I can't recall the number of times I had to defend Obama for his inaction on LGBT issues. During the campaign, many were divided between Hillary and Barack. Hill-dog was beloved by the community and seen as a great advocate for minority rights. Barack had past legal briefings where he wrote his support for LGBT equality when it related to his time as a lawyer. Both attended the first forum focused on LGBT issues hosted by Logo and were top performers. I preferred Kucinich and Gravel's statements since I am a crazy left winger.

Anyrate, back on topic - Obama secured the nomination, and presidency all while mentioning LGBT issues. So my thinking, along with most others, was that we'd get a lot of action done with Obama. Well, once the global economy was saved. Then when issues with the Iraq and Afghanistan war were under control. And when healthcare was (if ever) solved. And so on, so on, so on. So much time went by, most in the LGBT community were getting testy on the President's inaction. The administration did see some progress with a number of LGBT appointments (including the first federal trans appointment), the Matthew Shepard Act was signed, and expansion of gov't benefits for domestic partnership. But not much else.

After almost a year of not much we're getting queer love from the White House, right now in the form of getting rid of Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

Now another opportunity presents itself where President Obama can really be the "Fierce Advocate" he claims he is for LGBT issues (http://tinyurl.com/3ubz7q). And after seeing the browbeating Obama gave to Republicans Saturday in Baltimore, I am almost giddy with what he may say.

All it requires is Obama to attend a prayer breakfast and denounce the hosts.

So far painfully silent on Uganda's "Kill The Gays" Bill, will President Obama address that very issue when he attends the National Prayer Breakfast? It's the annual event where right-wing conservatives assert their power in Washington D.C., and it's the perfect opportunity for Obama to play catch up with an African crisis he's pretending doesn't exist.

For decades, every sitting president has RSVP'd to The Family's annual breakfast, but contrary to his predecessor, Obama has nixed the group's "National Prayer Day" from its standing place in the White House that Bush II helped preserve (http://tinyurl.com/djmw9x). A small (hopeful) step but that doesn't mean Obama is immune to the breakfast's calling.

He doesn't want to piss off this group of powerful, faith-hungry politicos and power brokers, so he'll attend the closed-to-the-press event on Thursday (http://tinyurl.com/yg25wk5).

But expect to hear what's discussed, as Obama's traveling press pool will attend. And it's there we'll see whether Obama
1) cracks jokes about the Family (aka The Foundation) and its involvement in harboring a few sex scandal-plagued elected officials; and
2) addresses the group's abhorrent ties to Uganda's politicians and faith leaders pushing for legislation that would severely punish and possibly execute gays in Uganda.

It would end what's been a lengthy period of ignoring the issue. Although Sec. of State Hillary Clinton has addressed the issue in public comments, the president has not. Now this leads one to think of two things:
1) This lends weight to the argument he doesn't believe the state-sponsored execution of an entire class of people should be considered an issue of importance.
2) Hill-dog knows of the problem, as well as a number in Congress. One would think (hope) Obama would too. Denouncing the group and their link to the bill at their lauded event would ensure maximum damage to the bill, its supporters, and The Family all while bolstering Obama in the LGBT community.

Since I am ever the optimist, I go with option 2.

And while The Family's members have, in public and private, denied connections to Uganda's Kill The Gays bill, the group will be forever associated with the ills taking place there. And there's plenty of evidence, that more than "suggests" its involvement.

So while groups are calling for the president to skip the breakfast (http://tinyurl.com/yd9y988), if he makes good on his invite, his time would best be spent speaking out on a bill that's condemning our brothers abroad. It would be the Christian thing to do.