Pam Spaulding's Blog, page 19
June 29, 2011
President Obama's remarks at WH event to observe LGBT Pride Month
Administration OfficialsDan Savage was there, by the way; he spoke. I love this description from the pool reporter about the event; diversity was not the rule for the festivities. Sadly, that's no surprise.John Berry, Director of the US Office of Personnel Management
Nancy Sutley, Chair, CEQ
Brad Kiley, Director of the White House Office of Management and AdministrationElected Officials
Hon. Blake Oshiro, Majority Leader, Hawaii State House, HI
Hon. Dwight Chong, Hawaii State House, HI
Hon. Jeanette Oxford, Missouri General Assembly, MO
Hon. Diane Sands, Montana House of Representatives, MT
Hon. Christopher Cabaldon, Mayor West Sacramento, CA
Hon. Darryl Moore, Berkley City Council, CACommunity Leaders
Sue Fulton, Former US Army Captain
Antonio "Dave" Garcia, Executive Director of the Kalamazoo LGBT Center
Bishop Mary Glasspool, Diocese of Los Angeles
Harriet Hancock, Founder of the Columbia South Carolina LGBT Community Center
Rick Jacobs, Chair of the Courage Campaign
Verna St. Clair King, Civil Rights Activist
Caleb Laieski , Anti-Bullying Activist
Marisa Richmond, Transgender and Civil Rights Activist
Glenn Magpantay, LGBT AAPI Civil Rights Attorney
Olivia Tai, LGBT College Youth Leader
Dontaee Williamson, LGBT High School Youth Leader
No, he didn't endorse gay marriage.Also, I have the transcript up of today's White House Press Conference by the President (w/questions about DOMA). Below is the related section of the transcript:The East Room contained: a few hundred attendees, a full bar, a couple of small, round tables covered in shimmery purple cloth piled high with canapes and desserts: puff pastries, baby lamb chops, mini cupcakes, slices of cake and more. The centerpieces were oversized bouquets of roses in pink, orange, red and purple. A band played light jazz and R&B.
The crowd was mostly white and the men significantly outnumbered the women. Dan Savage was there -- quotes from him after Obama.
Obama entered the room at 6 p.m. to huge cheers. Facing north, he assured the crowd that "Nothing ruins a party like a long speech from a politician" and promised to go short. He talked about his accomplishments so far -- hospital visits, DADT, DOMA, etc.
He said he understands the frustration many in the gay community feel about the pace of accomplishments -- "I know I can count on you to let me know," he said. "This is not a shy group."
The crowd interrupted him a few times with spontaneous cheers and applause -- when he mentioned "spouses" (without endorsing the concept) and more. Check the transcript. He spoke for about nine minutes.
Dan Savage, a columnist, author and gay activist was there with his husband (they married in Canada), Terry Miller. Dan was wearing a black and white plaid shirt with a small button that said, "evolve already." Terry wore a white shirt with a hot pink bow tie.
"I believe the president should evolve," Savage said. "He says he's evolving, I believe him." He added, "I want to hurry him along."
Savage, a strong proponent for gay marriage, said his presence at the White House should not be construed as a surrender on the issue. "We can scream and yell and be dicks and wear buttons" and still eat Obama's cupcakes and drink his champagne, Savage said.
He predicted Obama's evolution on gay marriage would be complete in February, 2013. Savage called Obama's politics "the art of the possible."
"We need to keep the pressure on and take 'yes' for an answer," Savage said.
"I'm not one of the gay activists furious at the president because he's not out on the furthest limb" on gay marriage, Savage said.
Also in the room and willing to make eye contact with the pool: Gregory King, a spokesman for AFSCME and a former spokesman for the Human Rights Campaign Fund. King said, "I think Obama has done more for the LGBT community than any president in history."
"He's been effective at bringing change and ending discrimination," King said.
Regarding gay marriage, "I know many couples who wouldn't place that at the top of the agenda," King said.
