Stop Making Excuses For This Guy!! (Correction)
By Rabble Rouser Reverend Amy on June 10, 2009 at 10:01 AM in Civil Liberties & Rights, Commander in Chief, Democrats, Don't Ask Don't Tell, GLBT, Gay Rights, Harry Reid, Hillary Clinton, Obama's Broken Promises, Soldiers/Veterans, Speaker Nancy Pelosi
“This Guy” being President Obama, and the ones making excuses for him are people in the LGBT community. In this particular instance, I mean over “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Yes, the Supreme Court has rejected a challenge to “DADT” in the case of Infantryman, and JAG officer, James Pietrangelo II (H/T to Soldier4Hillary for mentioning this result). And, the Obama Administration declined to weigh in on it, as this article details, Supreme Court Rejects Challenge To ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell‘ in reference to another officer who lost her job:
Valerie Larabee, a ten-year veteran of the Air Force who retired in 1995 is proud of her service and now runs the Utah Pride Center. The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday refused to hear arguments in a case challenging the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. (Francisco Kjolseth/The Salt Lake Tribune)In her final year in the military, Air Force mortuary officer Valerie Larabee was called upon to care for four families grieving the suicides of fellow airmen.
“It really impacted me emotionally, but I couldn’t even go to the base chaplain to talk about it, because I was just so fearful,” she said. “I knew that he would ask, ‘Who else do you have in your life that can help comfort you?’ And I knew I couldn’t tell him.”
The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear arguments Monday in a case challenging the constitutionality of the military’s controversial “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, which bans openly gay people from serving in the U.S. military.
Gay-rights activists, including Larabee, the director of the Utah Pride Center, decried the court’s decision, which let stand a lower court ruling in favor of the ban. They said it would permit the military to continue to treat tens of thousands of gay and lesbian service members as second-class citizens.“I am really hopeful about how things are going in our country right now and I feel like we have some tremendous opportunities,” Larabee said. “But this is disappointing.”
She’s hopeful? Why? Does she know something we don’t? Ahem. I assume she means because of Obama, though honestly - I just continue to be boggled by this - he has done NOTHING for our community, and CONTINUES to do nothing, and people STILL think he will?? Oh, but wait - there are REASONS why we’re at the back of the bus:
Noting the ongoing wars and the nation’s floundering economy, Larabee said she understands there are other pressing matters for Congress, the White House and the nation’s highest court to consider.“But do I think our issues are every bit as important as those? Yes, I absolutely do,” she said, adding that she wished the court would have taken up the case.
But ya know what? If our President and Congress can decide to take over our banks and our private companies in such a short amount of time, something that was NOT on the (SPOKEN) Obama agenda, why the hell haven’t they gotten to this?? I mean, really - they have a MAJORITY - they should be able to take care of this in one day, right? That is, if they really intend to do anything about it. Here, I’ll even write it for them: “Because ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” treats US Citizens in an unequal manner under the law; because we are losing tremendous assets as a result of this flawed law; because being homosexual does not in anyway impede one’s ability to serve one’s country as numerous allies have well demonstrated; we hereby repeal this biased law, and will reinstate ALL military personnel dismissed under this law who wish to return to service immediately.” There ya go. I’m giving you that for free. No charge. Take it.
Ahem. Then, maybe we could get back people like Lt. Choi, and Larabee:
Larabee spent 10 years in an Air Force uniform before resigning her commission in 1995 — two years after the Clinton-era law, which was thought of by many as a step forward for gay rights — went into effect. She said that she would have liked to have continued serving her country, but she couldn’t keep living a lie.“I would still be in the military today if I didn’t have to lie about who I am,” she said. “My military service is the thing that I’m most proud of in my life.”
Having to keep secrets from those who are supposed to be brothers and sisters in arms “ends up causing a lot of anxiety,” she said. “It’s shameful that we should have to do that.”
Uh, yeah - that’s putting it mildly. Once again, people seem to be lieve the rhetoric instead of the reality:
But gay service members might not have to keep up the pretense for long. Author Nathaniel Frank said he figures the policy might last another two years, given the country’s need for service members at a time of war and a national sentiment he believes is moving in the direction of gay rights.In his book Unfriendly Fire: How the Gay Ban Undermines the Military and Weakens America , Frank writes that gay service members have been forced out of service since the Revolutionary War. The first recorded case was in 1778, when Lt. Gotthold Enslin was kicked out of the Army in a ceremony in which an officer’s sword was broken over his head after he was caught in bed with another soldier.
Set against 230 years of military history, Frank said, Monday’s ruling is a blip on the radar.
“I wouldn’t think too much of this,” he said. “The court has a tradition of deferring to military and congressional judgment.”
He believes that President Barack Obama, though slow out of the gate on ending the ban as promised during his campaign, “still wants and needs this — and it should be played out not in the courts, but at the White House and in Congress.”
