country needs Barack Obama.

And you can help make that a reality. We'll be making phone calls into other February 5th states every day until the end. We need to Get Out The Vote, from California to Georgia, from Connecticut to Alaska. And we need your help to do that.

Please join us at the Chicago Volunteer Headquarters whenever you can. The office is on the 10th floor of 300 W. Adams in Chicago, right across the street from the Sears Tower. Our hours through the 5th are:

Saturday: 9 AM to 8 PM

Sunday Noon - 5 PM, with special guest US Rep Jan Schakowksy at 1 (RSVP HERE)

Monday 9 AM to 9 PM, with special guests US Rep Jesse Jackson Jr, US Rep Jan Schakowsky, and Dr. Cornel West. (RSVP HERE).

Tuesday 9 AM to 7 PM

Please join us! If you have any questions, please call us at 312-506-0909.

YES WE CAN!

Barack Obama Champions Gay Rights on the Campaign Trail

Alex Okrent, Louisiana Field Director — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 17:00:06 EST

The New York Blade, a weekly LGBT newspaper in New York City, recently published an Op-Ed written by several Obama supporters. You can read the full article here, and an excerpt below the fold. This is just another example of the grassroots support Senator Obama has all over the country.

Continue Reading...

Join Special Guests This Week at the Volunteer HQ

Alex Okrent, Louisiana Field Director — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 13:32:24 EST

We have an exciting week ahead of us at the Chicago Volunteer Headquarters as we continue to call into South Carolina. We will be joined by special guests Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White tonight and US Represenative Danny Davis tomorrow night. Please join us and help the cause! Read more for details...

Help Make a Difference This Week

Alex Okrent, Louisiana Field Director — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 19:55:27 EST

We never rest here at the Illinois Headquarters, because there's always more work to be done. All this week, we are expanding our hours to help make calls into South Carolina before their important primary on Saturday.

Join us Wednesday night at 5:30 PM at our Chicago Volunteer Headquarters to listen to Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White and to call voters in South Carolina. It's sure to be a good time and it couldn't be more important.

Details below the fold...

Senator Obama's Speech at Ebenezer Baptist Church

Alex Okrent, Louisiana Field Director — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 20:00:06 EST

Barack spoke today at the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia.

You can read his full remarks here, but I want to bring to light a particular passages, reproduced below.

For most of this country’s history, we in the African-American community have been at the receiving end of man’s inhumanity to man. And all of us understand intimately the insidious role that race still sometimes plays – on the job, in the schools, in our health care system, and in our criminal justice system.

And yet, if we are honest with ourselves, we must admit that none of our hands are entirely clean. If we’re honest with ourselves, we’ll acknowledge that our own community has not always been true to King’s vision of a beloved community.

We have scorned our gay brothers and sisters instead of embracing them. The scourge of anti-Semitism has, at times, revealed itself in our community. For too long, some of us have seen immigrants as competitors for jobs instead of companions in the fight for opportunity.

Senator Obama has been out front about these issues throughout his campaign and his career. He has spoken before all audiences and delivered the same messages of expanding rights and taking our own to task when need be. I strongly encourage everyone to read the entire speech.

Help Barack Obama in Illinois

Alex Okrent, Louisiana Field Director — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 14:55:27 EST

As you all know, this is an exciting time for the Obama Campaign and there’s a lot happening in Illinois and around the country.

After a thrilling victory in Iowa and a down-to-the-wire finish in one of our opponent’s strongest states, the election is really heating up now and we need your help to make sure that Barack Obama is the Democratic nominee.

There are several ways you can help the campaign in the upcoming weeks. We’re so close, and we need your help to finish strong.

Volunteer in our Illinois Headquarters
- At our Illinois Headquarters at 300 W. Adams, you can come in and make phone calls to Illinois voters, but also voters into other crucial early states such as Nevada and South Carolina
- This Friday, January 18th, we are staying open until 10 PM to make calls into Nevada to help get out caucus-goers. This is very important, so please join us and bring friends if you are able.

