Being abroad in a country with rampant homophobia has certainly made me proud of my fellow AmericansâÄô often more sensible views on sexuality, but it seems President Barack ObamaâÄôs administration itself still has a long way to go when it comes in earning that progressive title.

Not satisfied with barely lifting a finger on the issue of DonâÄôt Ask, DonâÄôt Tell for two years and then subsequently watching it flounder in Congress, the president has now resorted to appealing its suspension by U.S. District Court judge Virginia Phillips, claiming he supports repeal but only through an act of Congress.

I have never heard a more ridiculous argument. Obama himself has benefited from countless civil rights decisions made by the courts, the most well known being Brown v. Board of Education, and now he wants to make the absurd claim that our courtsâÄô long-established roles on issues like discrimination and equality is unconstitutional or improper? Does he wish to say that the U.S. Supreme Court and smaller federal courts have no business resolving cases like Lawrence v. Texas or Loving v. Virginia, that all these decisions are too “activist” for a healthy democracy?

I almost hope this is true, because the other alternative is that the president has no respect for the issue of gay rights and is flaunting the militaryâÄôs bigoted policy in front of independents and conservatives just in time for midterm elections.

I voted for Obama, and I am extremely disappointed with his actions on this important issue.