Wednesday, December 15, 2010

DADT Repeal One Step Closer to Reality

From CNN:
Washington (CNN) -- The House of Representatives voted Wednesday to overturn the ban on openly gay and lesbian soldiers serving in the U.S. military, passing legislation repealing the controversial "don't ask, don't tell" policy.

The bill -- a so-called "standalone" measure not tied to any other legislative items -- passed 250 to 175 in a virtual party-line vote. It now advances to the Senate.

The House previously passed a repeal of the ban as part of a larger defense spending authorization bill, but the measure stalled last week in the Senate.

"Now is the time for us to act," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California. "We should honor the service of all who want to contribute" to America's security. "Repealing 'don't ask, don't tell' makes for good public policy."

"Discrimination is wrong," declared Rep. John Lewis, D-Georgia. "On the battlefield it does not matter who you love. Only the flag that you serve." House passes 'don't ask, don't tell' repeal

That was not a close vote.

Of course because the Republicans threaten to filibuster everything they need 60 votes there to pass a bill. It is thought that they have it. We'll see. This just might happen.

19 Comments:

Anonymous David S. Fishback said...

The Marine Corps Commandant is being vociferous in opposition. He seems to fear that gay Marines will not be tough enough or that straight Marines will be uncomfortable knowing that some of their colleagues are gay.

My understanding is that if someone did not meet really high standards for toughness, then that person didn't make it into the Marines. So why would the Marines who pass those tests suddenly be deemed to be insufficiently tough if they are honest about their sexual orientation?

And would a straight Marine who is afraid of serving next to a tough, gay Marine really feel threatened? If he is that tough, why should he feel threatened?

Sadly, I suspect the answer is simply ignorance and bigotry. The same answer as to why so many white soldiers in 1948 did not want to serve alongside blacks.

Will enough Republicans be tough enough to resist this prejudice? We will find out soon enough.

December 15, 2010 11:22 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It's a shame that the Black community allows the gay community to shamelessly hijack its history and claim common ground.

December 15, 2010 11:53 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"The House of Representatives voted Wednesday to overturn the ban on openly gay and lesbian soldiers serving in the U.S. military, passing legislation repealing the controversial "don't ask, don't tell" policy."

big deal

they've already done that before in the past year

"The bill passed 250 to 175 in a virtual party-line vote. That was not a close vote."

of course not

it was brazenly passed by a bunch of lame ducks who were clearly unselected by the American people a few weeks ago

a coming reform: after elections, no Congress should take any action short of a national emergency

""Now is the time for us to act," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California. "We should honor the service of all who want to contribute" to America's security. "Repealing 'don't ask, don't tell' makes for good public policy.""

that's for the American voter to decide

we are a democracy

""Discrimination is wrong," declared Rep. John Lewis, D-Georgia."

actually, that depends on the basis of discrimination

some discrimination is right

"Of course because the Republicans threaten to filibuster everything they need 60 votes there to pass a bill.It is thought that they have it."

they may, but the issue is whether there is time to push it through with the legislators who have been rejected before they have to go

there's a lot of important things on the agenda

demolishing the Marine Corps is not high on the lunatic list

"Will enough Republicans be tough enough to resist this prejudice?"

reminded of the Ben Stiller nutty character in the dodge ball comedy:

"I don't like drinking my own urine every day but I do it!"

aversion to unpleasantness is not a lack of toughness

deft use of propaganda, though, David

December 16, 2010 12:10 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Israel allowed openly gay people to serve in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) since 1993. In 2000, a study conducted of the implementation of this IDF policy change found:

* There is no evidence that the inclusion of homosexuals in the IDF has harmed operational effectiveness, combat readiness, unit cohesion, or morale in the Israeli military. In a security-conscious nation, this is simply not a concern among military personnel or the public more generally.

* Contrary to the claims of some American experts, some Israeli soldiers in combat units do come out of the closet. Even in these cases, Israeli officials report no deterioration of unit cohesion or performance.