Canvass Your Neighborhood
- We are canvassing every weekend to make sure that all of our supporters get out and vote for Barack Obama in the Illinois primary. Early Voting has started and we need to let our friends and neighbors know when and where they can cast their vote.

EL and Train Station Visibility
- Early voting is a great way to make sure that everyone who wants to vote for Barack Obama is able to, so it is incumbent upon us to inform supporters how and where they can cast their vote early. We want supporters passing out literature at key locations every morning between now and the end of early voting. Please sign up here if you are interested in helping with this

Travel to South Carolina
- South Carolina’s primary on January 26th is an important state for our campaign, and we need volunteers there to help make sure Barack wins. If you are able to travel to South Carolina for any amount of time before the election, but especially immediately before, we will help arrange housing and logistics. This is a GREAT way to help the campaign in a big way.

If you are interested in any of the above activities, please contact alex okrent at aokrent@barackobama.com or call 312-506-0909.

Senator Obama's Statement on World AIDS DAY

Alex Okrent, Louisiana Field Director — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 19:09:59 EST

http://www.barackobama.com/2007/11/30/world_aids_day_statement.php

World AIDS Day Statement

Chicago, IL | November 30, 2007

Chicago, IL -- This World AIDS Day is a time to reflect on what this global crisis is costing us. It's a cost that's measured in generations lost, in cultures traumatized, and in societies that have grown more unstable as a result of this pandemic. And it's a cost that 33 million people worldwide bear each day as they struggle to live with this disease. And what makes all of this so heartbreaking is that it was - in each and every case - entirely preventable.

And yet, this is also a time to draw inspiration from the stories of heroism that are being lived each day. It's a time to draw hope from the extraordinary perseverance of those helping combat this disease around the world. And above all, it's a time to stay focused on the task ahead - stopping the spread of this disease once and for all.

That is what I will fight to do as President. As part of my comprehensive national HIV/AIDS strategy, we'll provide $50 billion by 2013 to fight the pandemic, and contribute our fair share to the Global Fund. I'll work to dispel the stigma surrounding this disease, which is what Michelle and I tried to do by taking a public HIV test in Kenya a while back. I'll expand the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief by $1 billion a year in new money over the next five years so we can reach more people in places like Southeast Asia, India, and Eastern Europe, where the pandemic is growing. We'll make sure medications developed with taxpayer dollars are available as generics in developing countries - because a person shouldn't be denied life-saving drugs just because we can't find a way to reform our patent laws. And we'll work to eliminate the extreme poverty that permits HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria to flourish by doubling our foreign assistance from $25 billion per year to $50 billion per year by 2012.

But leadership on HIV/AIDS has to start at home. We recently learned that our nation's capital has the highest AIDS infection rate of any city in this country. That is an outrage. It's time to launch a national effort to stop this disease, starting with African Americans, who are being affected disproportionately.

We cannot give the boy back the parents he lost or the woman back the future she had dreamed of. But what we can do is prevent any more suffering. What's stopping us is not a lack of knowledge or resources, but a lack of will. And until we - as Americans and as human beings - summon the will to end this moral crisis, the conscience of our nation cannot rest.

Senator Obama in The Advocate

Alex Okrent, Louisiana Field Director — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 23:26:34 EST

Senator Obama sat down recently with Kerry Eleveld of the Advocate, one of the most respected and widely-circulated LGBT publications in the country. The full text of the interview can be found here.

Let us know what you think about the Senator's answers in the comments section.

A Call for Full Equality

Alex Okrent, Louisiana Field Director — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 22:50:54 EST

Senator Obama penned an op-ed circulated around the country this week, expressing his views on full equality for members of the LGBT Community.

A Call for Full Equality

by Barack Obama

Over the last several weeks, the question of LGBT equality was placed on center stage by the appearance of Donnie McClurkin at one of my campaign events. McClurkin is a talented performer and a beloved figure among many African Americans and Christians around the country. At the same time, he espouses beliefs about homosexuality that I completely reject.

