Obama declares June 'LGBT Pride Month' (OneNewsNow.com)

Obama declares June 'LGBT Pride Month'

Jody Brown and Allie Martin - OneNewsNow - 6/2/2009 7:20:00 AM

In a presidential proclamation on the White House website, Barack Obama has lauded what he calls "the determination and dedication" of the LGBT movement by proclaiming June as "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month."

President Barack H. Obama "The LGBT rights movement has achieved great progress," Obama states in the official proclamation, "but there is more to be done. LGBT youth should feel safe to learn without the fear of harassment, and LGBT families and seniors should be allowed to live their lives with dignity and respect."

The proclamation, released on Monday, credits the LGBT movement with being a factor in more Americans who ascribe to those groups "living their lives openly today than ever before."

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Results* from our related poll

What's your reaction to Barack Obama's proclamation designating

this month as 'LGBT Pride Month'?

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*Editor's Note: This poll question generated approximately eight times the normal number of responses, resulting in percentages that we believe do not reflect the opinions of our typical poll participants. This particular poll question was targeted by a blog site operated by a self-professed "godless liberal" who teaches biology at the University of Minnesota and seems to enjoy targeting our polls (this is not the first time). Blog entries offer a running account of efforts by that group to skew the final results of this poll -- which they were successful in doing.

The president also takes pride in being the first U.S. chief executive to appoint "openly LGBT" candidates to Senate-confirmed positions in the first 100 days of an administration.

He uses the proclamation to emphasize LGBT-related initiatives that he intends to pursue in the future -- both domestically and internationally.

"I have joined efforts at the United Nations to decriminalize homosexual around the world," he states. "Here at home, I continue to support measures to bring the full spectrum of equal rights to LGBT Americans."

Among those measures he lists "hate crimes" laws, civil unions, discrimination in the workplace, adoption rights, and ending the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy "in a way that strengthens our Armed Forces and our national security."

Presidential pandering

Pro-family activist says Peter LaBarbera it is sad, but not surprising, that President Obama has chosen to issue a proclamation celebrating homosexuality. The president of Americans for Truth About Homosexuality says Obama is pandering to homosexual political activists.

"Homosexuality is nothing to be proud of -- bottom line," says LaBarbera. "The fact is people have left the lifestyle, people have overcome homosexuality [with God's help] -- I think that's something to be proud of...."

LaBarbera warns of the repercussions of the president's pursuit of expanded rights for those who are confused about their sexual orientation.

"This proclamation talks about the entire radical homosexual agenda that Obama supports -- including homosexualizing the U.S. military [and] federal so-called 'rights' based on homosexuality, which will impinge on the religious freedoms and freedom of conscience of other Americans."

Christians, he believes, must reach out to homosexuals with the message of the gospel.

Read the official White House proclamation