Don’t Ask, Stop Talking
So who’s a bigger schmuck: President Barack Obama, or CNN?
Listening to Obama pleasure the sensibilities of the gay community, while CNN gives him a tongue bath—well, I’m a tolerant fellow, but I feel like calling the vice squad on the whole pack of perverts (and I’m very much excluding the gay community):
“For nearly 30 years, you’ve advocated for those without a voice,” Obama said during his address at the dinner for the Human Rights Campaign. “Despite the progress we’ve made, there are still laws to change and hearts to open.”
Obama’s speech came as gay rights activists continued to lose patience over the lack of change to key issues for the gay community — including the Pentagon’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. It comes on the eve of a major gays-rights rally in Washington.
“This fight continues now and I’m here with the simple message: I’m here with you in that fight,” Obama told the applauding crowd.
The Human Rights Campaign issued a statement praising the speech, saying it was a “historic night when we felt the full embrace and commitment of the president of the United States. It’s simply unprecedented.”
Obama called for the repeal of the ban on gays in the military — the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.
“We should not be punishing patriotic Americans who have stepped forward to serve this country,” he said. “I’m working with the Pentagon, its leadership and the members of the House and Senate on ending this policy, legislation that has been introduced in the House to make this happen, I will end ‘don’t ask, don’t tell.’ That’s my commitment to you.”
The soaring rhetoric, the moral certainty! Oh rapture, oh swoon!
Who does he think he is, the illegitimate love child of Rock Hudson and Judy Garland? Reading the CNN account (between dry heaves), you’d thing Queer Nation had been taken in by the Illinoisan Lothario.
“He repeated his promises that he’s made to us before, but he did not indicate when he would accomplish these goals and we’ve been waiting for a while now,” said Jones, national co-chair of a major gay-rights rally scheduled for Sunday on the National Mall.
Aubrey Sarvis, executive director of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network said he was encouraged to hear Obama’s pledge but added “an opportunity was missed tonight.” He said his group “was disappointed the president did not lay out a timeline and specifics for repeal.”
These ain’t your swishy gays, Mr. President. The action they want is federal, not fellatial. If they haven’t had enough of your empty rhetoric, I have. Either put up, or shut up.
And I’m a little annoyed by the “hearts to open” language. This is our nation’s military and security we’re talking about. Listen to your generals, get the lay of the land (so to speak), then issue your order. It is their duty to follow it.
Here, let me show you how it’s done:
It is hereby declared to be the policy of the President that there shall be equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons in the armed services without regard to race, color, religion or national origin. This policy shall be put into effect as rapidly as possible, having due regard to the time required to effectuate any necessary changes without impairing efficiency or morale.
President Harry Truman, 61 years ago. But then he was hung like a Clydesdale, not a chipmunk.
You Democrats have been making promises you can’t keep to the gay community for seventeen years now. God knows what the see in you—but then they worshipped Joan Crawford, too.