(Continue reading below the jump)

Joint Letter from the African American Religious and LGBT Leadership Teams

Alex Okrent, Louisiana Field Director — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 15:44:20 EDT

African American Religious and LGBT Leaders

Call for Communities to Find Common Ground

CHICAGO, IL- Obama supporters and leaders in the LGBT and African American faith communities released the following letter today calling on members of their communities to come together to find common ground.

To Whom It May Concern:

As representatives of Barack Obama supporters from the African American religious community and the gay community, we are issuing a statement together for the first time. Our letter addresses the recent issue of Pastor Donnie McClurkin singing at Senator Obama’s “Embrace the Change” concert series. In the midst of division, we hope and believe that this is a moment to bring together communities that have been divided for far too long.

A few things are clear.

First, Pastor McClurkin believes and has stated things about sexual orientation that are deeply hurtful and offensive to many Americans, most especially to gay Americans. This cannot and should not be denied.

At the same time, a great many African Americans share Pastor McClurkin’s beliefs. This also cannot be ignored.

Finally, we believe that the only way for these two sides to find common ground is to do so together.

Not at arms length. Not in a war of words with press and pundits. Only together.

It is clear that Barack Obama is the only candidate who has made bringing these two often disparate groups together a goal. In gatherings of LGBT Americans and African Americans of faith, Obama has stated that all individuals should be afforded full civil rights regardless of their sexual orientation, and that homophobia must be eradicated in every corner of our nation. If we are to end homophobia and secure full civil rights for gay Americans, then we need an advocate within the Black community like Barack Obama.

At the same time, while Obama has said that he "strongly disagrees" with Pastor McClurkin's comments, he will not exclude from his campaign the many Americans including many in the African American community who believe the same as Pastor McClurkin.

We believe that Barack Obama is constructing a tent big enough for LGBT Americans who know that their sexual orientation is an innate and treasured part of their being, and for African American ministers and citizens who believe that their religion prevents them from fully embracing their gay brothers and sisters. And if we are to confront our shared challenges we have to join together, build on common ground, and engage in a civil dialogue even when we disagree.

We also ask Senator Obama’s critics to consider the alternatives. Would we prefer a candidate who ignores the realities in the African American community and cuts off millions of Blacks who believe things offensive to many Americans? Or a panderer who tells African Americans what they want to hear, at the expense of our gay brothers and sisters? Or would we rather stand with Barack Obama, who speaks truth in love to both sides, pulling no punches but foreclosing no opportunities to engage?

We stand with Senator Obama. We stand with him because of the solutions he is proposing for our nation. We stand with him because of his character and his judgment. But the most important reason we stand with him is because today, as he has done all along, Barack Obama is causing us to stand together.

That's the kind of President we need, and we are proud to support him.

Sincerely,

Rev. Dr. Otis Moss, Jr.

Olivet Institutional Baptist Church

Chair, Obama National African American Religious Leaders Working Group

Cleveland, Ohio

Stampp Corbin

Chair, Obama National LGBT Leadership Council

Former Member of Human Rights Campaign Board of Directors

Columbus, Ohio

Tobias Barrington Wolff

Chair, Obama LGBT Policy Committee

Professor of Law, University of Pennsylvania Law School

Philadelphia, PA

The Reverend Stephen John Thurston

President

National Baptist Convention of America

Chicago, IL

The Reverend Alvin Love

President

Baptist General State Convention of Illinois, Inc.

Bishop E. Earl McCloud, Jr.

Office of Ecumenical & Urban Affairs

African Methodist Episcopal Church

Atlanta, GA

Steven Latasa-Nicks

President, The Phelon Group, Inc.

