Comments on: Gates still not ready to sign on to DADT repeal

By: SteveMD2

SteveMD2 — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 04:39:47 +0000

Maybe we need a military group to get together and out themselves, and everyone else who is secretly gay in the military. Then Gates will get it.

And he does need to be reminded that he serves at the pleasure of the President.

The goal is to defend America, not Homophobia.

By: Probably

Probably — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 08:15:16 +0000

I don’t think Obama is a severe homophobe, rather that gays just aren’t a priority for him.

By: John

John — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 05:54:53 +0000

If Truman could order the destruction of two Japanese cities, then I think the Obama can order the destruction of DADT. Perhaps, if Gates lost his job because of what he is, then he would have an appreciation for gay military personnel.

By: Clint

Clint — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 22:29:58 +0000

Gates should take a lesson from Paterson and grow a set…
http://www.365gay.com/video/paterson-time-to-act-on-gay-marriage-in-ny/

By: Thomas

Thomas — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 15:59:52 +0000

Gates is a fascist operative of the American Military-Industrial Complex, nothing more or less. Obama is the POTUS but the corrupt political system hobbles any Democrat elected to office. He is also a man with issues of masculine identity, having grown up with an absent father. Too bad because I believe he knows right from wrong, unlike either Bush.

By: Karen

Karen — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 14:18:39 +0000

What do you expect? He’s a Republican. Get him out of there.
As for his assertion that it took five years to integrate the military, great news! Our military is already integrated with gays and lesbians. Just flip the switch so they can stop lying, and you’re done.
And people are more likely to tell their true feelings when they are alone than among their peers? I’d say, Mr. Gates. Individually, they are much less likely to espouse hateful homophobia when alone, than when posturing for their macho friends. How much gay bashing, physical or verbal, is the result of peer pressure–trying to “prove” to your friends that you aren’t gay?
Here’s an idea, let’s have a special gay unit to go fight the pirates. Like when the military sent black-only units to do certain tasks. We’ll kick some pirate butt!

By: equalnotspecial

equalnotspecial — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 13:59:36 +0000

Obama has promised to sign the repeal if congress sends it to him, but it must start with congress. The only purpose DADT serves is to continue to teach the prejudice it indulges, using our tax dollars. Get your representatives to move repeal to Obama’s desk.

By: CanadianRob

CanadianRob — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 07:26:05 +0000

censoredagain; U.S. healthcare doesn’t augment Canadian healthcare. Well, perhaps it does for the ultra rich who can afford it. For the rest of us though, our imperfect Canadian system works pretty good… No actually, as a person who would be dead today without it, our health care system works damn good. Watch Michael Moore’s ‘Sicko’.

Anyway, as for Gates and his latest words of wisdom on DADT; I thought it was a typical wanky speech full of the typical excuses.

By: David

David — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 05:05:46 +0000

censoredagain:

As a British man, I’d just like to point out that you’re wrong about our health service. Tony Blair did not ‘reintroduce private health care’. In the UK we have both a state-run system (the NHS) which covers the vast majority of medical requirements AND we have private health care as well for those who wish to use that (and can afford to use it) rather than the NHS. And this has been the case since 1948.

If you asked British people would they rather keep our health system or follow the American system, well over 90% of people would back the NHS. It’s generally considered the most valued British institution. Most Europeans look at America with bewilderment and wonder why people there don’t see basic health care as a right which the government should provide to its people.

By: Budbud

Budbud — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 01:53:42 +0000

Let me get this straight.

The millitary can ask people to stand in front of gunfire, fly into enemy territories and prepare for being a prisoner of war.

We can’t however ask service people to live and work in the company of KNOWN gay people, that’s just TOO…SCARY and too much to ask from our courageous soldiers?

How come the straight people in ALL the other countries who have OPEN homosexuals serving in their millitaries don’t have these issues? What’s wrong with U.S. Service people? It’s as if the majority of service people in the U.S. millitary are viewed BY THE MILLITARY as mentally unbalanced and incapable of being “grown ups” like soldiers from many other countries.

Is homophobia really that ingrained in our society? DADT acknowledges that gays are NOT a problem and that gays are perfectly capable of being good soldiers.

The policy is all about catering to the irrational fears of others. That’s like asking Jewish soldiers not to reveal their faith because it could upset the Christian evangelicals!

So one group has to be punished and have THEIR free speech rights restricted SOLEY to placate the irrational attitudes of others?

It’s a shame that gay soldiers have to defend the same right to free speech that they IN PARTICULAR are singled out not to have.