THE PRESIDENT: Let me start by saying that this administration, under my direction, has consistently said we cannot discriminate as a country against people on the basis of sexual orientation. And we have done more in the two and a half years that I've been in here than the previous 43 Presidents to uphold that principle, whether it's ending "don't ask, don't tell," making sure that gay and lesbian partners can visit each other in hospitals, making sure that federal benefits can be provided to same-sex couples. Across the board -- hate crimes -- we have made sure that that is a central principle of this administration, because I think it's a central principle of America.Now, what we've also done is we've said that DOMA, the Defense of Marriage Act, is unconstitutional. And so we've said we cannot defend the federal government poking its nose into what states are doing and putting the thumb on the scale against same-sex couples.
What I've seen happen over the last several years, and what happened in New York last week I think was a good thing, because what you saw was the people of New York having a debate, talking through these issues. It was contentious; it was emotional; but, ultimately, they made a decision to recognize civil marriage. And I think that's exactly how things should work.
And so I think it is -- I think it is important for us to work through these issues -- because each community is going to be different and each state is going to be different -- to work through them. In the meantime, we filed a -- we filed briefs before the Supreme Court that say we think that any discrimination against gays, lesbians, transgenders is subject to heightened scrutiny, and we don't think that DOMA is unconstitutional [sic]. And so I think the combination of what states are doing, what the courts are doing, the actions that we're taking administratively, all are how the process should work.
Q Are you at all uncomfortable that there could be different rules in different states, you know, and for somebody to make the argument that's what we saw during segregation --
THE PRESIDENT: Chuck, I think what you're seeing is a profound recognition on the part of the American people that gays and lesbians and transgender persons are our brothers, our sisters, our children, our cousins, our friends, our co-workers, and that they've got to be treated like every other American. And I think that principle will win out. It's not going to be perfectly smooth, and it turns out that the President -- I've discovered since I've been in this office -- can't dictate precisely how this process moves. But I think we're moving in a direction of greater equality and I think that's a good thing.
Video: A Message of Hope from the United States Senate: "It Gets Better"
Three-Fifths Of LGBT Students Report Feeling Unsafe At School Because Of Their Sexual Orientation.
It's too bad that only 13 U.S. Senators stepped up to participate, but those who didn't because of opposition to basic rights for LGBTQ youth to be able to free from harassment at school, or are in a hostile environment, are obviously on the wrong side of history. These young people need to see their leaders supporting them.
Cosponsors Of Defense Of Marriage Act Repeal Produce Video For It Gets Better ProjectMore from the release below the fold.Washington, D.C. - Thirteen United States Senators have teamed up to encourage lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender young people not to give up, reassuring them in a video released Wednesday that they are working hard in the Senate to fulfill the promise of equality for all.
The video is part of the It Gets Better Project (http://itgetsbetter.org), which was founded last year after a series of tragic suicides by LGBT youth who were bullied because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. The inspiring It Gets Better Project is determined to help LGBT youth see a positive future beyond what is often a difficult adolescence.
A study released by the GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network last year found that nine out of 10 LGBT middle and high school students were harassed at school. Three-fifths reported feeling unsafe at school because of their sexual orientation and one-third reported admitted to skipping a day of school in the previous month because they felt unsafe.
More than 20,000 LGBT adults have produced videos around the "it gets better" message - a collection that has formed the heart of a global movement of support. President Barack Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, the San Francisco Giants and Chicago Cubs, as well as the employees of a host of major companies including Apple, Facebook, and Google, have contributed heartfelt videos to the project.
Featured in the new video, which can be viewed at http://coons.senate.gov/itgets... are Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Mark Udall (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.). All are co-sponsors of the Respect for Marriage Act, which was introduced in March to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and allow the federal government to recognize same-sex marriages performed in states where it is already legal.
The video, which runs nearly five minutes, was assembled from individual messages recorded by each Senator over the last four weeks. It is being released to coincide with the end of National LGBT Pride Month, and comes just days after the New York State Legislature made legalized marriage for same-sex couples there.
