As President, Barack Obama is working to deny equal rights to gay and lesbian Americans. This week, Obama sent his lawyers out to argue that the Defense of Marriage Act, legislation that blocks marriage equality at the national level, should be maintained.

Among the arguments Obama used to justify the Defense of Marriage Act is that the law does not discriminate against same-sex couples because it allows gay men to marry women just like heterosexual men can, and it allows lesbians to marry men just like heterosexual women can. That Obama would make such an argument with a straight face is in itself cause for concern. It’s as ridiculous as claiming that racial segregation of school children is not discrimination so long as children of all ethnic backgrounds have the equal ability to go to school with other children of their own ethnicity.

It ought to be clear now that, in spite of the hopes of 2008, gay and lesbian Americans cannot rely on Barack Obama to respect their standing as equal citizens deserving protection under the law. That’s why, for Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign, the message self respecting GLBT Americans will give to Obama is No we can’t.