I mean, really - if Obama can take the time to give a command for Stephen Colbert’s hair to be cut, you don’t think he can place a phone call to Pelosi and Reid and tell them to get this done NOW? Please. Okay. Just keep telling yourself that if it makes you feel better, but bear in mind that this “belief” affects a lot of people.
Still, there is some light on this - not coming from Obama, of course:
There appears to be some movement on the issue in Congress, where California Democratic Rep. Ellen Tauscher has convinced 150 of her House colleagues to co-sponsor a bill that would end the ban. The Obama Administration, meanwhile, has made no specific move toward ending it and has declined to step in to stop the dismissal of gay service members, such as West Point graduate and Iraq War veteran Lt. Dan Choi. He is being processed for discharge from the Army after publicly disclosing that he is gay.In an open letter to the president, the New York National Guard member took issue with the idea that his sexuality was a detriment to good order and discipline in his unit.
Much to the contrary, he wrote, “I refuse to lie to my commanders. I refuse to lie to my peers. I refuse to lie to my subordinates. I demand honesty and courage from my soldiers. They should demand the same from me.”
More than 230 service members (emphasis mine) have been kicked out of the military under the policy since Obama took office, according to the Service Members Legal Defense Fund.
We have only heard about the very tip of the iceberg, as I have said before. We have only heard about people like Lt. Choi who decided to “make a federal case” out of it. TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY service members have already been kicked out. But people like Larabee use the excuse of us being in two wars as a rational for why Obama has not done anything about this yet? That is opposite world thinking, in my opinion - it is PRECISELY because we are in two wars now that we NEED to keep all of the people who are willing to fight for this country, not lose them over some ill-founded, homophobic, backwards, illogical, hateful law. We could USE an Arabic linguist like Lt. Choi at a time like this, don’t you think?
Repeal the law - it cannot POSSIBLY take that long. Like I said, look how fast Obama got some other things done he wanted done. If he wanted this law repealed already, he would have. Rather, Obama chose to not even weigh in on this to the Supreme Court. LOOK AT THE FACTS, not the rhetoric!
Here’s the bottom line to the LGBT community: STOP MAKING EXCUSES FOR THIS GUY. Stop humiliating yourselves hoping, crossing your fingers, and wishing that Obama is going to do right by you because he said he would, or because you think he’s “dreamy.” Had you opened your eyes and paid attention to his actions (or lack thereof) over the course of his political career, or the people with whom he chooses to surround himself, you wouldn’t have picked the guy you thought was “cool.” You would have supported the person who has stood with YOU for years. But you didn’t. And here we are, no farther along for it.
Aren’t you TIRED of begging for the crumbs to drop from the table?? Aren’t you ready to be a guest at the table, where you belong?? All the excuses in the world for Obama do nothing but let him off the hook, and diminish YOU. Seriously, you, we, deserve better. Deep down inside, you must know that is true. At least I HOPE you do…
(Release: November 13)
on sale for only $16.95.
has a spatula.)
8% Off at $11.95, with a rare five-star ranking by 294 customers: 
And check out these: 
("This crazy redhead is on to something. Her pink Rambler story alone is worth the price of the book," writes 
- “Richard Sale’s reportage on Washington, the CIA, the American armed forces, and foreign intrigue has created a perfect background for this account of the steady growth of President Clinton as a master of the game of nations.”--W. Patrick Lang, former head of Middle East Operations, DIA
"Anne C. Heller's stunning biography of Ayn Rand" uses a "plethora of newly unearthed research and fresh insight."
Don’t Ask Don’t Tell is a stupid policy that doesn’t work and hurts our country.
Torture is a stupid policy that doesn’t work and hurts our country.
etc…
Is the U.S. being run by Dumb and Dumber?
You’re on to something Ellen D.
But Larry thinks he is funny so do not criticise the ONE.
Well since everyone is still asleep and refuses to talk about what is really important. The circle is complete now. The supreme court is now officially in Obama’s bag too. I have read the posts that told that Roberts was in the bag for Obama, but did not want to believe it. But what I just heard now on Glenn Beck, DEALERSHIP OWNERS that are being FORCED to sign papers giving up ALL rights to recourse, or to even talk about what is going on. The right to go to court, the right to keep their private property, the right to make a living is being STOLEN out from under them, and the SCOTUS could have stopped it, and let it go. What he is doing clearly is outside of his reach as president, and unconstitutional, yet the court says go ahead, everything is OK. Now all branches have abdicated to this marxist and we are now officially all fucked. They have buried and refused to hear the cases against Obama. He met privately before his inauguration with 8 of 9 of them in violation of the law since there were cases pending before them. The one that will not “go along” with his agenda for martial law to come is being forced out. Why did the white house notify Sonja 4 days before he announced his intensions? So nothing else you pepople have to talk about really matters. It is either time to get the torches and pitchforks and go to Washington, or it is time to bend over and kiss our ass goodbye.
