Box Turtle Bulletin
News and commentary about the anti-gay lobby“Now you must raise your children up in a world where that union of man and box turtle is on the same legal footing as man and wife…”
News and commentary about the anti-gay lobbyMay 20th, 2009
This time, it’s a highly decorated 18-year veteran fighter pilot, Lt. Colonel Victor Fehrenbach. Meanwhile, the Pentagon says they are not drawing up any plans for dismantling “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
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JJQR
May 20th, 2009
A “highly decorated” fighter pilot. As others have said : this isn’t just an issue of same-sex rights, it’s also one of national security. The military is losing some great people.
Ben in Oakland
May 20th, 2009
It’s time for an ad in the new york times– this guy, Dan choi, that woman that Oabma wrote to, the iraqi veteran that lost a leg.
i’d contribute.
Gary
May 20th, 2009
Every time I see one of these reports I get physically ill. . .literally bawling my eyes out & throwing up.
And why does it seem that so many of these “investigations” come up when a soldier is within 2 years of a retirement/pension?
Who is doing the telling and asking?
Fehrenbach is an American Hero who deserves much more than a pension for his service to our country.
I would hope for a massive “coming out” of american servicemembers, but I know that’s not realistic.
Disgusting.
I call for a reinstatement option and reparation for all servicemembers discharged under DADT.
paul j stein
May 20th, 2009
Lt. Colonel Victor Fehrenbach loosing his career is the exact reason I did not enlist in the USAF. I refused to lie about my sexuality, was encouraged to “not tell” anyone, sign on the line and go be a “Pilot in the service of our country”. After repeated phone calls for 9 months my mother told them “He’s GAY and will always be gay and won’t lie for you or anyone about it”. “call again and I will personally tell you about it”. The recruiter never called back. I didn’t tell my dad (Army Air Corps WWII)until he was dying of cancer 30 years later. It’s the soldiers who are serving who will be loosing out on talent keeping them safe. It’s the f**king idiots at the Pentagon who are not in harms way that need to get their ass shot at and blown the f**k up. Then they may appreciate the skills of GAY and LESBIAN service members.
Gary
May 20th, 2009
We should be holding parades honoring these brave people, and holding them up, and no, not in SF, in their hometowns.
We must figure out ways to support the futures of these Men and Women in society and career in the wake of their discriminatory firings.
Keep the feet of the white house in the fire on this and other issues and keep asking the questions, een though we know their will be a non-answer.
Eddie89
May 20th, 2009
This is not related to DADT, but there is a movement to send President Obama “Don’t Flip Flop On DOMA” cards.
Here’s the link:
http://domaflipflop.com/
Perhaps something similar like this for DADT would also work?
Ben in Oakland
May 20th, 2009
All of these people are standing up and getting publicity for it– something that usually doesn’t happen. These people are true heroes.
As I will say again and again and again– it’s coming out that matters, standing up, being visible. The enemy is not the religious and social right wing. It is the closet. As long as we maintain the closet, we are doing the bigot’s work for them, as always. That makes the enemy not them, but us.
It is why Prop. 8 won– because the campaign was run from the closet with a closet-dominated mindset, because shame was the apposite word, not pride.
It would be too much to hope for a mass coming out in the Military, but that is exactly what is necessary. If a thousand good soldiers stood up AT ONCE and said, we’re here, we’re queer, get used to it SIR!, Obama and congress would not be able to ignore the obvious. They would have to do something, and I suspect that this time it would not be the dog-and-pony show that Chicken Bill and Same Nunn engaged in last time. I would hope Obama would check with Dan Choi’s units and co-workers and verify what he has said.
But we can’t expect Obama to know what do do, or to do it. We can only hope for honesty from him, which so far, I believe he has. But we must stand up for ourselves, as ourselves. Obama can’t be counted on to do it, but I think he is smart and compassionate enough to see it as an opportunity to end DADT by the popular acclamation of the people getting behind the true heroes– gay men and women who are great soldiers and want to deserve their countries.
And the best way they can serve it now is by standing up and making sure they are being counted. Ending DADT should be a major military mission. It is in the nest interests of our military, our country, and if it drop kicks the bigots one step further to the sidelines, the best interest of humanity. They are losing ground, and will continue to lose it. If DADT goes, I don’t see marriage as all that far behind it.
Ben in Oakland
May 20th, 2009
sorry, should have read “want to SERVE” their country…
…which doesn’t deserve them at the moment.
John
May 20th, 2009
I sent the following message to the White House and will be sending similar ones to my senators and representative. I plan to do this each and every time I hear one of these cases. I encourage others to do the same. It is time our nation’s leaders recognized their responsibilities.
Dear White House,
I voted for President Obama. I contributed to his campaign. President Obama promised to repeal Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. So far he appears to have done nothing.
Why did President Obama allow LTC Victor Fehrenbach to be dismissed from the military under this despicable policy? What plans does President Obama have to compensate LTC Fehrenbach for this injustice that will deny him the retirement benefits he would have earned if allowed to complete 20 years? When is President Obama going to fulfil his promise to REPEAL (not change) this policy?
Sinderely,
homer
May 20th, 2009
I’m becoming very perturbed with Obama. I feel sorry for the next Democratic fundraiser who calls me. They will be getting a lecture from me.
David C.
May 20th, 2009
Eventually, these high-profile discharges are very likely to raise the ire of the country and galvanize the fair minded and true patriot citizen into action. It would be hard for any activist to make a more compelling argument for repealing DADT than this very example.
The effect of this manifestly irrational policy is to punish demonstrated patriotism and jeopardize the security of the nation. Its supporters are essentially traitors to the cause of freedom and everything this country stands for.
Richard W. Fitch
May 21st, 2009
After 8 years of the Cheny-Bush administration, it is a bit unfair to expect Obama to cure all the problems of our nation in less than 6 months. Between the economy at home and the wars in Iraq-Afghanistan this administration has its hands full. Granted, I would like to hear some positive things said by Obama regarding DADT and DOMA, but I am willing to wait for the right moment. And hopefully the right moment is not far down the road.
Jason D
May 21st, 2009
“Eventually, these high-profile discharges are very likely to raise the ire of the country and galvanize the fair minded and true patriot citizen into action.”
Which is why I’m hopeful that Maddow, Oprah, The View, etc, etc, etc, start profiling these discharges every time they happen. I think putting faces (and let’s admit it, camera-friendly faces) on these American Heroes makes it a lot harder for people to continue to support DADT.
I think it would help if not only our straight allies, but also those who only agree with us on this one issue started helping us put Obama’s feet to the fire on this one.
I’m all for being patient, but that certainly doesn’t mean we have to shut up while we wait. Perhaps we have to wait until after the 2010 election cycle, but part of me thinks that come December 1st 2010, someone will say we have to wait until after the 2012 election cycle.
I understand not wanting to repeat Clinton’s mistake, but Clinton didn’t have the kind of support numbers that we do now on this issue.
But we don’t need to keep just on Obama, we need to contact our reps and our senators — somebody’s gotta introduce the legislation somewhere.
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