Pam Spaulding's Blog, page 119

Dan Choi: I Am Somebody! Autumn Sandeen: I Am Still Not Recognized As Somebody.

I have heard many senators and congresspeople use variants of Admiral Mullen's pro-Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT)  repeal phrase of relating to how DADT "[f]orces young men and women to lie to lie about who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens." For example, from the floor of the Senate yesterday (December 18, 2010):

Senator Carl Levin: ...A policy, which in Admiral Mullen's words -- memorable words -- quote "Forces young men and women to lie to lie about who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens."

Young transgender servicemembers, transsexual servicemembers, and servicemembers who identify as both transgender and transsexual still will have to lie to defend their fellow citizens.

Dan Choi tweeted the following yesterday:

I learned the equality chant from Robin McGehee of GetEQUAL where that "I am somebody" line of Dan Choi's tweet. Here is the equality chant:

I am somebody!

I deserve full equality!

Right here!

Right now!

I am somebody!

Indeed, Dan Choi had much reason to state "I am somebody" yesterday...much reason to celebrate. He even received a tweet from Senator Harry Reid, about an hour prior to the final vote:

My friend, Dan Choi, is closer to being a somebody who likely will be able to resume his military career as an out, gay, U.S. Army Officer. I'm very, very happy to have participated in direct action on the White House Fence with Lt. Choi in standing up for liberty, equality, and justice. I'm incredibly happy he may be able to serve his country in military uniform again.

That said, if anyone noticed back in April and November, I never led the "I am somebody" chant from the White House fence. Repeal of DADT was not going to result in my peer transgender community members and me being closer to being somebodies, able too to serve our country in uniform without having to lie about who we are.

Many of us transgender veterans had made a conscious decision to not tie the future transgender people's open military service to the lesbian, gay, and bisexual people's open service. Allowing transgender people to serve in the military openly will require much more accommodation than allowing lesbian, gay, and bisexual people to serve in the military openly requires. We also know America isn't Great Brittan, Canada, or Australia -- the more conservative American people aren't as ready and prepared for the open service of trans servicemembers as they are prepared for the open service of lesbian, gay, and bisexual servicemembers -- and even most of those countries didn't tie the service of LGB servicemembers to T servicemembers.

So, many of us T veterans took the position of supporting our LGB servicemembers and veterans, and waiting.

So while passage of even this watered down version of DADT repeal is a big win for LGBT community, it's not a direct win for the T subcommunity. Passage of a fully-inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act  (ENDA) -- one that includes employment protections for sexual orientation and gender identity and expression was a higher priority for most in the T-subcommunity, but for some reason the Democratic 111th Congress seemed only to be able to pass one piece of LGBT legislation a year, and even the repeal of DADT seemed incredibly iffy right until the end.

In other words, for me, passage of DADT repeal doesn't leave me able to shout "I am somebody!" with the same sense of community achievement that Dan Choi had the pleasure to shout "I am somebody!" yesterday. I'm glad he could, I'm a little meloncholy I couldn't.

Frankly, I am still not any more of a somebody in the legal sense than I was the day before yesterday. Clearly, my transgender peers and my personal freedom, equality, and justice weren't improved with repeal of DADT. Many of we trans people are very, very happy for our LGBT community's win, but it does come with a sense of melancholy, in that the passage of DADT repeal doesn't improve life for transgender Americans.

Freedom, equality, and justice isn't about me or you, or your subcommunity of the LGBT community or mine, or about any other demographic group we may belong to. Freedom, equality, and justice is about us. If an issue is an issue for even one subcommunity of the LGBT community, it's my issue. I fought for repeal of DADT because our fight is about us, and not about me.

But that doesn't mean I don't feel a bit meloncholy because yesterday's DADT win wasn't about me or my subcommunity of the LGBT community.

For the next two years, we won't see movement on repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), nor will we see movement on ENDA because of the incoming Republican Congress and their "culture war."

