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05/16/2009
A frustrating week to be an openly gay, American soldier
This week, yours truly has been remiss in overlooking some of the major details that have circled around Don't Ask Don't Tell and, more specifically, the administration's seeming failure to find some concern. Lest you think it's because I'm an apologist for Team Hope and Change, let me assure you: The inability to recruit finger to keyboard was due to the many personal life goings-on that pulled me from my post, not reluctance to criticize the increasingly frustrating inaction on part of Obama/Gibbs/Jim Jones/et al.
So let me make it up by pointing you to a well-researched piece that will (openly) serve to get you up to speed on some of the key points. It comes from The Advocate's uber-intrepid Kerry Eleveld, who has chosen to focus her weekly game of inside gay-ball on the would-be, should-be troops (and would-be, should-be more secure American citizens) who are suffering from the hesitancy of a "why should we?" mindset:
Gibbs said the president had determined that halting the discharges via executive order was not a “lasting or durable solution” and focused again on changing the policy through legislation.
Since the White House seems fixated on congressional action, allow me to point out that while a bill has been introduced in the House, no bill has been “dropped” in the Senate, as they say on the Hill. In fact, I have been sniffing around here for weeks and have yet to find a single sign that the “legislative vehicle” Gibbs speaks of is being pushed forward. I have asked the White House press office for any sign of advancement. Nothing.
View From the Hill [Advocate]
And if you don't feel like reading Kerry's whole piece? Well the bottom line: This ban is still shitty, we as a nation are less secure because of it, more could be done to at least let gays and lesbians know that we're still a priority, and the odd White House hedging is making us think less along the lines of "Yes We Can" and more along the lines of "Can We? Yea?" After this week, many gays/progressives/fans of freedom are starting to realize that if we want to keep this feet-dragging in check, then we must be willing to check our Obama-scrutinizing reluctancy at the needs-to-be-knocked-on door!
Your thoughts
With the spring's amazing(ly good) marriage news our spirits should be up! Except, it reminds me rather of election night '08 - excitement to see Obama win, deep deep disappointment to see my new marriage (15 years together) rejected by the voters of California.
Only now? Encouragement from New England. Yay! Discouraging signs from Obama - assuring CIA torturers that they have nothing to worry about while prosecuting gay servicemembers (with the odd bully-for-you-too-bad-for-you handwritten note thrown in), and the silence on marriage (except for a non-insulting joke? at that silly press dinner). Ye gods.
Posted by: Glenn I | May 16, 2009 6:31:35 PM
We don't have a fully inclusive ENDa or Matthew Shepard Act yet either. WE NEED NEW DEM leadership in Congress!!
More and more I think Obama, is a closet black bigot...unable to think for himself, taking marching orders still from surrogate dad, Rev. Wright.
Now if we could just get Michelle to learn to forge his name, we might get somewhere.
We elected the wrong OBAMA.
Posted by: LOrion | May 17, 2009 12:22:47 AM
The Whitehouse does know what it is doing, however. Did you read the article in the HRC Equaltiy magazine (no online copy available, but I will scan you one if you want it JH)
Where Valerie Jarrett gave a talk to HRCers... Letting them know that Joe would be invited to the Whitehouse often.
There that'll shut him up until 2016!
Posted by: LOrion | May 17, 2009 12:25:22 AM
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