Asks AfroCity, a moderate-conservative Republican blogger in Chicago, Ill.:, about the gay vote in America. She argues that President Obama is moving slow on gay rights issues because he doesn’t want to alienate black voters: “Understandably, many gay voters deplore President Obama’s slow rate of progress in establishing gay rights and equality, particularly in the arenas of marriage and the military. As early as February 2010, U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Michael Mullen will testify at a congressional hearing on the ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’ policy concerning gays serving openly in the military.

 Don’t Ask Don ‘t Tell, challenges conservatives to come to terms with their idea of a strong military. Who should and should not serve? Should gays and lesbians in the military be allowed to speak out about their personal lives? Can they marry on base like straight soldiers? Currently, many gays have been discharged from service who were excellent soldiers and offered valuable skills such as weapons or language capabilities which should under ‘normal’ circumstance render them indispensable. Despite President Obama pledging to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, the pink vote has noticed his annoying tendency to waffle as he has done with so many other campaign promises he made to liberals.”

She takes issue with a Wall Street Journal article on many gays’ frustration with President Barack Obama: “Afrocity wonders, who exactly is this ‘minority of bigots’ the WSJ opinion piece is referring to? Minority…Hmmm. That is an interesting choice of words. We all know that there is a perception gap between Obama supporters and supporters of gay rights. African Americans have been rather consistent in their lack of open armed embrace for the gay community. An African America[n] vote for Obama does not not necessarily translate into a pink vote.

While the gay culture within the black community as been somewhat acknowledged with the advent of ‘Black Gay Pride Week’ and an increase in openly gay black celebrities such as Wanda Sykes, the black gay movement still seems wholly autonomous. There is cultural tension between African Americans, gays, and religion. I believe this is the reason for Obama’s waffling on gay rights. The black church ain’t having that and Obama knows it. To appease one group means offending another. As progressive as Barack Obama professes to be, he still owes much of his election to African Americans who do not support gay rights. This dilemma will continue to haunt the pink vote which has become the battered stepchild of the Obama administration. Like the anti-war moonbats such as Code Pink, Obama has slept with you, now it is time for gays and lesbians to put on their clothes and take the walk of shame bus back home. I promise that Obama is very much so ever ‘into you’. He will call you in oh, say 2011.”

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AfroCity is a moderate-conservative Republican blogger in Chicago