DADT was prioritized over ENDA in this congress in all likelihood in large part because there was a clearer way forward, and our DADT repeal "lunch counters" were easier to identify, and the discrimination easier to articulate in simple terms, so the targets were easier to identify and target.

But if...but if...But if we see return of Democratic Party control of the House and Senate in 2012, will we see a higher priority put on repeal of DOMA, or a higher priority placed on the promise of ENDA? I can tell you what most in the transgender subcommunity of the LGBT community would prefer to see happen first, and that would passage of ENDA.

As the GetEQUAL e-blast pointed out regarding the passage of this DADT repeal bill (emphasis added):

Make no mistake -- DADT is not yet repealed. There is still work to do. There is still a long process ahead, but we vow to keep the pressure up until the policy is fully and completely repealed. There are still people -- especially our transgender sisters and brothers -- who are unjustly left behind by this legislation.

I fought to see DADT legislatively repealed, and I took to the White House Fence twice over DADT; I went to jail twice over DADT. The legislative win on DADT yesterday is a win for LGBT community that I'm incredibly glad to have played a small part in, but my joy is somewhat tinged with melancholy. [T]ransgender sisters and brothers...are unjustly left behind...

In wake of DADT repeal, homophobes just can't stop talking about 'gay sex' and the 'gay agenda'

crossposted on Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters

If you want the typical rightwinger reaction to yesterday's excellent repeal of DADT, look no further than the Town Hall column of Kevin McCullough.

McCullough, supposedly the leader of what he calls the "Musclehead Revolution" had the following to say:

1. What happens to housing, on base and in theater?

If it is morally questionable to have men and women housed together because of the sexual tension that exists between primarily men who would be predatorily interested in the women they might shower with or frequently be seen in the act of dressing and undressing on a regular basis, why is it any different if you have identified the predatory homosexual male who might have an unrequited "thing" for a fellow service member? If it is proper to keep men and women housed separately do we now go to four sets of housing. Men who don't engage in homosexual activity, Men who do, Women who don't, Women who do? Practically speaking Mr. President how do you get past the fundamental sexual tension that will be present the minute some make it known?

2. Do you expect the military system or the civilian courts to deal with the influx of phony sexual harassment cases to follow?

Oh brother. With this monstrosity of a column, McCullough unites two of his favorite targets of ridicule  - President Obama whom he feels he has a right to criticize because he is a man who has fathered a son whose skin is darker than the average African American (his exact words) and the lgbt community, whom he swears up and down are created by older, lecherous gay men molesting younger men:

The "alphas" in homosexual relationships, be they men or women, are many times recruiting younger partners. A vast percentage of those who enter the homosexual life do so after having been sexually initiated by an older person of their sex – be it consensual or not – it usually has the feel of enticement or seduction. - The 'gay' truth

 

And then rabid right-wing site Free Republic is throwing a mega tantrum, actually threatening to delete the accounts of members who dare to support the lgbt community:

If you support the homosexual agenda you are anti-constitution and you'll get the zot from FR. Homosexuals already have the same "rights" as everyone else. God did not grant and the constitution does not guarantee homosexuals any special rights. In fact, the homosexual agenda is a full frontal attack on OUR God-given, constitutionally protected rights to free speech, freedom of religion, freedom of association, Life, Family, Marriage, Pursuit of Happiness, etc.

I don't want it on FR and won't have it on FR.

Like abortion, if you support the homosexual agenda on FR, your account here will be zotted!

Don't like it? Tough frickin Shinola! Get the hell OFF this conservative site!!

I wouldn't bother to read anything further on the thread. It's rife with ugliness and comments like McCullough's but less, shall we say, polite.

You really can't say anything about people like this. You keep one eye open so as not to take what they say lightly, but at the same time, you don't give them more credit than what they deserve.

