Call it either woefully out of touch with American values or recognition of a widely accepted reality in the U.S.: President Obama, in his traditional Father’s Day proclamation yesterday, made a reference to “two fathers” when praising the valued work done by fathers across the country in all kinds of family settings. This is the first time that any president has recognized gay fathers and follows up on President Obama’s mention of “two mothers” in his Mother’s Day proclamation. In 2010 it no longer comes as a surprise that gay dads and moms are growing in numbers, but official praise of their roles in society, or their part of the fabric of American families, is still hard to come by. Was the President simply catching the country up to the modern 21st century American family or was he playing politics with Father’s Day?
When President Obama spoke to the nation last Thursday with an update on his efforts to plug the gushing oil well in the Gulf of Mexico and on his plans for a new energy policy born out of this ecological disaster, he left much to be desired for both his friends and his critics. Where was the call for an energy “Manhattan Project” that would finally drive this country firmly toward alternative energy sources? Where was the invitation for any and all creative ideas to, in the words of our frustrated President, “plug the damn hole?” While President Obama was short on details and inspirational words in his speech, others are trying to seize the moment to turn the Gulf’s devastation into something more positive for the rest of the country. From legislative efforts to repeal tax breaks for oil companies and incentivize alternative energy production to attempts to implement new safety regulations for oil drilling, something good just might come from this BP-generated mess. What can be learned from our never-ending oil spill?
Secretary of state Hilary Clinton let it slip a few weeks ago that the federal government plans to take Arizona to court over the constitutionality of its anti-illegal immigrant law. How far is the Obama administration willing to wade into the issue? Obama also pledged set a date to meet with Arizona Governor Jan Brewer to hash out the logistics of sending 1,200 additional National Guard troops to the Arizona-U.S. border, after being criticized for not taking faster action after his meeting with Brewer two weeks ago. The law, which would require police investigating another incident or crime to check the immigration status of people they reasonably suspect are in the country illegally, is set to go into effect in about a month. Where does immigration reform legislation stand and what can we expect to see in the next month?
Reacting to the Supreme Court’s decision today to uphold the government’s authority to ban aid to designated terrorist groups, civil rights lawyer Ralph Fertig said he would continue his work on behalf of the Kurds. “We will not let it inhibit our commitment to the Kurdish people,'' he said. In this case, Fertig, representing the Humanitarian Law Project, and physician Nagalingam Jeyalingam, among others, wanted to offer assistance to the Kurdish Workers’ Party in Turkey or Tamil Tigers groups and help move them toward more peaceful and legal activities. Ralph Fertig joins Patt with further reaction to the decision.
It was a dream of an opportunity for Megan Stack. In September 2001, she was 25-years-old, vacationing in Paris and a national correspondent for the Los Angeles Times. After the 9/11 attacks, Stack was quickly made foreign correspondent and transported to Afghanistan and Pakistan. Her initial excitement, though, quickly turned to disgust as she learned of the destruction of war and the deaths of people she interviewed or trusted. Stack reported from the frontlines for seven years, witnessing the capture of Saddam Hussein, the powerful grip of radical Islam, and the struggle for freedom and democracy in Afghanistan and Iraq. Her book “Every man in this village is a liar” traces her journey through war-ravaged Afghanistan and her harrowing experiences as both a journalist and a woman.
Patt Morrison is known for its innovative discussions of local politics and culture, as well as its presentation of the effects of national and world news on Southern California.