"'It Gets Better' is more than a message," Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) said. "It's a movement. It Gets Better is telling a whole generation of LGBT youth that they are not wrong just for being who they are and that they should not give up. What we wanted to do with this video was to tell those young people that we are working hard in the Senate to try to make itbetter. It's important they know that they're not alone, that they have friends working for them in Congress and that it will most definitely get better. We're going to make sure of it. I am proud to be one of the senators cosponsoring the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act in the Senate because marriage equality is one of the most important things we can do to make it better for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans."
"The 'It Gets Better' project was founded on the simple and powerful truth that no matter how hopeless today's reality may seem, when we don't give up - when we keep working for a better tomorrow - it gets better. It's true for any young person who may feel like they are in a hopeless situation and it's true for our country and its struggle for equality," Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) said. "Last year's repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell and last week's vote for marriage equality in New York are signs of progress. The "It Gets Better" project is itself a sign of how powerful and compassionate Americans can be when they rally together. Our video is our promise to LGBT youth and anyone else who feels alone in the face of discrimination that we stand with them, that we aren't giving up and that we will keep fighting until it really does get better.""The old refrain of 'growing up is tough' is simply not enough to explain away the unacceptable bullying and discrimination that LGBT youth have to deal with. I wanted to add my voice to the It Gets Better project because we need to speak louder than the bullies when we tell young people that they are not alone, and we can work together to make it better," Senator Mark Udall (D-Colo.) said. "Last year, I was proud to help lead the fight to repeal 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' and this year, 25 senators have already committed to doing the same to the Defense of Marriage Act. That's just the beginning of what we can and will do to make it better. We hope this video will show LGBT youth that when it comes to putting an end to bullying and discrimination, we're all on the same team."
"Martin Luther King, Jr. said the arc of history is long, but it bends in the direction ofjustice. Last week, my home state of New York took a giant leap in that direction by extending the freedom to marry to all New Yorkers," Senator Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said. "It is an honor to join Senator Coons and so many of my colleagues in unveilingthis video. To all the gay teens across the country who grow up witnessing an unequal world: look no further than the Empire State for proof positive that It Gets Better."
"I hope that this this video serves as a reminder to young people in Connecticut and across the country that no matter how tough things may seem, they are not alone - and it does get better," Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said. "As lawmakers and parents, we can convey no more important message to kids: no matter who you are or whom you love, you are accepted, celebrated, and needed. The It Gets Better Project reassures Americans that the campaign for equality is strong. Recent suicides and staggering figures on bullying should inspire us with a renewed sense of urgency to fulfill the promise of equal treatment for all people. Progress toward equality can never happen fast enough, but it is a cause that I am confident can bridge the divide of partisanship - and I look forward to finding new allies in this fight.
"Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered people deserve to work, worship, and study in asafe environment," Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) said. "We've made incredible strides in four decades - from the Stonewall Uprising to marriage equality in New York - but we must continue to move closer to fulfilling the promise of equality for all. This is our moment to make it better."
"Throughout my career in the Senate, I have fought to afford all Americans the equal rights they deserve and to make our communities, schools and workplaces more tolerant and peaceful places," Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) said. "I am committed to this effort and will continue fighting to champion and protect the rights of all. Together we will continue to make history, and it will get better."
"The equality movement is growing every day in Illinois and across the United States-it's getting better," Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said. "It's up to all of us to speak out against hate when we see it, and I am proud to join Senator Coons and my Senate colleagues in this important video as we work to eradicate intolerance and bullying in schools." Senator Durbin is the lead sponsor of the Family and Medical Leave Inclusion Act.
"Every American deserves equal treatment under the law," Senator Al Franken (D-Minn.) said. "Minnesota's same-sex couples are as entitled to the right to marry as anyone else and LGBT youth should be able to learn in a bully free environment just like their peers. I was proud to introduce the Student Non-Discrimination Act and will work hard to pass the Respect for Marriage Act. I'm committed to doing whatever I can in the Senate to make things better." Senator Franken is the lead sponsor of the Student Non-Discrimination Act.
