cabbages and kings

I sat here yesterday and wrote this long involved , footnoted blog post on the Don't Ask, Don't Tell ruling that came out the other day... but something was just not right about it. The Gay Republican group Long Cabin Republicans brought the case, and the only named plaintiff was a facebook pal of mine ( who went to North Georgia College and who's bf is from Lawrenceville, both had to leave the military due to DADT).
He, Alex Nicholson, ( 29, Washington, D.C.),went on the Keith Olbermann show and went off on President Obama, just as he did when the bill to overturn DADT failed to pass John McCain's filibuster by a few votes. From an unpublished k+b post yesterday: "Don't ask , don't tell was overturned in the House, and close, close, close in the Senate. Easy majority, but could not get over John McCain's filibuster, 56-43. Harry Reid was one of the NO votes, so it could be brought up again, the odd Senate rules. Also the two cowardly lion Democratic Senators from Arkansas voted no. So, three votes short to being done away with - by law, not by ..."activist judges ".
Congressman Barney Frank ( D Mass. ) followed Mr. Nicholson pointed out that the law would be gone if not for Republicans and a little spat ensued. Nothing new . Here is the thing, the LRC brought and won this case that the almighty HRC would not have touched with a 10 foot poll. Republicans stepped up to the plate and got something done , not just pretty words. THAT SAID.. not one elected Republican has come out in favor of any lgbtqqia right, no matter how small. Yes, they won this... but they are still the enemy, right???

Seems like old times

So, DADT is gone !! break out the boas and champagne. A gay guy who was kicked out of the Army for being gay, walks into a recruitment station yesterday to reenlist and was turned away. President Obama's own Department of Justice is signaling that they will appeal the case. ......   ............   .......
Rachel put it best last night, and this is a paraphrase, but something like " I am sure that I will not be getting any callbacks now in Washington for the show, but Mr. President, it time to lift this ban, or stop saying you will".
It's Lucy and the football time again. 1992 Bill Clinton came in with rainbows , heart and flowers, and was beat down by Senator Sam Nunn (D. Georgia ). The result being Don't Ask, Don't Tell, which at the time, was supposed to be a huge step forward for gay and lesbian service members. President Obama   , at the State of the Union speech calls for its repeal, and then does nothing. Pretty talk, again...leaving GLBT America to ask, "what now" ?
If the military budget that failed to pass the Senate due to the overturning DADT language in it, does not pass in the lame duck session, it will not pass at all. Most talking heads do not expect the GOP to take over the Senate after the midterms , but everyone agrees that there will be more Republicans this next go round ( and good riddance to Dems in name only.. yes, you Blanche..)

BREAKING , as I type ( another reason I could not really get everything together yesterday, things were happening quickly ) From Pam's House Blend :"HINGTON, D.C. Servicemen Legal Defense Network (SLDN), a national, legal services and policy organization dedicated to ending “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT), learned today an email was sent to JAG officers in the U.S. Air Force stating that until the Department of Justice makes a decision on the recent ruling by judge Virginia A. Phillips, the Air Force needs to abide by the district court injunction. The injunction said to "immediately to suspend and discontinue any investigation, or discharge, separation, or other proceeding" related to DADT. "
( the rest ) good thing, right?
and from today's LA TIMES : "Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, speaking with reporters traveling with him to Brussels, said that the question of whether to repeal the law should be decided by Congress, and done only after a Pentagon task force completes a study due Dec. 1 on how to integrate gays and lesbians into the military.


"I feel strongly this is an action that needs to be taken by the Congress and that it is an action that requires careful preparation, and a lot of training," Gates said. "It has enormous consequences for our troops." Bad thing.. and it could have some pretty enormous consequences on the Presidents much needed Democratic base , as well.