Change We Can Believe In: Do Ask, Do Tell
 

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, November 23, 2008

"Very quietly, the Obama team has let it be known that the new administration will not immediately reassess the U.S. military's policy of "don't ask, don't tell," which permits gays to serve in the armed forces -- as long as they don't discuss their sexual orientation. Raising the topic of gays in the military was considered by many to be the second of two out-of-the-box decisions that ended badly for a newly elected President Bill Clinton."

The case against a Georgia visit from Barack Obama | Political Insider | ajc.com

I'm a realist and know that our new President doesn't want to start, out of the gate, dealing with an issue like "don't ask, don't tell." Still, I do long for the day when being gay is no longer a hot button issue for a newly elected head of this country.

Do Ask, Do Tell: 3 way news conference
 

Get a load of the new Obama administration! It is a very good sign when the President-elect and 2 new appointees take to the stage and I find myself dreaming of being on my knees, surrounded by all three men.

Barack is so cute in a dorky way, and the same can be said for Peter Orszag (divorced, lives in DC), the new director of OMB and especially that handsome hunk of flesh, the other black man on the stage, Robert Nabors (info on him seems hard to find), deputy director at OMB. Seeing all 3 men was a real stimulus plan for me.

Still More Change We Can Believe In?
 

This one is really an insult to every gay person who voted for our new President. Come on Barack! We know you're about bringing various sides together to work for the good of the country and that is something I'm all about. But this guy is an enemy to an oppressed group that supported you and he is rewarded with a place in your historic ceremonies?

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1208/16693.html

Really insulting and infuriating for those of us who want to believe that things are changing for the better for ALL Americans including those often not represented at the table.

Hilary Rosen States the Case Against Rick Warren Perfectly!
 

This heated discussion happened last night on Anderson Cooper 360 when Hilary Rosen, Roland Martin and Robert Zimmerman debated the appropriateness of selecting Rick Warren to lead a prayer at the swearing in of Barack Obama. Rosen and Zimmerman state the case perfectly as to why this is a very bad choice by the Obama camp.

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So our new President justifies given a prominent role to this hate monger because he wants to respect all views. A diversity of views will be heard is about how he put it today at his news conference. I have a few nominations for the swearing in. How about the Grand Wizard of the KKK? How about a Muslim cleric who calls for death to Israel? How about someone who believes the government carried out 9/11 or a minister who believes AIDS is a conspiracy against blacks caused by the federal government? You see where I'm going with this?

I had high hopes when I voted for Obama, but I'm beginning to think we've been had. It's looking more and more like he said what he needed to for our votes and now that he no longer needs them is casting us aside just as the Clintons did.

I guess all we can do is wait and see.

I am very disappointed myself, but I am not ready to write him off just yet. Had this been a policy decision I would not have been surprised. After all, Obama ran opposed to gay marriage.

Instead, and most perplexing, Obama chose to do this -- offend gay voters -- over a strictly symbolic matter and sometimes symbols can be exceedingly important. This is one of those times. The man was elected because enough voters were swayed by his argument that the time for divisiveness was over. The very survival of the nation being at stake -- so we had to set aside things like the culture wars and deal with the fundamentals of national security, economics and environment. I totally agree with that premise.

However, elevating a hatemonger to deliver a prayer on the stage at the nation's big day is a symbol of exactly the opposite: that we're not ready to set aside those culture wars. Just as I would not have expected Obama to select Gene Robinson (openly gay bishop of the Episcopal Church Diocese of New Hampshire) to deliver this prayer, so I would have assumed his choice would have been any number of clergy who have a far less public profile of controversy.

Frankly, it is just good politics to not ruffle feathers when it ain't necessary. For a campaign that ran so smoothly, now that we're in the transition stage it is surprising to see such a huge stumble so early in the process. I hope the pressure will continue to mount and the invitation will be somehow rescinded. Or, at the very least, I hope this will force our new President to throw a major bone our way and very soon as a way of making up for his blunder.

More News on Don't Ask, Don't Tell
 

This video response is very hopeful:

http://change.gov/page/_/videos/publ...9_OFQ_LGBT.wmv

See also:
Obama aide: Ending 'don't ask, don't tell' must wait - CNN.com

Ending DADT will not happen right away, but it will happen through the normal legislative process. I always thought that Clinton tried to do it the "wrong way" (through executive order, if I remember correctly?) and it backfired, leading to the DADT compromise. Obama is going about this in a way that will accomplish results.

For me, the son of an USAF officer, grandson of an Army officer, brother of officers in three services, it's a bittersweet time. I'm way too old to sign up to follow my family tradition, but it's good to know the barriers are about to fall.