I agree with you 100% patriotparty1! I am so frustrated and angry today! What good is having a Supreme Court if they will not uphold our laws? Dictatorbama should just kick them all out. There truly is no point to having them sit there. Right there we can save some money. Not that saving money seems to be on Obama’s mind anyway!
I have been rather surprised there have been no Blog articles about this!
People are worrying about whether we may have an “activist” supreme court, when we are already there. Seriously, look at the current members who were hanging on for a President who was not Bush so that they could retire. If that is not activist, I don’t know what is. Similarly, we need to stop worrying about creeping socialism, as we have already become a socialist nation whether we want to acknowledge it or not. Those who refuse to acknowledge the truth, are going to wind up funding things for other people that they will find they can no longer afford for themselves. One sixth of our economy now is government handouts. That number isn’t going down as “pay to play” is built into our system now. We had better take “free” health care… I realize free doesn’t really exist ever… because we are going to pay for “free” care for everybody whether those who pay for it get anything back for it or not.
“the Supreme Court has rejected a challenge to “DADT” in the case of Air Force officer, Valerie Larabee (H/T to Soldier4Hillary for mentioning this result).”???
James Pietrangelo II is the one in the case not this woman quoted in this article. Pietrangelo needs to be highlighted because it’s his case and his remarks on Barack Obama to TIME are blistering.
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1903545,00.html?imw=Y
Pietrangelo tells TIME, “”He’s a coward, a bigot and a pathological liar.”
On US soldiers, can Larry write about the US trading a prisoner for British hostages in Iraq? I find it outrageous. The prisoner killed 5 US soldiers. The father of Jonathan Bryan Chism, Danny Chism, told The Associated Press yesterday, “They freed them? The American military did? Somebody needs to answer for it.”
I watched that BECK episode. It was a bit frightening. The fact Carlson is a witness to the abuse as it happens to her own family (90 year car business?) damn. that is sad.
and AMy - I was ROFLOL with your title statement!
you forgot - we’ve already named what we call making excuses for the punk or What Obama Really Means
worm,worm,worm,worm,worm,worm,worm,worm
worm,worm,worm,worm,worm,worm,worm,worm
worm,worm,worm,worm,worm,worm,worm,worm
worm,worm,worm,worm,worm,worm,worm,worm
worm,worm,worm,worm,worm,worm,worm,worm
worm,worm,worm,worm,worm,worm,worm,worm
they are WORMS - belly crawling WORMS!!
Quite right - I must have lost my head temporarily. WORM…
And I understand there’s another recent appointment Obama made to be the director of the HHS Faith Based Initiatives - a woman who founded Catholics In Alliance For the Common Good, Alexia Kelley, who is opposed to abortion AND birth control. How abt THEM apples, MARAL??? And NOW??? (H/t to SFIndie for that info.)
that’s the WRONG place to put such a believer.
I was please that Sarah picked a pro choice NOW person for attorney general (I believe) and pondered if HILLARY would have ever done the same.
Now putting an ANTI choice person in charge of Woman’s HEALTH is not only WRONG but wreaks of intent. If it was an accident, it was a really IGNORANT mistake, but even worse if it was intentional.
PUNKBAMBI
They will keep making excuses for the Obama’s cant we all just see what is happening presently. Here we have Michelle running all over London, blocking off streets, driving around in armored vehicles, with lot of secret service men, police, and so on.
All this nonsense going on while she entertains a group of 25 people who the hell they are no one knows, I thought it was just the kids on this trip, all this while the taxpayers pick up the tab.
Back home people losing their business, inflation rising, unemployment rising, promises being broken and not one word being said by anyone. So get use to the new America my friend we are now all major butt kissers to the Obama’s and crew, forget the issues just play along and hope for change.
This reminds me of the Civil Rights movement. Many black folks thought MLK Jr. was moving too fast. That people of color should just “wait their turn”. Good thing he didn’t listen.
LGBT community needs to stop “hoping” and start “doing”. The Civil Rights movement started with hope and a desire for change. But it took action to accomplish anything.
The rationale that I’ve been hearing (it has an aura of credibility, though still maloderous)is that Obama has been getting cooperation and “respect” from the military, so he doesn’t want to rock the boat. He saw how the military brass disrespected Bill Clinton, and he doesn’t want the same thing to happen to him (rock stars don’t like to be booed). He also understands how the evangelists and born again types have pretty much taken over the upper echelons of the military (remember the controversies at the Air Force Academy), and that an effort to repeal DADT would be met with significant push-back by these groups. These factors, combined with the advice he has been getting from his handlers that the GLBT community has no where else to go, and that they can be made to wait, accounts for Obama’s missing testicular fortitude. After all, this presidential thing is just a show; an act, and repeal of DADT is not on this page of his script.