Former Human Rights Campaign Board of Governors

New York, NY

Maxim Thorne

Former COO, Human Rights Campaign

Paterson, NJ

Phil Burgess

Former Human Rights Campaign Board of Directors

Chicago, IL

Rev. Dr. Barbara Williams-Skinner

Skinner Leadership Institute

Tracy’s Landing, MD

Rev. Michael Pfleger

St. Sabina, Chicago

Rev. Edward Taylor

San Jose, CA

The Reverend Robert H. Thompson

Exeter, NH

Sharon Malheiro

LGBT Activist

Des Moines, IA

Hon. Jon Cooper

Majority Leader, Suffolk County (NY) Legislature

Rev. Paul Hobson Sadler, Sr., Pastor

Mt. Zion Congregational UCC

Statement on Reverend Donnie McClurkin

Alex Okrent, Louisiana Field Director — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 19:40:28 EDT

Statement on Rev. McClurkin

"I have clearly stated my belief that gays and lesbians are our brothers and sisters and should be provided the respect, dignity, and rights of all other citizens. I have consistently spoken directly to African-American religious leaders about the need to overcome the homophobia that persists in some parts of our community so that we can confront issues like HIV/AIDS and broaden the reach of equal rights in this country.

I strongly believe that African Americans and the LGBT community must stand together in the fight for equal rights. And so I strongly disagree with Reverend McClurkin's views and will continue to fight for these rights as President of the United States to ensure that America is a country that spreads tolerance instead of division."

~ Barack Obama
10/22/07

Today is National Coming Out Day

Alex Okrent, Louisiana Field Director — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 12:42:29 EDT

In 1988, Dr. Robert Eichberg and Jean O’Leary celebrated the first National Coming Out Day, in honor of an historic march for gay and lesbian rights DC one year earlier. Since then, October 11th has been a day for members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community, along with their allies, to speak openly about their sexuality and encourage others to do so as well.

In honor of National Coming Out Day, Senator Obama today released the following statement:

(continue reading)

Host a party for Barack

Alex Okrent, Louisiana Field Director — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 11:45:35 EDT

Hi Friends,

As many of you know, Senator Obama is participating in the historic HRC Presidential Forum in Los Angeles on August 9th. This forum will be televised on the LOGO Network nationally and streamed live online at
Logo Online , and we want to make sure everyone has a chance to see it. Please note that you do not need to have the LOGO network to host a party as long as you have the ability to stream video off the internet.

Because not everyone has the LOGO Network or the ability to stream video online, we are encouraging those who do to host forum-watching parties and open their house to neighbors, friends and family. If you are interested in hosting a party, or would like to attend a party in your area, click here to register your party or find one near you.

For more information, you can contact us via pride@barackobama.com or directly by phone at 312-819-2509.

This presidential forum is an amazing way to highlight Senator Obama's strong support of the LGBT community. It is only through your efforts that Barack can continue to spread his message of hope to the country. After Senator Obama speaks at the forum, there will be a conference call where he will speak to his supporters at house parties across the country.

Please forward this message anyone who may be interested in hosting or attending a party.

Thanks,
The Obama LGBT Team

click here to register your party or find one near you.

Welcome to Obama Pride

Alex Okrent, Louisiana Field Director — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 18:03:36 EDT

Welcome!

My name is Alex and I do LGBT outreach for the Obama Campaign. I'm excited to welcome you to the Obama Pride website.

Senator Obama has a long and consistent record of support for the LGBT community, from his time as an Illinois State Senator through his US Senate service. He speaks about LGBT rights openly and in front of all types of audiences, around the country.

This campaign is about more than Senator Obama, though. It's about you--that's why this website is here. Here you can sign up for groups on My.BarackObama.com to arrange events with other members of the LGBT community, post testimonials about why you support Barack, find information on Barack's positions and help spread the word to other people.

We will have information about upcoming events and recent articles, in addition to blog posts from staff and supporters.

We wanted to create this site because of what we're seeing at campaign stops across the nation. From Oakland to Texas, Iowa to Atlanta, we're meeting people who are tired of divisiveness and want to come together to meet our common challenges, people who realize that the responsibility we have to one another as Americans is greater than the pursuit of any ideological agenda or corporate bottom line. This website is one small way to help foster that community.

Please explore this site and share it with your friends and family. If you think there's something we need to include, please let us know by emailing Pride@barackobama.com. Sign up to join the movement and take an active role in spreading Senator Obama's message.

Best,
Alex

Exciting news

Alex Okrent, Louisiana Field Director — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 10:42:16 EDT

The Obama Campaign was excited to receive the endorsement yesterday of Bishop V. Gene Robinson.

