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Loading ...White House: Legislation key for gays in military
05.13.2009 8:09am EDT
(Washington) The White House says it won’t stop gays and lesbians from being dismissed from the military while the Obama administration works to repeal a decade-old policy banning openly gay people from serving in uniform.
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Tuesday that President Barack Obama does not plan to intervene in current cases against men and women who announce their homosexuality.Gibbs says the president wants to do away with the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy through legislation.
Gibbs says the policy does not serve the national interest and that Obama is working with lawmakers for what Gibbs calls a “durable legislative solution.” He says a repeal of the policy requires “more than the snapping of one’s fingers.”
Critics of the policy have called on Obama to stop the dismissals now.
Screw the Republicans and conservatives! They didn’t put this President into office, and they don’t support him now, and they never will! What a bogus bullshit argument. Candidate Obama made promises to us, and he got elected because of, or at LEAST in spite of, the promises he made. Now he needs to do the right thing and keep his campaign promises to us, as he has kept promises to others with which the Republicans and conservatives don’t agree. He doesn’t HAVE an approval rating with Republicans and conservatives anyway, so he won’t sacrifice a damned thing. And if we don’t get our agenda through this year, right now, do you think it will be more likely to pass next year during a mid-term elections year? Delaying our legislative agenda is just a way to kill it off.
And when we get legislative action, what are the chances that Obama will pull an Ahnold and veto the bill?
Snapping fingers? Hell, how about the Administration START by telling the Secretary of Defense and the National Security Adviser to stop running around saying the policy MAY NEVER EVEN BE REPEALED!!!!!!!
I agree with the earlier comment. It has become clear that Obama intends to do ZERO on gay rights.
The President of the United States is generally called the “leader of the free world.” Where is the leadership? Where is the freedom?
Yes, I know that Congress will eventually have to change the law, even if Obama signed an executive order for the duration of the “period of national emergency,” but, come on.
Barack, man up and be a freakin’ leader already! Once you sign the order, Congress can use it as an excuse to do the right thing while shirking any blame that voters might display in next year’s elections.
People who are angry about it won’t be voting for President for another 4 years. By that time, the change in policy will have proven to be the right thing and actually beneficial to the Defense Department. And, Obama will have shown himself to be a statesman, not a politician. That’s the best way to get re-elected.
Gene said “The President of the United States is generally called the “leader of the free world.””.
LOL, not in the free world he isn’t. Only fools make that statment. The free world has its own leaders and we don’t kowtow to the American president, if we did, he’d be a global dictator and that would only happen in your dreams.
For anyone to support the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy, show the lack of seriousness on protecting our national security. To fire a much needed Arab linguist is aiding and abetting Al Queda and the Taliban.
This makes me so angry..I think my brian is going to explode! What can we do?
Yup, that’s right folks. keep sucking up to the god almighty US Military. They love us all sooooo much and hey, look at all the freedoms you guys(and gals) are dying and killing for, eh. Wow, never knew it was THAT important to be such a part of the breeder country club. LMAO!
I love that the anti-gay forces always use …even the pres. doesn’t think marriage should be between m/m or f/f…now they can add…even the pres. doesn’t care about gays in the military or he would stop the DADT now! This man has no spine.
Supporting the right for gays & lesbians to serve openly in the military does not mean uncritical support for the military — they are 2 different issues. I decided against a career in the military for myself based on my personal values and beliefs, but I still support the right for other people to make a different decision for themselves. More importantly, it goes to the heart of foundational principles such as equal treatment under the law, and whether our government will continue to institutionalize anti-gay bigotry and discrimination.
“Too bad Obama will not follow in the footsteps of Truman, who issued Executive Order 9981, requiring the desegregation of the armed forced.”
Obama does not have the guts or the balls to do what is right, he is a coward and does not believe in equality.
COWARD, COWARD, COWARD.
For those who claim immediate action by Obama to get rid of legal military bigotry will damage his approval rating, the measure of a statesman is doing what is RIGHT, NOT what appeals to the enemies of equal rights for all. But, then, he got the minority votes and is now in office, so I guess its “why bother”? A good thing Lyndon Johnson and Harry Truman didn’t think that way, or the military would still be segregated and folks being shoved to the back of the bus!
As Jonatha Turley said on Rachel Maddow tonight about how this ‘constututional lawyer’ has become a spineless poll watcher.’….OBAMA may have pulled the biggest BAIT and SWITCH in history… He is morphing into his predecessor.
D**** why didn’t Michelle run? Shes the one with b** in the family.
Wow. I must say I feel there is much undue animosity towards Obama here and if I may add some unrealistic notions. Don’t get me wrong, repleaing this act is the MORAL thing to do and should be done asap but did we truly think by electing Obama he was going to don a Dorothy costume and click his heels three times to repeal DADT (wouldn’t that be great though!)? Yes he was the candidate of ‘change’ but have we looked around at our countries political climate recently or in the past for that matter? I imagine that following Bushie would make it difficult to change anything. Anyone following him is really just mopping up first. Which is why the funding for many LGBT organizations was the first ‘change’ Obama made for us, the GLBT constituents. Priorities people! and effective leaders know how to manage them well. No offense then to all but he has bigger fish to fry now. Plus, again with how this country works; judicial, excutive, legislative branches. Rarely are civil rights changes done overnight by the executive branch, it’s the courts or legislative that make real changes in people. Truman, who I have seen mentioned a few times, had the benefit if you would of looking at a group of segrated men who had valiantly fought in WWII and who HE needed to help in our newest war the Cold War and in particular the Korean front. Obama’s situation is much more unique and complicated in that, albeit unfortunate, gays and lesbians are not segrate but are closetly integrated. That makes it more difficult politically because there is no ONE face to it all. With that I greatly commend the brave men and women of the armed forces who have recently come out and put a face to this issue. Media and PR. Those are the mediums this issues needs so that we keep it in his face and the American peoples. Don’t expect anything over night though. I want Obama relected cus I aint dealing with no more close minded Rep. BS. Obama’s great change thus far is reuniting the democrats and making those fools that support Limbaugh the slim minority of this country.