Subscribe to Breaking NewsLowenstein: Obama doesn’t answer his own call for “leadership”
I have, perhaps, been harping the last week on what I see as Barack Obama’s politicized decision to ignore his promises to the LGBT community. I hoped that this week I could take a break– that I could write about some great event that happened in our community over the weekend– but after Obama’s National Security Advisor General Jim Jones appeared on This Week with George Stephanopoulos, I’m destined to write at least one more day about how much Obama is toying with us for politics’ sake.
In 2007 remarks to the Human Rights Campaign, then-candidate Barack Obama said about Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell that “America is ready to get rid of the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy. That work should have started long ago. It will start when I take office. America is ready to get rid of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. All that is required is leadership.”
“All that is required is leadership,” he said, because the other pieces were already in line. He knew the policy change was just, the American people supported it, and the only thing in the way of change was inertia. A little “leadership” could change that.
Just last week, President Obama reiterated his commitment to overturning the discriminatory policy, in a private letter to a discharged soldier.
But then yesterday, General Jim Jones indicated that that leadership on Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is not likely to come from the White House. During an interview on This Week, General Jones was asked about the future of the policy, and his answers left much to be desired.
Top 5 highlights (or lowlights) from the interview:
5. “We have had preliminary discussions.” Hearing that the President had led discussions on this issue would have been encouraging, if he hadn’t already committed to overturning the ridiculous policy. What’s left to be discussed?
4. “This is an issue that is not going to be a light switch.” According to the Washington Post, 75% of Americans favor overturning Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. This issue isn’t one that needs to be sold. It could be flipped as easily as a light switch, if anyone was willing to step up and lead.
3. “Discussions have to be had in order to ensure good order and discipline.” Excuse my language, but fuck anyone who believes that the straight men and women of our military aren’t enlightened enough to work with openly gay people. And even if some small portion of them are not yet ready, they can get ready. I’m not ready to see daily evidence of my continued second-class citizenship, and no one’s worried about my feelings.
2. Suspending the policy might be “an option that eventually we’ll get to, but we’re not there now.” When George Stephanopoulos posed the middle ground that many in Congress are discussing– suspending the policy until these long, laborious conversations the administration is so convinced need to take place happen– General Jones inexplicably shut him down. Honorable and qualified servicemembers– including Arabic linguists and translators– are being discharged every month that this policy continues. It is inconceivable that the President’s key adviser on issues of national security is not capable of commenting on why suspending the policy isn’t feasible immediately.
1. “I don’t know.” Finally, when asked if the policy would be overturned during an Obama administration, General Jones answered that he just didn’t know. Again, he is the President’s key adviser on matters of national security; there is no way he was speaking for himself during that interview. His “I don’t know” represents a serious change of commitment on the part of the administration.
President Obama owes the LGBT community, and all Americans who elected him, an explanation for why he’s letting politics interfere with an issue of equality, justice, and national security. This is a priority, and it should be treated as such.
I’m all for repealing DADT, but it seems to me that the problem isn’t really dealing with gays in the military, but dealing with gays in society at large. In this country, gay people don’t have basic equality to their straight counterparts, so why that would be the case in the military is beyond me. The military complex has never been a shining bastion of equality or equal opportunities. And the military complex also has lobbyists, people who give away lots and lots and LOTS of money to ensure that their will is executed. Bigotry is a very lucrative industry. Bigotry and lobbyists buy and sell elections, they buy and sell legislation, they buy and sell the souls of the People of this and other nations. Law-making is an industry like most others. Eliminate lobbying, eliminate the cash-for-legislation system, and horrific policies like DADT will find themselves without support.
Until we can talk about homosexuality in our neighborhoods, we’ll never be able to talk about it in our barracks. Which is why I’m with KB in the asking of this question: “…but if we get rid of DADT, what happens to those who are GLBT? Are they protected? How?”
KB:
As unfortunate as it may be, freedom does not always come easily. There will be struggles, yes, but they will be worth it. Besides, I’m sure many of those students in your class are saying those things based on experiences they have never had. After all, how can you really know what someone is going to do until it happens, especially without precedent? I have served in the Army, and I can tell you that the bigwigs are making mountains out of molehills.
As we have seen before, many people reach at least some level of enlightenment when they are put into new experiences. And I am sure that once DADT is repealed, a lot of service men and women will realize how much it really doesn’t matter that gays serve along side them. In fact, they probably are already and just don’t know it.
KB, I don’t doubt you’ve heard comments like that but it’s still
anecdotal evidence. As R&R alluded to, there are several countries that allow gays in their military and generally everything is running smoothly.
The change has to happen from the top and Obama should be leading the way.
I agree with Jenna once again. And oddly enough, so did Obama at one time.
In 2007 remarks to the Human Rights Campaign, then-candidate Barack Obama said about Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell that “America is ready to get rid of the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy. That work should have started long ago. It will start when I take office. America is ready to get rid of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. All that is required is leadership.”
I have already protested the inaction of Obama on LGBT issues and let him know I will not work for his re-election if he doesn’t get moving. I urge all the people reading this article to do the same.
So, what we are saying is that the people in the military of Canada, England, Sweden, Israel, and several other countries are more centered and mature amd what we have in our military are Taliban brain washed idiots, right? Says alot about our phony “separation of church and state”, and “liberty for all.”
While I completely agree with you that this policy should be overturned, I am not sure the change IS as easy as you say it is. I am gay, and seeing gay people in the military is something I think should happen. However, I am also a college professor, and during debates on this topic ALL of the former armed services members in my class always said the policy should remain OR that GLBT people should not be allowed to serve at all. One said if he found out a gay guy was in his unit he would not trust him. He also said he had many homophobic friends who would not have reacted well to the gay people in their environment.
I think there are certainly service men and women who would not care one way or the other, but many of the service men I have interacted with do not like women working with them, and I think in their eyes gays and lesbians are less desirable than women.
This is a change that should happen, but if we get rid of DADT, what happens to those who are GLBT? Are they protected? How? “Accidents” happen all the time, and rather than an increase in kicking people out, I think there might be an increase in “accidental deaths” which is certainly not acceptable.
Congress will provide the leadership that is so sorely lacking at the White House.
Jones should be fired. This is not a complicated issue. It only takes courage.
The only purpose served by DADT is to perpetuate the very prejudice is was designed to indulge. Repeal should be a priority as it uses our tax dollars to teach discrimination and prejudice. Contact your representatives and Obama. The bigots are pressuring them, and they must hear from us to counter that pressure.