* Security and mental health officials for the IDF have found that sexual minorities adapt to military life as well as heterosexuals. Scholars studying the issue have also determined that gay combat soldiers adopt similar methods of adjusting to military life as their heterosexual colleagues. Homosexuality appears to be peripheral to these soldiers preoccupations, and they reveal few problems associated with their sexual orientation.

December 16, 2010 8:46 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

so what?

December 16, 2010 8:57 AM  
Anonymous when the going gets tough said...

semi-tough:

"(Dec. 15) -- A leading activist fighting to end the ban on homosexuals serving openly in the military was involuntarily committed to a psychological ward this weekend after a nervous breakdown.

Lt. Dan Choi, who was arrested three times this year for chaining himself to the White House fence to urge the Obama administration to end the "don't ask, don't tell" policy, has been in the VA hospital since Friday in Brockton, Mass.

Choi, reached by phone said, "I'm not talking to reporters right now."

The 29-year-old Iraq war veteran and West Point graduate was discharged from the U.S. Army in July after coming out in March 2009 on MSNBC's "The Rachel Maddow Show." Since then, he has been a ubiquitous presence on TV talk shows and at protests demanding the end of the military policy.

In an e-mail to bloggers Pam Spaulding and Rex Wockner, Choi wrote: "I was involuntarily committed to the Brockton MA Veterans Hospital Psychiatric Ward on Friday morning after experiencing a breakdown and anxiety attack.

"I did not initially want to publicize this. The failures of government and national lobbying carry consequences far beyond the careers and reputations of corporate leaders, elected officials, high-powered lobbyists or political elites. They ruin lives.

"My breakdown was a result of a cumulative array of stressors but there is no doubt that the composite betrayals felt on Thursday, by elected leaders and gay organizations as well as many who have exploited my name for their marketing purposes, have added to the result."

Choi's last post to his Twitter feed before his hospitalization bemoaned the failure last week by the U.S. Senate to proceed with a vote to end the gay military ban: "Today is a very painful day."

It was unclear who committed Choi or under what circumstances. In Massachusetts, records related to commitment are not public unless a government entity such as the police file charges against a citizen. A clerk in the Plymouth County courts said there were no recent charges against Choi.

Choi's fellow activists were not surprised by the turn of events. Robin McGehee, a co-founder with Choi of the civil disobedience protest organization GetEQUAL, said the stress was clearly overwhelming Choi.

"He's been suffering from exhaustion and continual work on this, the emotional and physical toll of being in what feels like a battle since the very beginning of this year," said McGehee who was arrested along with Choi those three times in Washington, D.C., and once in Las Vegas.

"He's had highs and lows. Last week, with the debacle of what happened in the Senate, it was very tough.""

December 16, 2010 9:05 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"Anonymous"
You appear to be devoid of amy scintilla of humanity and compassion. Such a pity!

December 16, 2010 9:57 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

So what?

So the facts discovered by the study conducted of the Israel Defense Force after it allowed gays to serve openly demonstrate that the US Marine leader's fear that the Marine Corps will be "demolished" if gay and straight combat troops serve together is based on his own fear and ignorance.

December 16, 2010 10:11 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I could see it working in Israel, as I believe they'd prosecute evenly, no matter the sexual orientation.

In the US, it would be a big mess, with the gays getting away with everything and the straights going to jail for daring to complain that they were assaulted. We could have a full-on assault of a straight guy, and he'd be branded as a "homophobe."

December 16, 2010 10:14 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

In your and General Amos' dreams.

Your and Amos' statements are based on fear and ignorance.

December 16, 2010 10:25 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"You appear to be devoid of amy scintilla of humanity and compassion."

I notice you can't spell

are you gay?

"the facts discovered by the study conducted of the Israel Defense Force after it allowed gays to serve openly demonstrate that the US Marine leader's fear that the Marine Corps will be "demolished" if gay and straight combat troops serve together is based on his own fear and ignorance."

no, they don't

we face widespread decline in re-enlistment if DADT is repealed, especially in the Marines

the polls show broad repulsion of Marines to letting gaysexuals in

we can reinstate the draft but it will demolish the character of service, between the flood of gays and those forced to serve

it'll be a Barack 2012 issue

"In your and General Amos' dreams.