“I wouldn’t think too much of this,” he said. “The court has a tradition of deferring to military and congressional judgment.”
**********
Exactly..DADT is part of the Military Code and a Constitutional established legal system. The SCOTUS rarely gets involved with UCMJ cases. Point finger at the SCOTUS is just a diversion from the real problem; Obama. An opinion by attys. familiar with the UCMJ is that Obama could stop the process by telling the Military to stop the investigative process of DADT.
Off the subject but…
In an interview this morning with John Ziegler, MSNBC’s Contessa Brewer found nothing wrong with David Letterman’s comments about Sarah Palin!
there you have also the small group of (mostly brunette) very VAIN news anchors who are soooooooooooooo green over Sarah they can’t see straight!
WhoraNora O’donnell, Contessa Brew-haha, Donna Bratzille, etcThe fact she can manage a VERY demanding job, family and have such a HOTTIE for a hubby (as most of them have either NO one or MANY failed marriages) they can’t get out of the way of their mirrors quick enough to spit.
They will always hate her.
“Any ‘jokes’ about raping my 14-year-old are despicable. Alaskans know it and I believe the rest of the world knows it, too.”
- Todd Palin
“Concerning Letterman’s comments about my young daughter (and I doubt he’d ever dare make such comments about anyone else’s daughter): ‘Laughter incited by sexually-perverted comments made by a 62-year-old male celebrity aimed at a 14-year-old girl is not only disgusting, but it reminds us some Hollywood/NY entertainers have a long way to go in understanding what the rest of America understands - that acceptance of inappropriate sexual comments about an underage girl, who could be anyone’s daughter, contributes to the atrociously high rate of sexual exploitation of minors by older men who use and abuse others.’”
- Governor Sarah Palin
Honestly, regular middle class America needs to boycott Hollywood. No movie tickets and no DVD purchases from now to Jan 2010. That entertainment industry needs to learn what America is about and what Americans are about. They have no real clue. A boycott would be a wake up call.
The joke was that while Palin was in New York City “the toughest part of her visit was keeping Elliot Spitzer away from her daughter”. I thought it was a comment making fun of Elliot Spitzer- Some old guy trying to pick up on a much younger woman.
Tomcat, the misogynist joke was about an athlete knocking up Palin’s daughter during the game.
Thanks for pointing that out. And after seeing that joke- Yeah, that’s pretty bad.
Yeah, pretty despicable!
What is the deal with Letterman and he making jokes night after night about Palin’s 14 yr old daughter, my god is he a sick dirty old man fixating on having sex with a young girl?
How is it possible he can still be on the air at CBS, what is wrong with these people do they not have kids? I wonder if someone was to make this same wise crack about one of Obama’s daughters if it would go down so easily?
This country is really getting sicker by the day.
By A-Rod. Just to be clear.
I’ve been livid about Letterman and his perverted joke since the night I heard it …. this from a man who only recently married the mother of his son … this from a man who is a parent himself. I wonder how he’d react to an equally perverted joke about his own son?
LETTERMAN is what a MISOGINIST looks like!
Does anyone know how to change the picture of BO with the lie “This is what a feminist looks like” on his t-shirt, to Letterman with a t-shirt saying “This is what a misogynist looks like”? Make it go viral.
Go, Sarah!
She didn’t pull any punches on this one, nor should she have.
Say it, Sarah and Todd.
Letterman’s reply: http://thepage.time.com/latest-in-the-letterman-palin-fued/
Letterman’s response to Palin calling him “pathetic” for making jokes about his daughters: “I haven’t been called pathetic once since [my] honeymoon. This very well could be my last show.” Later adds: “Oh, great. I pissed off a hunter.”
Letterman’s response to Palin saying he was making a joke about “raping” one of her daughters by saying Bristol was “knocked up” by Alex Rodriguez: Says he knew they were “cheap laughs” he was going for. Adding: “I mean, look at me. I would never, never make jokes about raping.”
In response to his joke about Palin’s “slutty-flight-attendant look”: “I kinda like that joke.”
From Andrew Sullivan’s Blog:
10 Jun 2009 10:59 am
McAuliffe Goes Down
Thank God. The Clinton era really is over, innit?
I am glad. He supported Obama after the Primary and he should have been a better example of having some principles. I was on his email list and read their frantic, desperate pleas for money and to tell everyone to go vote for him. It was shameful. Democrats are going to lose big time in the future. big time.
I don’t know anyone who is pleased with the GM and Chrysler deals going down and that includes Obama voters. People are being rudely awakened!The saddest thing about that is that Obama can do a lot of damage in 4 years. Too little too late.
I mourn for my country.
