So I'm sitting here at my desk and wondering if our Prez really cares about gay rights or is just romancing us for our money and votes. I remember during the campaign, Barack would go out of his way to include "gay" in many of his speeches and actively courted our vote. He told us about how he would do away with DADT and that even though he did not personally agree with gays and marriage, he stated that we should have all the legal rights and obligations that all Americans have.
Well, do date, i haven't seen much in the way of action in any of the pressing issues affecting the gay community.
i want to fixate on DADT--DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL.
DADT is still being used to throw out very qualified members of the armed forces-many of which have been stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Many highly qualified foreign language experts have been expelled at a time when the gathering of intelligence by these very experts are desperately needed.
my nephew, a drill Sergeant with the marines down in san diego, tells me stories of him having to tell his recruits that he cannot help them with their problems because like it or not- if they utter the word gay, homosexual or infer that they have engaged in or have feelings for another man or woman if its a woman-he will have to report it to his superiors and they will be discharged. he goes on to state that these young recruits are as patriotic, as able bodied, as gun-ho as the rest of the group and it pisses him off that he stands the chance of loosing any of them if they so much as verbally hint of any gayness. like it or not, gay people have been in the armed forces of this nation for as long as its been a nation and gays will continue to be a part of the armed forces in spite of these homophobic and discriminatory laws. i am a Vietnam Ear Vet; 1971-73.
my question to President Obama is this--if President Truman was able to sign executive orders #9980 & #9981 back on July 26, 1948-(soon to be 51 years ago) to begin the process of eliminating racial discrimination in federal employment-- why Mr. President, have you not issued an executive order to at least stop the continued implementation of DADT until further review? when for the first time, support for this is growing across America and even Colin Powell and senator Sam Nunn are coming around--why is the Obama administration hiding in the closet and so afraid to step on some toes?
my nephew, a drill Sergeant with the marines down in san diego, tells me stories of him having to tell his recruits that he cannot help them with their problems because like it or not- if they utter the word gay, homosexual or infer that they have engaged in or have feelings for another man or woman if its a woman-he will have to report it to his superiors and they will be discharged. he goes on to state that these young recruits are as patriotic, as able bodied, as gun-ho as the rest of the group and it pisses him off that he stands the chance of loosing any of them if they so much as verbally hint of any gayness. like it or not, gay people have been in the armed forces of this nation for as long as its been a nation and gays will continue to be a part of the armed forces in spite of these homophobic and discriminatory laws. i am a Vietnam Ear Vet; 1971-73.
my question to President Obama is this--if President Truman was able to sign executive orders #9980 & #9981 back on July 26, 1948-(soon to be 51 years ago) to begin the process of eliminating racial discrimination in federal employment-- why Mr. President, have you not issued an executive order to at least stop the continued implementation of DADT until further review? when for the first time, support for this is growing across America and even Colin Powell and senator Sam Nunn are coming around--why is the Obama administration hiding in the closet and so afraid to step on some toes?
back in the day when Barack was still a candidate, i had to argue till the cows came home that Barack was the person who would keep his word--THAT WE JUST NEEDED TO HAVE FAITH.
i still have faith in Barack Obama's keeping his word to gay people--I'm just to the point that my cries and those of others who campaigned for him when many thought it was impossible, have become louder and louder with every passing day. maybe its that he wants to do it correctly and bring about a majority of those in the armed forces behind him. bi-partisanship is great and all that--but sometimes the president just has to take certain big heads by the collar and tell them that he- as the commander in chief- is where the buck stops. your our president, our leader, the big potato-please act like it and to hell with bringing everybody on board.
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