The only reason why I am talking about them is because I want to point out just how sad it is that not only are some people on the wrong side of history, but they are actually wearing that dubious honor like a banner.

These are not honorable people, these are not moral people. They are pitiful people worse than a pig who proudly covers itself with mud and manure.

We are honorable people fighting for what should have been ours from day one - equality, dignity, the right to love, and the right to self-determination.

We must never forget the differences between them and us.

A 'thank you' on DADT repeal and an appeal on DREAM to NC Senators Burr and Hagan

It was a complete surprise to see that 0% HRC-rated Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) actually voted to repeal DADT yesterday, and I just wanted to concur with this statement from

Bryan Fischer: Europe and Canada "feminized armies"

Mr Bryan Fischer, whose own organisation is closely tied to an organisation classified as a Hate Group, made the following statement in response to the DADT repeal:

The armies of other nations have allowed gays to serve openly in the military. The reason they could afford to do this is simple: they could allow homosexuals to serve in their military because we didn’t allow them to serve in ours.

Hmmm....I know some Ministries of Defense who might decide to keep you out of their nations.

They knew they could count on the strength, might, power, and cohesion of the U.S. military to intervene whenever and wherever necessary to pull their fannies out of the fire and squash the forces of tyranny wherever they raised their ugly heads around the world.

Ummm...sorry Bryan, but the rest of the world sees participation in the US's wars as helping the States out. I don't remember the US sending troops into Northern Ireland after the Omagh bombing. Your nation was decidely opposed to the joint UK/France efforts to save the Suez Canal from being expropriated by Nassar.

Those days are now gone. We will no longer be able to bail out these other emasculated armies because ours will now be feminized and neutered beyond repair, and there is no one left to bail us out. We have been permanently weakened as a military and as a nation by these misguided and treasonous Republican senators, and the world is now a more dangerous place for us all.

Feminised? That word again, Bryan, the one that got you into trouble before. I don't know what your wife or any daughters that you may have are like, but as for myself and my daughter, we are female and tough customers. Educated, strong and determined women. My mother is as well. Her mother was in the Cumann na mBan during the Easter Rising in 1916.

A gay man led the Easter Rising, by the way. Another gay man helped plan it. A Lesbian commanded one of the garrisons. I doubt, however, that you have heard of Padraig Pearse, Sir Roger Casement(knighted for exposing the Congo Slave Trade), or Dr Kathleen Lynn(who did much of the work to reduce Ireland's infant mortality and tuberculosis)

They held off the British Army for a week, about 800 aginst 8,000. If that is how a feminised service perfroms, then it can only improve the US services.

Spain carries out daring raids of armed ships, crewed by terrorists, smuggling arms and ammo.

Canadian troops in Afghanistan are respected by all who serve along side of them

The Brits? Want to tell a couple of SAS boys or girls that they are neutered, emasculated or feminised? I wouldn't give much for your life expectancy if you did as they have a bit of a dark side and have done some things that would make your willie wilt.

As for me, I know my worth as a fighter; in the courts and when I commanded a patrol boat. I served;His Majesty's Government thought well enough of my service to promote and decorate me.

I do not recall you ever winning an award for valour, Bryan, unless the AFA gives one for "paper cuts in the line of duty.

In closing, Sir, shut the hell up. We served, you did not, and you most certainly owe Europe an apology, along with Canada. Hope that you are not planing to visit either in the future. Between being tied to designated Hate Groups and your smear of their armed forces, they propably could not guarantee your safety from their own armed forces.

Q of the day: What do you think Sen. John McCain is doing to "celebrate" tonight?

Let's watch this shame of a nation one more time...

Liberals will celebrate DADT repeal in the "salons of Georgetown"

Q of the day: What do you think Sen.JohnMcCain is doing to "celebrate" tonight? Any suggestions for him?