There's an excellent interview with the Bishop in the latest edition of the Advocate and can be found online here: http://www.advocate.com/exclusive_detail_ektid47851.asp

Also exciting is the historic upcoming HRC Forum on August 9th in which Senator Obama is participating. We're encouraging people around the country to host house parties to invite their neighbors, friends and families to watch the Forum. For more information, please visit http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/hphrclogo.

Thanks, and stay tuned for more information!

Alex Okrent

Obama Statement on the new Surgeon General Nominee

Alex Okrent, Louisiana Field Director — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 12:51:02 EDT

Obama Raises Concerns With Nominee for Surgeon General Thursday, June 7, 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ben LaBolt (Obama)

WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) today released the following statement on the nomination of Dr. James Holsinger for Surgeon General:

“America’s top doctor should be a doctor for all Americans, and so I have serious reservations about nominating someone who would inject his own anti-gay ideology into critical decisions about the health and well-being of our nation. As with other nominees, I will listen to the testimony of Dr. James Holsinger, but this Administration must know that the United States Surgeon General’s office is no place for bigotry or ideology that would trump sound science and good judgment.”

Revised LGBT Fact Sheet

Alex Okrent, Louisiana Field Director — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 15:44:10 EDT

The Obama Campaign has released a revised LGBT Fact Sheet. The contents are below:

Paid for by Obama for America
BARACK OBAMA’S SUPPORT FOR THE LGBT COMMUNITY
“While we have come a long way since the Stonewall riots in 1969, we still have a lot of work to do. Too often, the issue of LGBT rights is exploited by those seeking to divide us. But at its core, this issue is about who we are as Americans. It's about whether this nation is going to live up to its founding promise of equality by treating all its citizens with dignity and respect."
[Obama Statement, 6/1/07]

BARACK OBAMA ON LGBT ISSUES

Expand Hate Crimes Statutes: In 2004, crimes against LGBT Americans constituted the third-highest category of hate crime reported and made up more than 15 percent of such crimes. Barack Obama cosponsored legislation that would expand federal jurisdiction to reach violent hate crimes perpetrated because of race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, or physical disability. As a state senator, Obama passed tough legislation that made hate crimes and conspiracy to commit them against the law.

Fight Workplace Discrimination: Barack Obama believes the Employment Non-Discrimination Act should be expanded to include sexual orientation and gender identity. While an increasing number of employers have extended benefits to their employees’ domestic partners, discrimination based on sexual orientation in the
workplace occurs with no federal legal remedy. Obama also sponsored legislation in the Illinois State Senate that would ban employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

Promote LGBT Rights: Barack Obama supported legislation in the Illinois State Senate to prevent discrimination based on sexual orientation in housing and public accommodations.
Support Full Civil Unions: Barack Obama supports civil unions that give same-sex couples full rights, including the right to assist their loved ones in times of emergency, the right to equal health insurance and other employment benefits currently extended to married couples, and the same property rights as anyone else.

Oppose a Constitutional Ban on Gay Marriage: Barack Obama voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment in 2006 which would have defined marriage as between a man and a woman and prevented judicial extension of marriage-like rights to same-sex or other unmarried couples. “We are better than this. And we certainly owe the American people more than this. I know that this amendment will fail, and when it does, I hope we can start discussing issues and offering proposals that will actually improve the lives of most
Americans.” (Barack Obama on the Senate floor regarding the Federal Marriage Amendment, June 5, 2006)

Repeal Don’t Ask-Don’t Tell: Barack Obama agrees with former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff John Shalikashvili and other military experts that we need to repeal the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy in consultation with military commanders. The key test for military service should be patriotism, a sense of duty, and a willingness to serve. Discrimination should be prohibited. The U.S. government has spent millions of dollars
replacing troops kicked out of the military because of their sexual orientation. Additionally, more than 300 language experts have been fired under this policy, including more than 50 who are fluent in Arabic. Obama will work with military leaders to repeal the current policy and ensure it helps accomplish our national defense goals.