Saddest day yet, but most likely more to come.
Terry lost because he was outsider challenging someone who had deep roots in Virginia. Moran was an Obamabot and he also lost. As a matter of fact, he received less votes than McCauliffe.
I hope the Republicans win both the New Jersey and Virginia governorships. If the Democrats lose New Jersey, its bad news for Obama!
Rev. Amy—-Excellent as always.
I’ve heard of giving someone a pass….but they’re giving him season tickets!! and for life, it seems!
Rev Amy, the woman mentioned was not part of the case. TIME covers the case
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1903545,00.html?imw=Y
TIME:
Yet on Monday, the Supreme Court rejected a gay Ohio soldier’s challenge to the law — with the legal backing of none other than the Obama Administration.
James Pietrangelo II, the former Army infantryman and lawyer whose case the high court declined to review, reserved most of his ire for President Obama instead of the court. “He’s a coward, a bigot and a pathological liar,” Pietrangelo said in an interview with TIME shortly after the high court declined to hear his appeal. “This is a guy who spent more time picking out his dog, Bo, and playing with him on the White House lawn than he has working for equality for gay people,” he added. “If there were millions of black people as second-class citizens, or millions of Jews or Irish, he would have acted immediately” upon taking office to begin working to lift “Don’t ask, don’t tell.” Pietrangelo fought in Iraq in 1991 as an infantryman, and returned as a JAG officer for the second Iraq War, before being booted out in 2004 for declaring he was gay as he was readying for a third combat tour. He was representing himself before the high court.
Ed, thanks - don’t know what happened to the other comment I left thanking you - apparently, it went *poof*! Thanks for the clarification - that’s what I get for rushing. No excuses, though - my bad. I have made the appropriate correction above, and will do a follow-up based on the Times article. Thanks again, Ed. And again, sorry (I swear - I am usually not so distracted, and research everything I write. I just missed it on this one, dangit.).
Great Post Amy.
Having to base your life and career on a lie is so fundamentally wrong. And how endless lies and deceit to maintain these lies can be helpful to our nation takes a politician to understand. It is amazing how much energy, money and time, those in power are willing to expend to keep their heads firmly buried in the sand.
You are right. What you are writing, is going straightly to our choosen President way to govern. Lies, lies, lies, which never will end.
Obama’s lack of action on DADT is disturbing, indeed.
Just bread and circuses.
Ive been saying since the Primaries that Obama is a loser! I supported Clinton and then voted for McCain! Obama is a big fat USER that will say and do anything to get what he wants but then when he has to follow through he turns his back on the issue!
Let’s see if he does the same with the issue of his minions in Congress going to try to tax our employer healthcare benefits. That was another campaign promise like D.A.D.T. Let’s see he broke that promise on D.A.D.T. what is next??
Mark my words Obama is going to do to the Democrats what George Bush did for the Republicans…set their parties back YEARS!
Dont hold your breath, the world is an ugly, hateful place these days. I compare it now to how optimistic I felt back in the 90s and I feel sad. We had ACTUAL HOPE for better days back then, not this new Hopium(tm). We seem to be moving the wrong way, yo-yoing between various extremists. This cannot be the best humanity can do!
Speaking of, anyone downtown have word on the shootings at The Holocaust Museum?
ScottVA and some of you others, I hope that McCain was going to do all the things that you were hoping Hillary would do if she had won…..AS IF…..President Obama AND Hillary Clinton are on the same side. If you were going to vote for Hillary and when she didn’t become the nominee your politics SUDDENLY became conservative, that bullshit…..you didn’t vote for him because he’s black. Hillary is a smart woman, but she ran a lousy campaign and her being a woman HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT!!! President Obama beat her fair and square…..so you three people oo this website who post OVER AND OVER trying to make folks think that there is some vast swell of folks against President Obama are not fooling anyone. The 10 folks who even know about No Quarter make fun of it, Larry Johnson and the folks who post here. Every now and then folks like me post just for fun……
Little boy…..You should spend more time in school and learn how to spell before you can come and play with the grownups.
correction: … because he’s HALF black…so I guess that only makes us half racists.
Also, your Guy is continuing Bush’s policies … and is even incorporating McCain’s ideas on health insurance.
Funny,however much things “CHANGE” they stay the SAME!
But McCain was going to give everybody a $5000 tax credit for health insurance… that tax credit would be taxable as income. Obama is just going to tax the people who still have employer health coverage. If there is a $5000 tax credit for insurance with Obama, I have not heard of it. McCain actually would have been fair for everybody, Obama not so much. It is going to suck when middle class America can’t afford to buy something that would be free if they just quit their job and signed up for “hopeandchange”.
You’re right Docelder. My comments were meant to show that Obama is adopting hypocritically the policy’s he objected to during the primaries.
i.e. … during the primaries and general election.
yikes! — i.e.
policy’spolicies“you didn’t vote for him because he’s black.”