Two sides of the same coin: Dan Choi, White House's Brian Bond on DADT legislative repeal

It's been a long historic day and the reactions have run the gamut from "you know it played out just as the President planned" (the brilliant 12 dimensional chess strategy meme), to "HRC claiming any responsibility for this is BS" to "it couldn't be done without "X" (as in there's a single reason for DADT's legislative repeal).

As always, I think the truth lies someone in the middle. I'm not sure why any one faction has to "claim" victory -- that seems very Beltway, as opposed to the big picture that there was a win today, one with an incomplete asterisk next to it.

A promise to repeal the discriminatory policy of Don't Ask, Don't Tell is exactly that - repealing the impact of the policy itself. That was made quite clear -- from SLDN's cautionary warning to service members not to come out yet, to HRC's victory post saying the same thing.

Here are two examples of viewing the glass of pre-victory from today. First, Brian Bond, Deputy Director of the Office of Public Engagement at the White House (a.k.a. the "LGBT liaison") has a post up: "Ending Don't Ask Don't Tell."

Today, I had one of those "once in a lifetime" moments.  As I sat in the Senate Gallery with my bosses, White House Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett, Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Messina and Director of the Office of Public Engagement Tina Tchen, I saw history being made as the US Senate voted 65 to 31 to pass the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010.  I am proud of the many leaders in Congress and all those who have worked to put an end to DADT.  And I'm proud of the President for his leadership on this issue.   It has been a long time getting here and it has been a struggle - but as the President has said many times, "Change isn't easy." But today we took a huge step forward to set right a wrong.

Last December about this time, I was at a small event in the Roosevelt Room.  The President was just getting ready to leave for the Christmas Holiday.  He walked over to me and without missing a beat, put his hand on my shoulder, and I will never forget what he said to me - unsolicited -- "We are going to end Don't Ask Don't Tell.  We have a little bit of work to do still, but we are going to get it done."  A month later, in his first State of the Union Address, the President said, "This year, I will work with Congress and our military to finally repeal the law that denies gay Americans the right to serve the country they love because of who they are.  It's the right thing to do."

Now I am sure that there will be many stories written about what happened and how we got here, but for me, the key part of the story that I will never forget is that commitment from the President.   Nor will I ever forget the brave men and women who have served with distinction who also happen to be gay or lesbian.  Throughout the course of this effort, I have been privileged to meet some amazing heroes who just wanted to serve their country.  I will carry their stories with me for the rest of my life.

Dan Choi (who is out of the hospital and received his Blend "get well card" today), has a piece up at Huff Po -- "Congress Repeals DADT" -- and strikes a different tone.

No revolution towards justice ever went backwards. To all the supporters of equality and Don't Ask Don't Tell's death, I am so grateful. The road has not been easy. We have learned many important lessons about social justice, movements, supporting each other, and speaking out against discrimination.

The mission is not finished; it has only just begun. The most critical mission is supporting and encouraging closeted soldiers to finally access their full integrity, dignity, and humanity. This mission is in keeping with the first lessons learned at West Point or basic training. As the legislation signals a new chapter in our journey, we can be sure that our work has only begun. I call on all soldiers to gain the courage to come out. First come out to yourselves, then tell your trusted friends and family. Tell everyone who you trust and who deserves nothing less than truth. Stop hating yourselves as your country has signaled for so long. Furthermore, your coming out is not for you. It is for all those who come after. Military service is not about rank, pension or paycheck. Climbing the ladder is shameful without true purity of service and I applaud those who give up the superficial artifacts of career in favor of complete integrity and justice.

...President Obama, you are not off the hook. The compromise bill passed today puts the moral imperative squarely on your desk. Sign an executive order instituting a full non-discrimination policy throughout the military. If you do not, if you drag your feet and politicize this with your theoretical calculations as you have these past two years, you will be guilty of abetting those who loudly proclaim homophobia from their platforms and pulpits. Provide them no shelter or safe haven. Institute justice now.

