While ever enthusiastic to accept LGBT votes and better yet money, the Democrats still demonstrate little true concern for LGBT issues - at least not when it comes to really doing something to make LGBT Americans full citizens. A case in point is the reticence of the Democrats to tackle anti-gay policies like Don't Ask, Don't Tell ("DADT"). At a time when felons, non-citizens and other low quality recruits are being accepted into the military, Congressional Democrats continue to lack the balls to move forward and end DADT. This sad state of affairs was highlighted in an NPR story that quotes Senator Carl Levin as basically absolutely unconcerned about the continued witch hunts and mistreatment of LGBT Americans in the military. Apparently, Levin's attitude is that gays have nowhere else to run politically and, therefore, fu*k em if they don't like what he and his fellow Democrats are doing. As for the comments about the top military brass not supporting the repeal of DADT, their counterparts did not accept the the integration of the military under Harry Truman either, but Truman had the guts and courage to push for what was right - a trait all too lacking in today's Democrat Party. There are truly days where I wonder whether I will live long enough to be an equal citizen in this country. Here are some highlights from the NPR story:
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For those anxious for the Clinton-era law that prohibits openly gay people from serving in the military to be repealed, the wait may be longer than expected. . . . Obama can't simply sign an executive order to overturn the law — he has to persuade Congress to change it. And Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI), who chairs the Armed Services Committee, says he does not expect the issue to be an early priority for lawmakers.
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"I'm going to be working with colleagues to see how much support there is for it," Levin says. "And where along the process we can take that issue up. I just don't think we can give that a high priority, given the situation that we face," like the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the economic meltdown.
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Another question is whether military leaders are ready to see the law repealed. Since it was passed in 1993, more than two dozen retired admirals and generals have come forward to say it should be repealed, including John Shalikashvili, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Colin Powell, also a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, argues that attitudes have evolved since his days on active duty. And Defense Secretary Robert Gates says there's no question the armed forces will follow the lead of Congress and their commander in chief. " 'Don't ask, don't tell' is law — it is a political decision," Gates says. "And if the law changes, we will comply with the law."
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The view that the current policy is working is still widely held among both Republican and Democratic lawmakers. They make the argument that with wars ongoing in Afghanistan and Iraq, now is not the best time to reignite a controversial, possibly disruptive debate within the military. But Aubrey Sarvis, director of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, who is fighting to overturn the law, says it's doable this year. Sarvis says he's talking regularly with Obama's staff and encouraging them to keep their word.
*And [Rep. Ellen Tauscher (D-CA)] Tauscher says the argument about igniting a controversial debate is nonsense. "I would only say that it is always the right time to right a wrong," she says. "And this has been a very big wrong." The congresswoman calls repealing the law "the last big piece of civil rights legislation left." Tauscher plans to introduce the legislation, but she's still waiting to see when the Obama White House will start fighting to allow gays to serve openly in the U.S. armed forces.
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It looks to me like the LGBT community needs to start inundating their representatives and Senators in Congress to make it clear that gutless hand ringing will equate in loss votes and a decline in monetary contributions.
http://michael-in-norfolk.blogspot.com/ Wednesday, February 25, 2009 0
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