"I was proud to join my Senate colleagues to lend our voices to this worthwhile project and let young LGBT people know that Washington is working on equality for all Americans," Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) said. "I was also proud to see the San Francisco Giants recently became the first professional sports team to join in this important effort. At the heart of the 'It Gets Better' project are the thousands of videos from the president of the United States to your neighbor, who are offering LGBT youth encouragement, advice, compassion and the strength to carry on." Senator Feinstein is the lead sponsor of the Respect for Marriage Act.
"I am proud to be part of the powerful 'It Gets Better' movement to support our LGBT youth. Too many kids are forced to endure harassment, bullying, and discrimination just for being who they are, which is completely unacceptable," Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) said. "This project tells LGBT youth not to give up and lets them know that they have dedicated advocates on their side in Washington. New York State has sent a strong message to the rest of the nation in achieving marriage equality, and we will continue the fight in Washington by working to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act."
"It is an honor to stand with my Senate colleagues to convey the important message to LGBT teens that life does get better. Teens across America, gay or straight, deserve to be treated with respect and should seek out help and support if they are beingbullied or feel unsafe," Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) said. "New Hampshire has a long history of leadership on issues of civil rights, and I'm proud to be working hard with my Senate colleagues in the fight for equality."
"Few things are lonelier for a child than being the target of persistent bullying, and kids in those dark times need to have faith that it does get better," saidSenator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), who held a Senate field hearing this year in Pawtucket, RI about the dangers of bullying and dating violence. "I applaud itgetsbetter.org for their work, and am proud to join in their efforts."
"We're proud so many elected officials are working to make it better for struggling LGBT youth and hope other leaders from both sides of the aisle will join them," said Scott Zumwalt, a spokesperson for the It Gets Better Project.
Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), both of them also cosponsors of the DOMA repeal, had previously recorded videos for the It Gets Better Project. Senator Murray's can be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v... Senator Merkley's can be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...
Obama 'not going to make news' today answering Q on personal views re: marriage equality
If you surf over, you'll see that the President didn't improve his answer about specifics. The Wall Street Journal's Laura Meckler asked whether the "Good Thing" comment was indicative of his personal belief re: marriage equality.
OBAMA: What we've also done is we've said that DOMA - the Defense of Marriage Act - is unconstitutional and so we've said that we cannot defend the federal government poking its nose into what states are doing and putting our thumb on the scale against same-sex couples. What I've seen happen over the last several years and what happened in New York last week, I think was a good thing. Because what you saw was the people of New York having a debate, talking through these issues. It was contentious, it was emotional, but ultimately they made a decision to recognize civil marriages and I think that's exactly how things should work. I think it's important for us to work through these issues because each state is going to be different and each community is going to be different.
Obama replied, "I'm not going to make news on that today. Good try though."
On the radio: talking marriage equality and general progressive stuff on The Nicole Sandler Show
President Obama honors 2010 WNBA Champions Seattle Storm at White House
Seattle Storm players and Anne Levinson, then-Chair of Force Ten Hoops, celebrating 2010 WNBA Championship
2010 WNBA Champions Seattle Storm will be honored this afternoon by President Obama in the White House Rose Garden. The Storm won last season going undefeated the entire season at home and sweeping the playoffs. It was a spectacular victory.
And it never would have happened if four local businesswomen -- three of them openly gay -- hadn't decided to save the team from Clay Bennett's Oklahoma-based group which wanted to take the Storm to Oklahoma City with the Sonics.
Soon after the Oklahoma group purchased the franchise in 2006, news surfaced that the Oklahoma group had bankrolled Gary Bauer's anti-gay organization "Americans United to Preserve Marriage". Naturally this didn't sit well with the Storm's fan base, prompting Anne Levinson, Ginny Gilder, Lisa Brummel and Dawn Trudeau to form the new ownership group Force Ten Hoops and negotiate a deal with Bennett.