Both points of view are personal, both stem from resolve to see equality happen, but there is no black and white to the struggle for equality, it involves many political shades of gray. For those who are so motivated by being "right" or on top politically, they don't want to see that there are many routes to success along the way, that the spectrum of ideas and tactics were responsible for today's step, not in spite of one viewpoint or another. That's pretty disappointing, but not unexpected. There are many battles ahead, perhaps people can get their heads together after popping the champagne corks this evening.

Press Release: Transgender American Veterans Association Salutes the Repeal Vote of DADT

Transgender veterans have served in the United States military services, and are even now serving in the United States military services. However, they serve in the closet; the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT) doesn't result in transgender veterans soon being able to serve openly.

TAVA (TAVA) has a press release out on the congressional votes to repeal DADT. In the press release, the vice-president of the Transgender American Veterans Association (TAVA), Angela Brightfeather, said this in the press release:

It should be recognized that DADT has never included directives concerning Transgender people serving in the military. Therefore, there was no call from Transgender Americans to equally serve in the military of their country, without persecution and discrimination. However, Transgender people who have and still do serve under the same pre-DADT conditions, still find it necessary to lie and hide who they are, contrary to the best traditions of the military.

She then goes on to add:

We now press our GLB brothers and sisters to finish the job and help provide the means for Transgender people to be able to serve their country openly and equally as do all Americans.

Well.

We're going to have a few months to a year of preps to implement repeal -- for as y'all may not remember, now the President, the Secretary of Defense, and the Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff must sign off on lesbian, gay, and bisexual being able to serve openly. With that signing off, policies will need to be set in place for lesbian, gay, and bisexual servicemembers' open service -- such as antidiscrimination policies and servicemember benefits. Basically, the implementation of the repeal of DADT will no doubt keep the DADT focused LGBT organizations busy for quite a number of months.

But that said the question for those organizations focus their missions after the sign-off and policies are set in place will be one of "What are you going to do towards transgender servicemembers being able to serve openly?"

Will these organizations be willing to take on a seventeen-ish year slog towards allowing transgender servicemembers being able to serve openly as they took on a seventeen year slog for lesbian, gay, and bisexual servicemembers being able to serve openly? And probably more importantily, will these organizations be able to raise sufficient funds from the LGBT community members to take on the long and costly for the T people of the LGBT community?

Those are good question. But, I'm for letting the DADT focused LGBT organizations focus during the upcoming months on DADT implementation. Legislation or policy that would allow transgender people to serve openly isn't at the top of most trans people's agendas -- most would rather prioritize a fully inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) over legislation to allow transgender people to serve in the military services openly -- but the DADT focused LGBT organizations are going to have to address the question of transgender servicemembers being able to serve openly at a point in the not too distant future.

The TAVA press release:

Transgender American Veterans Association Salutes the Repeal Vote of DADT

Contact: Monica Helms: president@tavausa.org

Denny Meyer: media@tavausa.org / (718) 849-5665

We are proud of our democracy that Congress passed this monumental repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell. Even though transgender people are still going to be separated from military service, Transgender American Veterans Association salutes this passage. We who have served our nation proudly now anticipate our own progress to freedom and equality.

Monica Helms, President of TAVA said, "For 17 years the US has made their gay lesbian and bisexual service members second class citizens and caused them to have to lie about who they are and who they love. No longer will that be the case. We now turn our attention to allowing transgender people to serve openly."

"It should be recognized that DADT has never included directives concerning Transgender people serving in the military." Angela Brightfeather, TAVA's Vice President stated, "Therefore, there was no call from Transgender Americans to equally serve in the military of their country, without persecution and discrimination. However, Transgender people who have and still do serve under the same pre-DADT conditions, still find it necessary to lie and hide who they are, contrary to the best traditions of the military. We now press our GLB brothers and sisters to finish the job and help provide the means for Transgender people to be able to serve their country openly and equally as do all Americans."

