Obama was happy to take gay money and he sure talks a good game. But the truth is that Obama is not interested in LGBT civil rights and we should do nothing to support his agenda. At least with Republicans you know where you stand and there aren't nasty surprises and painful disappointments.
Keith & Dustin
· 4 months ago
I think Obama knows by now he will have an almost impossible task of getting money, votes, or support from the gay community in 2012. I'm hoping Dennis Kucinich will run, I will support him if he does. Obama can lick my ass.
bobbicw
· 4 months ago
We're all accustomed to emailing politicians when we want to influence them, so why aren't we emailing Gates en massr to let him know how we feel? Does the man even have an email?
eclare
· 4 months ago
John, I think you're misreading the statute here. The conjunction between clause 1 and 2 is an "and" rather than an "or," so both conditions need to be met. Therefore the Sec of Def may only decline to outprocess a servicemember if that servicemember is actively trying to avoid military service.
Naturally this makes no sense. Why would you kick out somebody who wants to be there and yet refuse to let someone leave who wants to?
John Aravosis
· 4 months ago
I think you might be right.
alex02139
· 4 months ago
You assume that there is a rational basis for decisions under DADT, which is not the case. The language of the regulations is irrelevant because the problem is not regulatory: DADT is a form of legalized discrimination and the operational needs of the Defense Department are evidently secondary to its homophobic identity. The regulations concerning DADT make no sense because prejudice and bigotry never make sense are not intended to make sense.
SteveW
· 4 months ago
That's exactly right.
The President has the authority in another section of the Code temporarily to suspend DADT and a host of other rules in the event of a national emergency, and the President has the sole authority to determine when there is such an emergency. You can read more about it in a detailed Palm Center report at http://www.palmcenter.org/files/active/0/Execut...
Something else that is sickening is the military is allowing criminals (young men and women with serious fucking police records) into the military and that is greatly affecting order and discipline, while at the same time they are kicking gays out saying they aren't fit for service. The military is supposed to be a professional organization. And all Obama and Gates are doing is talking about changing DADT sometime in the future, maybe. An intelligent leader would have immediately stopped hiring criminals and allowed gays to serve with honor, but hey, isn't military intelligence an oxymoron?
Mateo1970
· 4 months ago
Either gays are excluded from being honest about themselves as hets are, or they are required to lie (there is no such thing as don't ask don't tell among 18-25 year old soldiers - sexual comments or conversations are normal). So we have a very simple solution.
With Obama, Gibbs, and Gates spinning with so much double-speak, I can guarantee there solution will be a variation of this: they will begrudgingly allow gays to serve, but the new policy will have some convoluted bullshit specifically banning gays from a whole list of graphic sex acts. Of course those prohibitions are already in the UCMJ and apply to both gays and hets. But Right-Wingers in the military will demand the new policy have a lot of condemnatory language as though to chastise gays.
timncguy
· 4 months ago
isn't it about time some reporter ASKS what they mean by "change" compared to their previous language PROMISING "repeal"?
All Comments
Naturally this makes no sense. Why would you kick out somebody who wants to be there and yet refuse to let someone leave who wants to?
The President has the authority in another section of the Code temporarily to suspend DADT and a host of other rules in the event of a national emergency, and the President has the sole authority to determine when there is such an emergency. You can read more about it in a detailed Palm Center report at http://www.palmcenter.org/files/active/0/Execut...
With Obama, Gibbs, and Gates spinning with so much double-speak, I can guarantee there solution will be a variation of this: they will begrudgingly allow gays to serve, but the new policy will have some convoluted bullshit specifically banning gays from a whole list of graphic sex acts. Of course those prohibitions are already in the UCMJ and apply to both gays and hets. But Right-Wingers in the military will demand the new policy have a lot of condemnatory language as though to chastise gays.