Expand Adoption Rights: Barack Obama believes that homosexuals should have the same adoption rights as heterosexuals.

Fight AIDS Worldwide: There are 40 million people across the planet infected with HIV/AIDS. Every day, AIDS kills 8,000 and HIV infects 6,000 more people. The disease is set to become the third-leading cause of death worldwide in the coming years. Barack Obama has been a global leader in the fight against AIDS. He traveled to Kenya and took a public HIV test to encourage testing and reduce the stigma of the disease.

Promote AIDS Prevention: Barack Obama believes that we cannot ignore that abstinence and fidelity may too often be the ideal and not the reality. Obama went to a large evangelical conference in 2006 to promote greater investment in the global AIDS battle. At this conservative Christian event, Obama pushed for a balanced approach to fighting the disease that includes condom distribution. In late 2006, Barack Obama worked to
reauthorize the Ryan White CARE Act, which is one of the largest sources of federal funds for primary health care and support services for patients with HIV/AIDS. The bill was named after Ryan White, an Indiana teenager whose courageous struggle with HIV/AIDS helped educate the nation.

Empower Women to Prevent HIV/AIDS: In the United States, the percentage of women diagnosed with AIDS has quadrupled over the last 20 years. Today, women account for more than one quarter of all new HIV/AIDS diagnoses. Barack Obama introduced the Microbicide Development Act, which will accelerate the development of products that empower women in the battle against AIDS. Microbicides are a class of products
currently under development that women apply topically to prevent transmission of HIV and other infections.

Paid for by Obama for America

Help Organize for Pride Month Events

Alex Okrent, Louisiana Field Director — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 18:18:29 EDT

Dear Friend,

Thank you for taking an interest in the Obama campaign and joining my.barackobama.com. As you all know, June is Pride Month and that means events and parades around the country. If you are interested in helping organize Obama supporters at your local event, please send an email to Alex Okrent (aokrent@barackobama.com) with your location and how you are interested in helping. The campaign will put you in touch with other local organizers and the regional field desk so that all of your actions can be coordinated.

To find a list of events near you, please visit Link . If you know of an event that isn't listed or if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to get in touch with Alex Okrent.

Thanks for your help!

Senator Obama's Statement on Pride Month

Alex Okrent, Louisiana Field Director — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 17:34:15 EDT

Obama Released the Following Statement to Commemorate Pride Month

CHICAGO , IL-- U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) today released the following statement to commemorate Pride Month.

"Pride Month is a reminder that while we have come a long way since the Stonewall riots in 1969, we still have a lot of work to do."

"Too often, the issue of LGBT rights is exploited by those seeking to divide us. But at its core, this issue is about who we are as Americans. It’s about whether this nation is going to live up to its founding promise of equality by treating all its citizens with dignity and respect."

"It’s time to turn the page on the bitterness and bigotry that fill so much of today’s LGBT rights debate. The rights of all Americans should be protected – whether it’s at work or anyplace else. “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” needs to be repealed because patriotism and a sense of duty should be the key tests for military service, not sexual orientation. Civil unions should give gay couples full rights. And those who commit hate crimes should be punished no matter whether those crimes are committed on account of race, religion, gender identity, or sexual orientation."

"This Pride Month, let’s make our founding promise of equality a reality for every American."

Obama Campaign GLBT Fact Sheet

Alex Okrent, Louisiana Field Director — Tue, 08 May 2007 11:57:46 EDT

BARACK OBAMA’S SUPPORT FOR THE GAY AND LESBIAN COMMUNITY

Fight AIDS Worldwide: There are 40 million people across the planet infected with HIV/AIDS. Every day, AIDS kills 8,000 and HIV infects 6,000 more people. The disease is set to become the third-leading cause of death worldwide in the coming years. Barack Obama has been a global leader in the fight against AIDS. He traveled to Kenya and took a public HIV test to encourage testing and reduce the stigma of the disease.