Many of America's allied nations have long since allowed open transgender service along with the service of those with alternate sexual orientation. The next frontier is for the United States is to progress to full and complete inclusion of the right to serve our nation. It is TAVA's expectation that now that DADT has been repealed that all those involved in achieving the repeal will now turn their attention to help transgender Americans also be able serve openly.

- 30 -

Founded in 2003, the Transgender American Veterans Association (TAVA) is a 501 (c) 3 organization that acts proactively with other concerned civil rights and human rights organizations to ensure that transgender veterans will receive appropriate care for their medical conditions in accordance with the Veterans Health Administration's Customer Service Standards promise to "treat you with courtesy and dignity . . . as the first class citizen that you are." Further, TAVA will help in educating the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) and the Department of Defense (DoD) on issues regarding fair and equal treatment of transgender individuals. Also, TAVA will help the general transgender community when deemed appropriate and within the IRS guidelines.

DADT video break; Signorile on CNN; McCain embarrasses himself (again) on the Senate floor

You can't go wrong with a clip from Grampa McCrusty as he shows why it's time for him to throw in the towel.:

"Liberals will celebrate #DADT repeal in the "salons of Georgetown."

And here's Mike Signorile on the tube with CNN's Don Lemon:

***

McCrusty's whines show up in this piece --

Obama to sign law ending military gay ban

In a historic vote for gay rights, the Senate agreed on Saturday to do away with the military's 17-year ban on openly gay troops and sent President Barack Obama legislation to overturn the Clinton-era policy known as "don't ask, don't tell."

Obama was expected to sign the bill into law next week, although changes to military policy probably wouldn't take effect for at least several months. Under the bill, the president and his top military advisers must first certify that lifting the ban won't hurt troops' ability to fight. After that, the military would undergo a 60-day wait period.

.. Sen. John McCain, Obama's GOP rival in 2008, led the opposition. Speaking on the Senate floor minutes before a crucial test vote, the Arizona Republican acknowledged he couldn't stop the bill. He blamed elite liberals with no military experience for pushing their social agenda on troops during wartime. "They will do what is asked of them," McCain said of service members. "But don't think there won't be a great cost."

Zack Ford - We Made It Through: Don't Ask, Don't Tell "Repealed"

Crossposted on ZackFord Blogs.

 If you haven't already heard, today was a very important victory in repeal of the military's Don't Ask, Don't Tell provision. With an impressive 63 votes, the stand-alone bill achieved cloture in the US Senate this morning, and picked up 2 more Republican votes to pass this afternoon. It's a proud moment in LGBT history, and it's a credit to every individual and every organization who advocated for this change!

Still, I find myself not as excited as I thought I would. While many in the movement are rightfully celebrating a victory lap, my reaction feels a lot more like "It's about damn time." You might say that sounds ungrateful. I'd say you're right.

My point of view is that this is good, but it's still not good enough. My bar is high; nothing short of full equality is good enough. I look at this, and it's an important victory, but it also feels like the smallest possible victory we could have gotten. DADT isn't off the books yet. We took a compromise way back in the Spring (remember? when the President didn't want Congress to pursue any legislative repeal efforts) such that the bill doesn't actually repeal, it just allows for repeal. It'll still be a couple months (at least) before our LGB servicemembers can finally serve with integrity. We still have to advocate for that day to come, and then we have the long haul of education to diminish the prejudice throughout the ranks that made this such a tough obstacle.

I actually worry that the movement might be overly gracious. It certainly has a history of giving lots of credit to leaders when they grace us with every little accommodation or amount of visibility. I've heard plenty of folks ready to give President Obama credit for being so committed (and even spending political capital) to make this happen. I'm not sure I'm inclined to agree anymore than I gave him credit for signing the hate crimes bill last year. If he was actively calling Senators this month, it'd be nice to know about it. He didn't even make a public appearance to comment on today's passage.