Your and Amos' statements are based on fear and ignorance."

General Amos has made a correct judgment based on the facts. See above.

December 16, 2010 12:29 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"I notice you can't spell"

And of course, "Anonymous" or would you prefer "Mr. Perfect" you have never made a typing error in your entire life. We expect such infantile comments from you, of course.

Speaking of life...why don't you get one?

"we face widespread decline in re-enlistment if DADT is repealed, especially in the Marines...the polls show broad repulsion of Marines to letting gaysexuals in"

(1) Good...then maybe we can stop the insanity of this futile war and the killing of innocent citizens and causing life-long injuries to our young men and women.

(2) Oh...those manly Marines! Imagine, having been trained to kill other humans, being afraid of getting undressed and possibly having some other Marine peeping at their inadequate equipment?!!

And as far as instituting a draft, let's go for it. We will then find out how many people (including you, Anon)really want to "save the world for democracy".

Your sacrifce would definitely be appreciated.

December 16, 2010 2:48 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"then maybe we can stop the insanity of this futile war and the killing of innocent citizens and causing life-long injuries to our young men and women"

see, gays don't want to advance the military's mission

they want to advance the gay agenda and undermine our security

"Imagine, having been trained to kill other humans, being afraid of getting undressed and possibly having some other Marine peeping at their inadequate equipment?!!"

when you start saying things like this it just shows of out of touch you are

aversion to perversion is not fear

"And as far as instituting a draft, let's go for it."

thanks for giving us the gay position

the American voter needs to know about this

btw, thanks for using your spell check

December 16, 2010 3:06 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Several Republican senators announced they were ready to vote in favor of a stand-alone bill that would repeal the long-standing DADT policy. Senators Scott Brown of Massachusetts and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska said Thursday that they would support it, a day after Senator Olympia J. Snowe of Maine did the same.

December 16, 2010 6:30 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

yes, but will the Senate have time to bring it up?

does anyone really think it's that important to make sure homosexuals can share their true feelings with soldiers?

should we skip the defense authorization bill and the START treaty?

because, really, what point is there in world peace if homosexuals can't hang Playgirl pinups in the baracks?

December 16, 2010 8:25 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Today's polls show that 60% of the American public want us to get out of Afghanistan. That makes you, "Anonymous", anti-American.

"gays don't want to advance the military's mission...they want to advance the gay agenda and undermine our security" Pathetic, really pathetic; sounds like an elementary school-yard "na, na, ne, na na" taunt - really intelligent!

"thanks for giving us the gay position...the American voter needs to know about this" Time to call out the lynch mob, huh?

Oh, btw...what are your military credentials?

December 16, 2010 9:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"Today's polls show that 60% of the American public want us to get out of Afghanistan. That makes you, "Anonymous", anti-American."

I don't think I've argued for the Afghan action here

most of the military supports the mission there, though, so why do gays want to join up with them?

they just want to achieve some symbolic milepost on the road to a fake legitimacy, regardless of the damage to our national security

not everyone is meant to do everything

""gays don't want to advance the military's mission...they want to advance the gay agenda and undermine our security" Pathetic, really pathetic; sounds like an elementary school-yard "na, na, ne, na na" taunt - really intelligent!"

actually, it bears no resemblance to that and facts are facts

""thanks for giving us the gay position...the American voter needs to know about this" Time to call out the lynch mob, huh?"

typical postmodernist thought

treating disagreement as an act of violence

sad...

"Oh, btw...what are your military credentials?"

I'm proudly not trying to destroy the military

December 16, 2010 9:41 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"typical postmodernist thought" = gobbledegook

December 18, 2010 9:44 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

so, why do you act as if disagreement is an act of violence?

December 18, 2010 5:56 PM  

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