NO, I didn’t vote for him because he is corrupt and a fraud.
Actually, McCain would have been a much smarter choice for gay people. Hillary was truly the best supporter for gay rights but McCain was a fair minded person without a lot of homophobic strings attached to his pysche. The very right winger Dick Chaney is a supporter of gay marriage. Ol’ Sarah Palin the rabid holyroller doesn’t seem to have a problem with gays either, laughing off the issue with the statement that she has gays in her family and has no problem with that. Being gay isn’t a political issue where the Dems are for gay rights and the Reps are anti-gay. I know more Republican gay people than Democratic gay people. Obama has a lot of dirty laundry with gay sexuality. He is currently being accused of being a closet gay and has rumors of an inappropriate relationship with his personal aide. Maybe none of this is true, but it will make Obama duck any gay rights issue. A large portion of Obama supporters are notoriously anti-gay (look at prop #8 in California). Obama swept California in the general and so did Prop #8. People voting for Obama and an end to a gay rights all on the same ballot. If you think Obama will ever do anything for gays you are terribly naive. You can’t assume that because Obama is a minority he will support other kinds of minorities. Obama looks out for number one.
There are no sides, just political superstar idols. I almost expect Obama to start pulling sharpies out of his sock any day and autographing the foreheads of his followers. Remember how things are today, how the Internet is free, how people are safe, how food is affordable, how there aren’t panhandlers and prostitutes on every corner. Remember them well, because these are the good old days. It is all downhill from here cheetoh.
Please explain HOW she ran a lousy campaign, instead of spouting talking points with no evidence.
Secondly, please explain HOW she ran a lousy campaign, when she won the MOST votes?
You bots are trying to rewrite history and HOPING the real dems will forget what the Obama dems did, but it will NEVER happen. The split continues, and will be there in 2010, and 2012. But I think you know that, and that’s what you’re afraid of.
“you didn’t vote for him because he’s black”
Then by the same logic, you didn’t vote for Hillary or Sarah because they’re women - I guess you’re just a sexist pig.
Am I the only one who thinks it’s suspicious that the Obots have names like Jay and James and James Guglielmo (sp?) or whatever? It must be part of the script they follow. You know, the one that starts with blah, blah, “fair and square” blah, blah “because he’s black”, blah, blah, blah.
Can’t they get better speech writers? That script is getting soooo stale.
Jay before you go off lecturing me with your TYPICAL OBOT RACIST RANT…. let me inform you that I have 3 - 1/2 black nieces JUST LIKE OBAMA and I have a black brother in law WHO - HOLD YOUR NOSE - DIDNT VOTE FOR OBAMA EITHER! I guess he’s a racist too! He thought Obama was in it for a free ride!
I think you’re a little naive to think that there wasn’t a large amount of Democrats that didn’t vote for Obama and not because we are racist.. we have principals that he didn’t fit… I find him dishonest and he uses people and issues to get what he wants out of a situation! I hope karma is a bitch for him! LOL
OH, and JAY!? Go play with ACORN and you’ll find out how Obama got elected… this was the most corrupt election ever in this country! I wonder why so many ACORN chapters are being investigated now? I guess law enforcement are racists too! LOL
JAY - GET A GRIP! LOL
Why, we , all Americans are disappointed about SCOTUS decision of Chrysler sell in favor of Fiat. Conform, what I read in Gingrich article, UAW give 0bama campaign more than 2 million Dollar and a little over 100 thousand dollar to Rep.It is a clear PAY AND PLAY. My feeling, and I hope not just mine,that, the American people has no Justice system to fight for their rights. We should remain them what Benjamin Franklin said: ” THOSE WHO WOULD GIVE UP ESSENTIAL LIBERTY TO PURCHASE A LITTLE TEMPORARY SAFETY DESERVE NEITHER LIBERTY NOR SAFETY”. This is for all Kool-Aid drinkers, Congress, Justice Department( from the lower to the higher) and SCOTUS.
I’m a proud gay man from Philly and I never make excuses for “that one.”
I am a Clinton Democrat; supported Hillary down to the wire. Will support her again if she runs.
Reluctantly voted for Obama when there was no other real choice but I never, ever bought the hope and change crap that seems to have hypnotized others in droves.
I knew he was Lying when he said his support of the GLBT community was “fierce” — yes, he said fierce. Audacious of him.
But I knew it was a lie.
When he gave Rick Warren a place of honor at the inauguration, I knew I’d been right. I was appalled but felt sadly vindicated in my beliefs.
Since then he has reneged on his promise to get rid of DADT; he had not supported, even weakly, same sex marriage; he has done NOTHING for the GLBT community and I will not make excuses for his failure.
