It was forty years ago this week that the first real spark of the Gay Rights Movement took place in a discreet, small bar in New York City where homosexuals were known to gather. Following an unjust and unfounded inspection of the bar, police raided it... causing mass uproar and scenes of violence. You could say these people who began protesting at that moment in time, are the true disciples and voices of Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., and so many other Civil Rights leaders of the era that were brave enough to stand up for equality even when it wasn't the most popular or convenient time to do so.

Yesterday, President Obama hosted a gay pride reception for those in the LGBT community, and briefly spoke of the issues surrounding the controversial topic. Alas, while his words were; unsurprisingly, inspirational, he once again proves his own tendency to say one thing and do another. Perhaps one of the biggest achievements made since the administration took office six months ago was the inclusion of full health benefits for same-sex couples employed by the federal government - an act that was initiated not by President Obama himself, but Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Ironic, considering the LGBT community has been promised for two years that action would be taken against the Defense of Marriage Act (which essentially denies basic rights to same-sex couples), and the LGBT community fittingly responded to these promises by overwhelmingly voting for him in the general election (70% of all LGBT voted for Obama.... not that that should be surprising to anyone).

Now, I'm not going to sit here and say that Obama's first priority should have been to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and work on legalizing same-sex marriage, obviously there are more immediate and pressing matters to deal with (a failing economy, nuclear proliferation, you know, small stuff like that). But that doesn't mean that he should be excused for ignoring these problems that are very real. Where was he in the past few months when states like Maine, Vermont, and Iowa legalized same-sex marriage? Where were his supportive statements that are so critically needed at a time where the conservative right would love nothing more than to be able to use Obama's own hesitations against the movement?

The lesson to be learned here, as usual, is that if you want something done and done right then it's best to take matters into your own hands. Politicians are about as reliable as the starving stray cat outside your door; eager to use you for your food andresources when in need, but incapable of giving back. But that's what civil rights movements have always been about: helping yourself. When society kicks you down and counts you out, that's when it's your moment to rise up stronger than ever.

And in the forty years since the Stonewall Riots, that's what we've done.