"I do not support gay marriage. Marriage has religious and social connotations, and I consider marriage to be between a man and a woman." (From the Human Rights Campaign's 2008 Presidential questionnaire) - Barack Hussein Obama

A rash of attacks against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people across the country - including the severe beating of a New York man whose attackers believed he was gay - suggests the number of reported assaults could rise in 2008, an advocacy group said.

The number of reported attacks against people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender increased 24 percent in 2007 over 2006, and they were expected to jump in 2008, said Sharon Stapel, executive director of the New York City Anti-Violence Project.

Officials are still compiling the 2008 figures, which will be released next spring, Stapel said.

The baseball bat beating of Ecuadoran immigrant Jose Sucuzhanay in New York last week was the latest in a number of reported assaults, said the project, which coordinates organizations that document violence against gay and HIV-positive people. The attack left Sucuzhanay, 31, brain dead.

Since the fatal February shooting of Lawrence King, a 15-year-old Los Angeles boy who endured harassment after telling classmates he was gay, "We are witnessing what appears to be an increase in both the occurrence and severity of violence motivated by racism, homophobia and transphobia," Stapel said.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/12/14/MNH214NK0L.DTL&feed=rss.gay

Pastor Rick Warren opposes gay marriage, doesn't believe in evolution and compared abortion to the Holocaust.

Warren represents the absolute worst of the Democrats' religious outreach, a right-winger masquerading as a do-gooder anointed as the arbiter of what it means to be faithful. Obama's religious outreach was intended, supposedly, to make religious voters more comfortable with him and feel included in the Democratic Party. But that outreach now has come at the expense of other people's comfort and inclusion, at an event meant to mark a turning point away from divisive politics.

http://www.alternet.org/election08/113772/a_bigot,_anti-choice_pastor_picked_for_obama%27s_inauguration/?cID=1085627#c1085627

PS It's cost us more than our "comfort", it cost us our civil rights.

It is clear from Leiberman to FISA to repealing Bush's tax cuts for the wealthy to using Rick Warren.....Obama is not the moderate he claimed to be.

Let's just call the next 4 year Bush Dark.

he'll rescind Bush's tax cuts for the wealthy, he'll run a different kind of campaign, he'll bring the people together.

Only an Obama supporter would believe such fantasy.

Bush Dark.

this argument that Obama represents everyone not just gays is absurd.

He exploited the hatred and prejudice of christians to get elected and now he is showing his true colors.

So far Obama has helped Leiberman retain his chairmanship, he voted for FISA, he refuses to rescind Bush's tax cuts for the wealthy, and is now using a well known homophobe who compares abortion to the holocust for the opening prayer.

Obama claims to represent everyone.....so far he has only represented right wing, anti abortion, homophobic, christians.

http://www.alternet.org/election08/113772/conservative_anti-choice_pastor_picked_for_obama%27s_inauguration

by any stretch of the imagination.

It began with Obama's use of well known homophobes to raise money for his campaign earlier this year:

Reverend Donnie McClurkin who said he's "in a war with homosexuality",

Hezekiah Walker the anti-semitic Pentecostal pastor of Brooklyn mega-church the Love Fellowship Tabernacle,

and Mary Mary (a sister act duo) who have compared gays to murderers and prostitutes.

Then we had Obama's use of the christian's hate and prejudice (via prop 8) to help get elected.

Now we have Rick Warren giving the opening prayer.

Whether you agree with him or not the fact is:

Obama is promoting and profiting from discrimination against gays.

Some of you keep arguing that Obama is also using a less bigoted preacher (at the end I might note) but you are missing the point.

Encouraging discrimination against anyone (let alone the murder of the president of another country) is not a valid view and should not be permitted/promoted in any way.

And yes, even though Warren might not come out and directly encourage hate/discrimination during the prayer itself he is getting huge publicity from the event.

Which in turn helps him make more money and gives him a national platform.

PS not to mention the whole idea of a prayer is incompatible with the constitution which requires separation of church and state

when is he going to reach out to the left?

Oh yeah, when he needs money next election. Although considering he pocketed $750 million this time around, he shouldn't need it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/05/us/politics/05donate.html?_r=1&scp=10&sq=obama%20campaign%20funds&st=cse

"I do not support gay marriage. Marriage has religious and social connotations, and I consider marriage to be between a man and a woman." (From the Human Rights Campaign's 2008 Presidential questionnaire) - Barack Hussein Obama

Note to Mr. Obama, being against gay marriage does not qualify you as a fierce supporter.

As usual, Obama says one thing and does the exact opposite.

Hmmm.....where have I seen this behavior before?

The current resident of the white house.

It began with Obama's use of well known homophobes to raise money for his campaign earlier this year:

Reverend Donnie McClurkin who said he's "in a war with homosexuality",

Hezekiah Walker the anti-semitic Pentecostal pastor of Brooklyn mega-church the Love Fellowship Tabernacle,

and Mary Mary (a sister act duo) who have compared gays to murderers and prostitutes.

Then we had Obama's use of the christian's hate and prejudice (via prop 8) to help get elected.

Now we get Rick Warren.

Please Obama no more advocacy for us, we can't take it!!!

but then is how religious people are, they believe in some mythological god instead of facing the realities of life.

And the main core of Obama supporters are religious voters.