I could see from his debate performances that he was mightily uncomfortable with gays/lesbians. But mighty comfortable with sexism (which cuts gays/lesbians, too).
Sure, he might be pressured to come through on his GLBT promises, though I wouldn’t bet on that.
But when I saw Rick Warren giving the benediction at the inauguration, I decided then that I would not vote for “that one” again.
Joe — I’m curious. You say you knew he was a liar and voted for him anyway. Why did you think he’d be a better President than McCain? What would make you think a liar, a sexist and a hypocrite would be the best man for the job?
I agree with you. I’m gay and my partner and I both couldn’t stomach voting for NOBama! The way he cheated and lied and schemed we knew he was no good…. we were diehard Hillary supporters that bit the bullet and voted for MCCain for the better of this Country. We both served in the military way back when and couldn’t see Obama as Commander In Chief after he so seemed to hate everything about this Country… I did my own homework and decided to NOT listen to the media this election cycle!
Actually I didn’t think either of them would be a “good” president. Neither had what Hillary had and has. But, I decided to be as loyal as Hillary — as a show of respect for what she asked her followers to do.
In addition, McCain’s campaign was one fumble after another and that didn’t play well. His position on gay issues was not good and that is a main concern for me. (Though not the only one.) Being a second class citizen kinda makes you focus on what is needed to become equal with the rest of the people in the country.
So, I voted for “that one” against my better judgment but out of respect for my candidate who asked me to do so.
Next time, however, I’ll have to find a candidate I can believe in.
If Republicans would drop the whole social issues mess they’ve gotten themselves into and stick to their core principles such as fiscal responsibility, it might make them more appealing. They need to be a gentler party that shows they care about people and not just the crazies and their issues. They need to stop catering to the haters in their ranks and show they can be a party that’s inclusive and that cares about people’s well being.
But as it stands, they are too beholden to a bunch of crazy religious fanatics and other hater types. And I can’t vote for that. Just recently Pat Robertson opined that if same sex marriage and hate crimes directives were to be the law of the land, why, what would be next? People who wanted to sleep with ducks being able to marry ducks or ducks being protected by hate crimes legislation. Former senator Santorum compared gays with people who sleep with dogs. Representative Foxx said recently that the whole Matthew Shepherd incident was a hoax. The list is long and ugly.
How can anyone in their right mind vote for a party that adopts the positions of these loons?
So, voting for McCain was not an option.
“But as it stands, they are too beholden to a bunch of crazy religious fanatics and other hater types. And I can’t vote for that.”
In other words, McCain = Bush.
McCain was one of 3 Republican Senators to vote against the Federal Marriage Amendment that would have banned gay marriage in the U.S. Constitution. The FMA of course was Bush’s baby. So I took deep offense at Obama’s ‘Bush=McCain’ slogan. When Obama says McCain=Bush, he’s saying McCain’s vote against Bush’s Federal Marriage Ban is irrelevant, which means gay rights are irrelevant.
I voted for McCain to change the political math for the Republican Party. How else can you loosen the crazies’ grip on a major political party?
No, never said McCain=Bush. And I don’t believe it either.
No need to embellish what I said when it wasn’t even hinted at in the remarks.
But until the party publicly disavows the crazy fanatics, it will be difficult for a lot of people to vote for them.
Voting for the more moderate elements in the party is a good strategy, assuming there are moderates to vote for. There are few left in the party. Specter left the party and many others are marginalized by the ultra-conservative elements.
Both parties are burdened by crazies of the left and the right. The problem is that these fanatics seem to forget that in order to win office in an election which covers a wider are than a congressional district, you’ve got to be more middle of the road on many issues. You’ve got to take a stand in general, have your principles, but not seem like a crazy or like a person who encourages/relies upon fanatics.
And yes, McCain did vote against the federal amendment. For which he gained a lot of credit and respect. But there’s more to the whole issue than that amendment which had little real chance of going anywhere.
Hillary was on the front lines for gay rights, marching in Gay Pride parades, having Bill and Chelsea campaign in gay bars across the country. Hillary has made more efforts for gays/lesbians in her position as SOS than any of the other administration members. Hillary continues to issue Gay Pride statements, continues to prove her friendship and loyalty to the gay community. When McCain does some of that, maybe I’ll think he’s worth a second look — and that goes for any candidate.
She’s fearless on the issue. Time for others to step up.
Two Chairs of the Joint Chiefs of Staffs support rescinding the DODT law: Admiral Mike Mullen Mullen; and John Shalikashvili Shalikashvili.
R3A, maybe when Congress rescinds the law; and BO refuses to sign this rescission, people will hear what he is telling them.
The POTUS is courting the evangelical/religious voters — they’re up for grabs compared to the much smaller number of LGBT voters who he can afford to take for granted, knowing the vast majority of them will still vote for him no matter what. Churches are GOTV machines so it’s no wonder politicians pander to them.