Let's not forget the very cruel public condemnation we had to listen to before we could get to this point. I think Senator McCain sincerely believes that Marines are going to lose legs because they're so distracted by all the gay sex that's going to happen around them. How a servicemember's freedom to email their partner back home inhibits the capability of other troops to perform at 110% is beyond me. We also heard plenty of people say that DADT has "worked." It is impossible to defend DADT without defending homophobia, but that's what we heard. It's too much trouble to allow gays and lesbians to be honest because it's better that they suffer than to disturb the homophobia of some of the other troops. This is nasty, demonizing language that reminds us how inhuman many still find us to be. Even once we achieve full legal equality, we will have a LONG way to go.

Another disappointing reality of the day is how it feels that DADT repeal was passed on the back of the DREAM Act. It reminded me of how bittersweet I felt about the election of Barack Obama and the passage of Proposition 8. There are thousands of young people who are eager to give back to the only nation they've known, but because they are undocumented, they have no pathway to citizenship. They are being punished for doing nothing, which strikes me as being cruel and unusual. The DREAM Act would have been good for them, good for the military, good for education, and good for the economy. Unfortunately, xenophobia won out, and thanks to Republicans, these young people continue to exist without real options for their lives. There was incredible cross-support between DADT and DREAM, and the inability of DREAM to proceed is a crushing reminder of the overall ineffectiveness of the Senate, the potential for Republicans to politically obstruct, and the importance of us all advocating outside our own communities and issues.

We mourn the indefinite death of the DREAM Act.

Now more than ever is when we have to push forward. We can be grateful for every step of progress, but every step of progress should support the next. If our leaders are willing to say one form of discrimination against the LGBT community is wrong, then so too should they be ready to say the same of other forms. We must hold them to that and not permit a "that's enough for now" attitude.

Is it as likely to happen with a Republican-controlled House? No. But I don't think the movement is going to cave on ENDA or DOMA-repeal because of that alone.

I just feel like today's victory doesn't erase the conflicts and complaints that we've had. We won in the end, but the criticism from every step of the way is still warranted. The Democratic Party and Gay, Inc. still have to own and learn from their missteps. And ultimately, we all still have a lot of work ahead of us. I totally agree that some folks have worked incredibly hard and earned this victory and deserve a break, but that means they sub out and we press on.

Am I a Debbie Downer? Maybe. But we're not done, and I'd rather keep my eye on the ball.

Game on. 

Breaking: DADT is legislatively repealed - final vote: 65-31

We'll have reactions up, but this is the last legislative hurdle -  the Obama Admin must still be encouraged to quickly certify repeal.

First, from Truth Wins Out's Evan Hurst, the best reaction from the right wing - Bryan Fischer of the AFA:

Since it's such a historic day, let's laugh together at Bryan Fischer of the hate group American Family Association, whose response is SUPER crybaby. First the headline:

Benedict Arnold Republicans destroy military and our national security

Oh god, so funny, can't type, laughing too hard. Here's what he says:

We are now stuck with sexual deviants serving openly in the U.S. military because of turncoat Republican senators.

Rep. Patrick Murphy:

Today, Pennsylvania Congressman Patrick Murphy (D-8th District) released the following statement following Senate passage of legislation to repeal the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, which is scheduled to be signed into law by the President next week:

"Today, we close the books on the discriminatory Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy that hurt our national security and ran counter to our American values. When I served in Baghdad with the 82nd Airborne Division, my team and I didn't care who someone was writing to back home. We cared if everyone could fire their assault rifle, kick down a door, and do their job so we could all come home alive.

Gay men and women are serving in our military. I served alongside them in Baghdad, and they continue fighting and dying in Iraq and Afghanistan in order to protect our families at home. With today's vote, we finally stop telling them that they have to lie about who they are in order to serve the country they love."