Negotiations weren't easy and Bennett was resistant to overtures from Force Ten Hoops. Ultimately it was Levinson who persuaded Bennett to sell. She also negotiated a long-term lease allowing the Storm to continue playing at KeyArena even without an NBA team, set up their Foundation and practice facility, and served as the ownership group.
As chair of Force Ten Hoops, Levinson became the nation's first openly gay person to hold such a position. A trail blazer, Levinson was one of Washington state's first out public officials, serving two Seattle Mayoral administrations during which time she helped Seattle become the second city in the nation to provide domestic partnership benefits (San Francisco was the first). Levinson was also the nation's first out State Public Utility Commission chair, among the first out judges in the state, and chair of the Approve 71 campaign.
You will recall the result of the Approve 71 campaign: On election day 2009, Washington became the first state in the nation whose electorate voted to approve a relationship recognition law for LGBT families.
In 2008 both Governor Chris Gregoire and Anne Levinson served as Grand Marshalls of the Seattle Pride Parade. Today, the Seattle Storm is being feted by President Obama. It's a good sign for the future that women -- both straight and gay -- are getting the recognition they deserve as being among the nations most capable and inspiring leaders.
Watch live today at 1:50 PM EDT.
Update: Pictures and remarks will be posted below as they come in. I'm liking this screen shot. :)
NOM astroturfed 'legal scholars' in New York
crossposted on Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters
In a press conference held by the National Organization for Marriage and its allies days before the NY Senate voted for marriage equality, NOM head Maggie Gallagher brought up the so-called negative religious impacts of marriage equality by citing the work of "leading legal scholars."
Skip to 16:29 of the video where Gallagher makes these comments:
Gallagher: It's not just pastors who are talking about it. My understanding is that there was a letter from a Stanford law professor who is an expert on religious liberty, a Harvard law school professor; Mary Ann Glendon, and one of the editors of a book called Same-Sex Marriage and Religious Liberties. The leading legal scholars are acknowledging . . . that the foundational idea that equality requires gay marriage . . . is going to impact people who disagree . . . "
According to Equality Matters , these scholars Gallagher spoke of are not objective, but have a very strong personal disregard to not only marriage equality but to the gay community in general. For example, take Mary Ann Glendon:
She has called marriage equality a "radical social experiment," warning that "children will have to be taught about homosexual sex" and fear mongering about the threat posed by "alternative family forms":
But, believe it or not, Gallagher's biggest deception at the press conference is a name she chose omit.
A man by the name of Robert George was one of the so-called legal scholars who signed the letter and my guess is that Gallagher chose to omit his name for following reason (brought to you by Equality Matters):
George is the Chairman Emeritus of the board for the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) and has a long history of anti-gay activism. George has argued that marriage equality will pave the way for polygamy and claims same-sex marriage will lead to "disastrous effects" on children.
Allow me to break it down: in a high intense press conference, Gallagher nonchalantly snuck in a notion that "leading legal scholars" have an objective concern over the plight of religious liberties should marriage equality be passed in New York.
However, she omitted - and probably not by accident - the simple fact that these so-called "leading legal scholars" have negative views on marriage equality in general.
Also, Gallagher omitted - and again probably not by accident - that one of these so-called "leading legal scholars" (Robert George) is on NOM's Board of Directors - the very same board on which she also serves.
Of course Gallagher pulled a big deception and as sure I am sitting here, count on her doing it again and again.
And frankly, neither Gallagher nor NOM really care about getting caught because very few have made an effort in calling them out on their questionable tactics.