Joe from Philly is a rare exception. My gay friends only get riled when conservatives are against their interests, but they give Obama (and likely any other Democrat) a free pass. I guess they’re partisans like so many others — left or right. Besides, none are in the military so DADT is, at most, symbolic to them and doesn’t have a direct effect on their lives.
I agaree with patriotparty–it’s time to get out the pitchforks(where’s Seattle Moss). We have to get this usurper who hates us out of our house. We need a march on Washington NOW and not wait until September or October as the plan seems to be. It will be too late if we wait any longer. He’s destroying us so very fast!
Amy — thank you for this discussion. Even though I’m a happy hetero, I have friends and relatives affected by thus issue, so it’s of keen interest to me. I am offended and angry that BO would shirk his promise to do something to correct DADT. It would be so simple and yet he turns his back on people who supported him based on that promise. I don’t blame them though, because they wanted to believe.
I have a question about DADT. I was told that openly gay soldiers would bring down the morale of the troops and threaten national security because they could be blackmailed. Neither of those makes sense to me. If our troops were allowed to be who they are instead of living a lie, I think they would boost morale overall, and there’d be nothing to blackmail.
So can anyone explain why DADT is still around?
Didn’t vote for him, don’t believe a word he says, think he is NO friend to the GLBT community, no matter what my old friends think. I think they need to step away from the kool-aid- QUICKLY! Hillary actually does what she says she will. I’ll never forgive the bloody dum-o-crats for their perfidy!
This gay man agrees with you!
This gay man does, too!!!!
This Non Gay friend of Dorothy also concurs!
The only person in this administration who has vowed to keep working towards gay equality is the Secretary of State, who on her very first day on the job promised to work towards ending discrimination against glb employees and their families at the State Dept.
Thus far, Hillary is the only one who has demonstrated a willingness to confront this issue head-on and in a respectful way- I sent a message thanking her via the State Dept website (and I think all who care about glbt rights should drop her a line too) because she’s the only one with the courage to stand up for what’s right. Unfortunately, it would seem that others in the admin. cannot even say the word “gay” without looking like they just accidentally swallowed a bug.
Hillary also issued a very hopeful and heart-felt statement in honor of gay pride month. It was only AFTER Hillary made her statement (and saw that the political sky didn’t fall), that the President came out and made one also.
Rev Amy, By no means am I an expert in military affairs. What ever happened to the phrase “All hands on deck”…?
The sacking of the LGBT people from the militarys language school was a real eye opener for me. I mean here we are as a nation in dire need of foreign languages but not by those hands.
Records suggest U.S. military places
anti-gay position over national security
.
It really flies in the face of any logic, doesn’t it? Especially Arabic linguists while we are in Iraq. But, they have been firing them for a while now, sad to say.
Here’s the thing - they have “relaxed” their standards for enlistment (previous criminal records, etc.) because they need people, yet they fire these highly trained personnel simply because of who they love. Wow…
Watch out for this: if a Republican takes even one tiny step in our direction, Dems make sure the religious right knows that Republican is ’soft on queers.’
Take a look back at the VP debate. Gwen Ifil went out of her way to let religious conservatives know Governor Palin vetoed an anti-gay bill. “Senator Biden, do you support, as they do in Alaska, equal benefits for same sex couples?”
‘Yes, Gwen, I do.’ Biden gets to suck up to gays for doing nothing but running his mouth. Palin gets no credit for exercising her veto power and takes a hit with the far right.
Palin turned the question around to gay marriage. Ifil came to Biden’s defense: “Let’s avoid nuance [code for John Kerry], Senator Biden. Do you support gay marriage?” “No. There’s no difference between us on this issue.”
Avoid nuance? You can’t get more nuanced than Biden on Prop 8: ‘I believe marriage is between a man and a woman but I won’t do anything when the courts grant gay marriage. I don’t support Prop 8 but I won’t do anything to block it. I’m useless to both sides on this issue. I just want to suck up to gays without firing up religious conservatives.’ But Ifil did not ask about red-hot Prop 8 because that would put Biden on the spot on traditional marriage.
Pro-Obama Gwen Ifil used gay rights to put Palin on the spot with her base for vetoing an anti-gay bill. Ifil then tag-teamed with Biden, helping him suck up to gays and religious conservatives at the same time. That’s what gays get from the Democrats.
[...] recently showed his true colors on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” (see this, this, and this) and he has REALLY shown them on “DOMA” (Defense of Marriage Act). I’m [...]
[...] Month“), the posts keep writing themselves. We already have gaping wounds in our backs from DADT, DOMA, so let’s just add Immigration to it, while we’re at it (and H/T to fellow NQ [...]
[...] has found that Obama’s failure to issue an executive order (”stop loss”) or direct Congress [...]