Statement of Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin

"The Senate vote today finally marks the end of a sad chapter in American history.  Since its inception, the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy has been an un-American assault on our most fundamental tenet - that 'all men are created equal.'  The policy discriminates against gays and lesbians who currently serve or wish to serve in the military, including those previously discharged who wish to rejoin.

The 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy is a threat to our national security.  Since 1994, more than 13,000 highly trained service members have been discharged as a result of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.'  In the last five years, while our country has been engaged in two wars, the military has discharged more than 800 mission-critical troops under this policy, including more than 50 Arabic linguists.

Integrity is a hallmark of military service. Yet, for 17 years, we have had a statutory policy that requires some in our military to conceal, deceive, and lie.  This is an inexcusable affront to all who wear the uniform.

The repeal of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' is long overdue, but no less welcome.

I look forward to the expeditious implementation of all policies necessary to end discrimination against gays and lesbians who currently serve or wish to serve in the military.  I will continue to work for full equality for LGBT Americans.  In the United States of America, there is no place for irrational and insidious discrimination in any sector of society."

Palm Center:

"Today, the Palm Center salutes the U.S. Senate for this courageous vote, which will improve national security and allow gay and lesbian troops to be treated with the same dignity as their straight counterparts.  This is a historic day for the military and for the American tradition of civil rights, but this process does not end here. We expect the Pentagon to shortly announce its demand for a lengthy period of training and education to prepare the troops for open gay service, possibly lasting though much of 2011, before repeal of 'don't ask, don't tell' can be certified.

The Palm Center will imminently release a study showing that this demand is not based on actual military needs.  In fact, the Pentagon has the capacity to train the forces immediately, within a matter of weeks.  The RAND Corporation's research has found that the way to minimize any disruption from the implementation of open gay service is to proceed quickly and with strong leadership.  Only three steps are needed to assure a smooth and quick transition to open gay service: an immediate executive order from President Obama suspending all discharges; a few weeks to put the new regulations in place; and following this, immediate certification to end 'don't ask, don't tell.'"

More below the fold.

"Today's vote is the critical strike against 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' and toward creating a path that could end in lesbian, gay and bisexual people being able to serve openly, honestly, and to great benefit of our country. We celebrate this important victory and thank all the senators who supported fairness today. We are on the brink of making history. An end to 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' cannot happen soon enough. This arcane and costly policy has destroyed thousands of careers, wasted much-needed dollars, and failed to enhance our nation's security. We are now poised to end this travesty once and for all, as the Senate today joined with the three-quarters of Americans who already believe 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' must go. People from every background, every faith, every community across the country know that qualified, patriotic Americans willing to risk their lives by serving in the military should be able to do so, free of discrimination. When full repeal of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' is implemented, our nation will honor the principles of fairness and justice that it holds so dearly. We urge President Obama to act swiftly to sign this historic bill."

JD Smith, the active-duty Co-Director of OutServe, the underground network of gay and lesbian actively serving military members:

"OutServe looks forward to the day that repeal of this law is signed by our Commander in Chief and the certification process is complete so we can all begin to serve openly and honestly. Certification must take place as soon as possible as gay and lesbian service members will be in limbo over the next few months.  As the troops will interpret today's actions as an end in the policy, only a delay in certification will increase the lack of clarity among the ranks. "

Statement from Freedom to Marry's Political Director, Sean Eldridge, on today's Senate vote to repeal military discrimination against gay and lesbian service members:

"Freedom to Marry applauds today's vote to repeal military discrimination against gay and lesbian Americans defending our country. Military service, like marriage, has long been considered a defining element of citizenship and full participation in society. And military discrimination, like exclusion from marriage, is one of the cruelest inequalities inflicted on gay Americans by their own government.

"Our elected representatives have begun catching up with the American people, who oppose discrimination of any kind against gay and lesbian Americans. In love and war, the government should honor the commitment of gay Americans. We urge the President and Congress to turn their attention to repealing federal marriage discrimination inflicted by the so-called 'Defense of Marriage Act'."