Expand Hate Crimes Statutes: In 2004, crimes against gays constituted the third-highest category of hate crime reported and made up more than 15 percent of such crimes. Barack Obama cosponsored legislation that would expand federal jurisdiction to reach violent hate crimes perpetrated because of race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation or physical disability. As a state senator, Obama passed tough legislation that made hate crimes and conspiracy to commit them against the law.

Fight Workplace Discrimination: Barack Obama believes the Employment Non-Discrimination Act should be expanded to include sexual orientation. While an increasing number of employers have extended benefits to their employees’ domestic partners, discrimination based on sexual orientation in the workplace occurs with no federal legal remedy. Obama also sponsored and passed legislation in the Illinois State Senate that would ban employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

Promote Gay and Lesbian Rights: Barack Obama supported legislation in the Illinois State Senate to prevent discrimination based on sexual orientation in housing and public accommodations.

Support Full Civil Unions: Barack Obama supports civil unions that give gay couples full rights, including the right to assist their loved ones in times of emergency, the right to equal health insurance and other employment benefits currently extended to traditional married couples, and the same property rights as anyone else.

Oppose a Constitutional Ban on Gay Marriage: Barack Obama voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment in 2006 which would have defined marriage as between a man and a woman and prevented judicial extension of marriage-like rights to same-sex or other unmarried couples. “We are better than this. And we certainly owe the American people more than this. I know that this amendment will fail, and when it does, I hope we can start discussing issues and offering proposals that will actually improve the lives of most Americans.” (Barack Obama on the Senate floor regarding the Federal Marriage Amendment, June 5, 2006)

Repeal Don’t Ask-Don’t Tell: Barack Obama agrees with former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff John Shalikashvili and other military experts that we need to repeal the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy in consultation with military commanders. The key test for military service should be patriotism, a sense of duty, and a willingness to serve. Discrimination should be prohibited. The U.S. government has spent millions of dollars replacing troops kicked out of the military because of their sexual orientation. Additionally, more than 300 language experts have been fired under this policy, including more than 50 who are fluent in Arabic. Obama will work with military leaders to repeal the current policy and ensure it helps accomplish our national defense goals.

Expand Adoption Rights. Barack Obama believes that there are too many children who need loving parents and that gay people should have the same adoption rights as heterosexuals.

Promote AIDS Prevention: Barack Obama believes that we cannot ignore that abstinence and fidelity may too often be the ideal and not the reality. Obama went to a large evangelical conference in 2006 to promote greater investment in the global AIDS battle. At this conservative Christian event, Obama pushed for a balanced approach to fighting the disease that includes condom distribution. In late 2006, Barack Obama worked to reauthorize the Ryan White CARE Act, which is one of the largest sources of federal funds for primary health care and support services for patients with HIV/AIDS. The bill was named after Ryan White, an Indiana teenager whose courageous struggle with HIV/AIDS helped educate the nation.

Empower Women to Prevent HIV/AIDS: In the United States, the percentage of women diagnosed with AIDS has quadrupled over the last 20 years. Today, women account for more than one quarter of all new HIV/AIDS diagnoses. Barack Obama introduced the Microbicide Development Act, which will accelerate the development of products that empower women in the battle against AIDS. Microbicides are a class of products currently under development that women apply topically to prevent transmission of HIV and other infections.

Barack Obama's Support for the Gay and Lesbian Community

Alex Okrent, Louisiana Field Director — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 14:42:00 EDT

Obama for America recently released a revised Fact Sheet on GLBT issues. I've copied the contents into this blog post to make the information easily accessible. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

BARACK OBAMA’S SUPPORT FOR THE GAY AND LESBIAN COMMUNITY

“Most of us do believe that gay couples should be able to visit each other in the hospital and share health care benefits; most of us do believe that they should be treated with dignity and have their privacy respected by the federal government.” [Speech in Washington, D.C., 6/5/06]

Vote for Barack on Planetout.com

Alex Okrent, Louisiana Field Director — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 09:43:55 EDT

The website www.planetout.com is currently running an informal poll on their main page, asking visitors which Presidential candidate they support. If you have the time, head over to http://www.planetout.com, scroll down to the poll question, and register your support for Barack.

Thanks!

Alex Okrent