June 28, 2011
NOM's Brian Brown pitches nutty plan to reverse marriage equality in New York
Protect your keyboards. In his latest fundraising email, NOM's Brian Brown is actually pitching an anti-equality constitutional amendment for New York. This will be a test of the gullibility of NOM's donors because the plan is utterly ridiculous. An amendment to the New York State Constitution requires the approval of two consecutive legislatures. (see Article XIX). Here's the plan:We're putting together a 4-year campaign strategy that will reverse same-sex marriage in New York. We'll have many more details, and ways for you to get involved, in the days ahead but the overall plan will have three phases:
PHASE 1:
Elect pro-marriage majorities next November that will approve a marriage amendment in both the Assembly and Senate during the 2013 legislative session.PHASE 2:
Protect pro-marriage candidates in the 2014 elections, so that the amendment can receive final legislative approval in the 2015 legislative session.PHASE 3:
Successfully pass the ballot measure when it goes before voters in November 2015.
Recall that the Assembly passed the Marriage Equality Act by a vote of 80-63 and the Senate passed it by a vote of 33-29. To accomplish this mean-spirited plan, NOM would have to replace at least 18 pro-equality Assembly members and 3 pro-equality Senators (incumbents all) with anti-equality challengers, get a majority of both chambers to approve a proposed amendment, maintain the anti-equality majorities through another election, then get the majority of both chambers to vote anti-equality for a second time.
Then the question would go to the voters, who already overwhelmingly support marriage equality.
No wonder Brian Brown literally sat and cried when the Senate passed the Marriage Equality Act. With everyone from Roman Catholic majorities to ultra-conservative David Frum supporting marriage equality, Mr. Brown must be keenly aware that his anti-gay meal ticket is just about punched out.
SLDN: 42 Years After Stonewall, It's Still Getting Better
42 Years After Stonewall, It's Still Getting Better
In the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, the Stonewall riots took place in New York City's West Village and became widely recognized as the first significant instance in American history when individuals in the gay community fought back against the persecution of the government.
Following the uprising and in short order, residents of the Village had organized an effort to concentrate on establishing places for gays and lesbians to congregate and be open about their sexual orientation without fear of being arrested. The patrons of the Stonewall Inn likely had no idea the trajectory of progress they would set in motion; they were simply tired of being treated as second-class citizens and were standing up for their basic human rights and the dignity to be and to love who they chose. But in doing so, the LGBT rights movement was born, and nothing would ever be the same.
Forty-two years later, we honor the courage and sacrifice of those who stood up to the police that early morning in New York. We remember the brothers and sisters we lost along the way to HIV/AIDS, homophobia, transphobia and indifference. We mourn those who took their own lives because they were bullied or harassed.
Yet, we celebrate media milestones like Will & Grace that reminded Americans we are their sons and daughters, their neighbors, their friends. We herald the states that have acted to allow same-sex marriages, passage of hate crimes legislation and the coming repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." And we remind ourselves that there is much more work to be done.
I am proud to be a part of the SLDN "It Gets Better" video released today. As I watched the celebrations in front of the Stonewall Inn live on CNN last Friday night, following the historic marriage vote in New York, the fact that it truly is getting better was highlighted for me in a most profound way.
We are not where we want to be on many fronts, but we are surely not where we were. And as we look to the future, it's important to remember that fact and to honor those who brought us this far.
Don't Ask, Don't Tell: The Discharges Continue
Cross-posted at Daily Kos.
Since the signing of the bill which would allow for "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal on December 22, 2010, the military has continued to discharge servicemembers suspected of or found to be gay, lesbian, or bisexual. Yesterday, the Advocate reported that the Pentagon has confirmed a new round of investigations and discharges under DADT.
The Pentagon confirmed Monday that more service members have been discharged under “don’t ask, don’t tell” pending certification of the policy’s repeal, with one individual’s discharge approved as recently as Thursday.A total of four airmen have been discharged under the policy in the last several weeks, Pentagon spokeswoman Eileen Lainez confirmed Monday.
