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 lobbyApril 20th, 2010
President Obama was in Los Angeles yesterday to raise funds for Senator Barbara Boxer’s reelection campaign. Opponents of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell took the opportunity to draw attention to that issue. (USA Today)
“Repeal ‘don’t ask, don’t tell!” yelled several protesters at a Los Angeles fundraiser for the Democratic Party and Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., referring to the Pentagon’s policy on gay servicemembers.
As the president said he agreed with the request — “we are going to do that; hey, hold on a second, hold on a second” — the protesters began echoing an Obama campaign chant: “Yes, we can! Yes, we can! Yes, we can!”
“Here we go,” Obama replied. “All right — guys, guys, all right. I agree, I agree.”
A little later, Obama pleaded for political solidarity on gay rights and other issues.
“When you’ve got an ally like Barbara Boxer and you’ve got an ally like me who are standing for the same thing, then you don’t know exactly why you’ve got to holler, because we already hear you, all right?,” Obama said to applause.
The problem is, of course, that the President does not appear to hear our community already. And his response at the fundraiser suggests that he is unaware – or unconcerned – about the growing discontent that our community feels from having our issues delayed or dismissed.
We are annoyed that this administration seems incapable of providing a clear, consistent answer about how and when DADT will be overturned. Instead, we hear promises offset by stalling, the Presidents say one thing only to have the Department of Justice say exactly the opposite. We have military leaders contradicting each other in front of Congress and the White House sits silently while our allies in the House and Senate beg him to lend his voice to the cause.
All of this adds to a creeping supposition that this President has little to no intention on capitalizing on a Democrat control of the legislature to fulfill his promises. It feels more and more likely that November will come without action and Republican successes will be used as an excuse to continued institutionalized discrimination for another decade.
President Obama said at one point that the hecklers should go holler at the people who disagree with them. I’m not sure they weren’t doing just that.
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Burr
April 20th, 2010
They should have shouted something about not needing a friggin’ one year study on this.
John
April 20th, 2010
When the crowd was chanting “Yes we can!” the protesters should have retorted with “WHEN???”. This kind of protest by civilians I could support.
Quo
April 20th, 2010
I only wish it were true that Obama, and other American Presidents, ignored your “community.” That way, the US military would still have the sensible policy it did before “don’t ask, don’t tell” was introduced – a complete ban on homosexuals, open or otherwise.
Unfortunately, it’s likely that Obama will eventually permit homosexuals to serve openly. Too bad the Republicans don’t have enough courage or willingness to stand on principle to support a return to a total ban on homosexuals.
Edwin
April 20th, 2010
QUO,
Before the DADT was put into effect there were still gays in the service.
I know for sure cause I was one of them.
I was in in 1965 to 1968. We are going to be there whether you straight people want us there or not.
maybe there should be a total ban on homophobs from serving. Then you would need some of the gays.
The Republicans are the ones that forced the DADT into effect to start with!
Emily K
April 20th, 2010
Go back to the baths, Quo. Think about how “bad” homos are while you’re experiencing how “good” they make you feel.
Burr
April 20th, 2010
Why do you even care about what the U.S. military does as a South African?
Quo
April 20th, 2010
Edwin,
Yes, unfortunately it may be possible to keep homosexuals out of the military entirely. But, since they’re a potentially disruptive element, the military should definitely do everything it can to exclude them.
People who want to join should be asked what their sexual preference is, and if the answer is anything other than “heterosexual”, they should not be permitted in. I totally support the military’s investigation of its soldiers’ private lives to weed out homosexuals.
Burr,
I’m not a South African. I care what the U.S. military does because it’s an important institution that affects other countries as well as the U.S.
Burr
April 20th, 2010
Considering over 20 other militaries have beaten us to the change that boat has long past sailed.
Quo
April 20th, 2010
Burr,
They’ll regret the change eventually. Militaries need to be intolerant.
(I was trying to say “impossible” in my last post, not “possible” – typo trouble again).
Tommy
April 21st, 2010
“Militaries need to be intolerant.”
Yes. Let’s go back to the days of the all-white, all-male military. And cheer them on for killing all those dirty sand people.
You really are repulsive.
Priya Lynn
April 21st, 2010
Quo whines when people call him a troll yet his comments here serve no pupose other than to annoy people – he is nothing but a troll.
Charles
April 22nd, 2010
Quo is a complete troll, stop feeding him.
In any case, about the post: Obama is a liar, but more importantly HRC are traitors to their blood. There needs to be some campaign against them, to make people aware of what they’re doing so they stop donating.
I hope there’s a special place in hell for traitors.
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