An Air Force spokesman, Maj. Joel Harper, stated that these discharges were for individuals who voluntarily came out and sought discharge. While this may be true in these cases, they are not the only ones. Yesterday, Army Veteran and Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) Executive Director Aubrey Sarvis made the following statement:
These Air Force discharges underscore that DADT investigations and discharges continue. Unfortunately, SLDN has a client right now who was recently recommended for discharge at a board hearing, and his paperwork is headed to the Navy Secretary. He made no statement, and he wants to continue serving. We have another client who is having a board hearing later this week, and if this senior enlisted person is recommended for discharge, her paperwork will likely be before the Navy Secretary in short order. She, too, wishes to continue serving. Let me be clear. At SLDN, we have scores of clients who have been advised they are under DADT investigations. Some of these clients have between 10 and 15 years of honorable service, few made voluntary statements, and none to my knowledge has asked to be ‘separated expeditiously.’ For these service members, especially, certification and final repeal cannot come soon enough. The continued stress of investigations and the risk of separation under DADT is real and very much imminent.”
That "more humane" DADT doesn't seem to be working out very well.
Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said on Thursday that he will not certify DADT repeal before his retirement, effective June 30. His replacement, former CIA chief Leon Panetta, has not stated whether he will certify repeal. In a prepared statement he has said only that, "If confirmed, and in the event Secretary Gates does not sign such a certification prior to his departure from office, I will work closely with the Joint Chiefs of Staff to access whether the elements for certification in the law are met before signing it myself."
Despite the various service chiefs stating that they have encountered no problems with the force in adminstering repeal training, there is still no target date for completion. Comments made by VADM William Gortney to the House Armed Services Committee indicate that recommendations from the service chiefs to ADM Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS), could be ready by late July or early August.
The President, the CJCS, and the Secretary of Defense must certify repeal before it can be implemented. After certification, per the "trigger" repeal legislation, a 60-day waiting period will commence. Then, and only then, will DADT repeal be completed.
Don't Ask, Don't Tell is not dead. It is not repealed. It is still the law, and servicemembers and their families are still suffering under it.
For a comprehensive timeline of DADT repeal, please click here.
Video break: Michele Bachmann, unscripted and unhinged
Meet congresswoman Michele Bachmann. If you weren't already acquainted with the outspoken Minnesota Republican then prepare yourself for this soundbite machine's divinely inspired run for the presidency in 2012.But wait, there's more...
Bachmann says she has the 'spirit' of John Wayne...Gacy
However hard we may laugh at the latest addition to the GOP Clown Car, click over to read Matt Taibbi's Michele Bachmann's Holy War: The Tea Party contender may seem like a goofball, but be warned: Her presidential campaign is no laughing matter .
"Well what I want them to know is just like, John Wayne was from Waterloo, Iowa. That's the kind of spirit that I have, too," she told Fox News prior to the official announcement of her candidacy in Waterloo..."Waterloo's John Wayne was not the beloved movie star, but rather John Wayne Gacy, the serial killer," Stephen Dinan wrote.
[D]on't look her in the eyes; don't let her smile at you. Michele Bachmann, when she turns her head toward the cameras and brandishes her pearls and her ageless, unblemished neckline and her perfect suburban orthodontics in an attempt to reassure the unbeliever of her non-threateningness, is one of the scariest sights in the entire American cultural tableau. She's trying to look like June Cleaver, but she actually looks like the T2 skeleton posing for a passport photo. You will want to laugh, but don't, because the secret of Bachmann's success is that every time you laugh at her, she gets stronger.In modern American politics, being the right kind of ignorant and entertainingly crazy is like having a big right hand in boxing; you've always got a puncher's chance. And Bachmann is exactly the right kind of completely batshit crazy. Not medically crazy, not talking-to-herself-on-the-subway crazy, but grandiose crazy, late-stage Kim Jong-Il crazy - crazy in the sense that she's living completely inside her own mind, frenetically pacing the hallways of a vast sand castle she's built in there, unable to meaningfully communicate with the human beings on the other side of the moat, who are all presumed to be enemies.
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