Some timely news — Obama to sign ‘don’t ask’ repeal this week — may hold news conference.
Any bets as to who will be invited to the signing ceremony — Joe Solmonese? Dan Choi? Victor Fehrenbach? Who do you think should be there?
Though the schedule is being finalized, Gibbs said he expects a formal White House signing ceremony Wednesday morning to sign the “don’t ask, don’t tell” repeal.“I think there are a lot of people who are interested in attending,” Gibbs said.
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And in terms of how the military might roll out a repeal, the Palm Center released this information…
New Study: Pentagon Can Train Entire Force RapidlyPolitico.com’s Morning Defense column is reporting today about a new Palm Center study that concludes that the Pentagon could easily train the entire force in preparation for the elimination of “don’t ask, don’t tell.” http://www.politico.com/morningdefense/ According to the study, “any claim that DADT cannot be repealed until after the completion of exhaustive training is inconsistent with actual military needs.” The Palm Center provided a preliminary copy of the study to Politico.com and will publish a final version this week.
The new study reviews tools that the Pentagon uses to rapidly train the entire force, including troops deployed in combat zones, and offers case studies in which the Defense Department provided force-wide training within a matter of days or weeks. The study shows as well that in most cases, the Pentagon implements new policy concurrent with training, rather than waiting for the completion of training before implementing new rules. Defense Secretary Robert Gates is expected to demand a delay lasting through most of 2011 to train the forces in preparation for the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell.”
Palm Center scholars argue that training for the end of “don’t ask, don’t tell” is an uncomplicated task. Aaron Belkin, Palm’s Director, said that “the troops already know how to interact with gays because they do so every day.” The RAND Corporation concluded in 1993 that the “new policy should be kept as simple as possible,” and lessons from foreign militaries confirm the same point. Belkin added that, “When you read the Pentagon’s 87-page implementation plan, you see that the transition requirements can be boiled down to just two things: strong leadership and simple rules. This really isn’t rocket science.”
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However, Fox gets right to the heart of what DADT repeal really means (via StopBeck)…





27 Comments


I can think of 13who should be there, not to mention SLDN & Palm Center folks. HRC also deserves to be there, because they did do real local organizing that made a difference. But I don’t want to see Joe Solmonese in the front row. If an HRC person is present, it should be a field organizer.
Re: ShowersFaux news and others who try to make points on the shower issue always fail to recognize that by the time they get into the military, straight folk have been showering with gays (and vice versa) since phys ed in middle school.
Firefighters, EMTs, Police Officers, Nurses, DoctorsThere are so many jobs that require one to change clothes, shower and/or sleep with work colleagues. Somehow all these professions have managed to integrate lesbian and gay, if not trans, members with little issues. Is a firehouse really that different from a barracks?
It could be worse,they could have to shower with Glenn Beck
Well……I’m guessing a firehouse has more hose…
I suspect that Eric Alva will be there on behalf of HRC as well…He’s been both fearless and tireless through this fight — and pretty effective at twisting legislative arms.
That’s just nasty…Do you think he uses “no more tears” baby shampoo?
From the inside…Gay troops must shower with “straight” troops who are more vanity queens about their BodyBuilding.com bodies than gay troops.
True story.
Or Elaine Donnelley, lol
some good caveatsThis from a comments thread over at Advocate. They’re all valid points and they’re very much to be borne in mind.
http://www.advocate.com/News/D…
You have GOT to read this screed from a Reactionary Religious Right authorhttp://www.renewamerica.com/co…
Take a stiff drink first. Somehow, DADT ties into socialism, Marxism, and the entertainment industry……
oh my
Quick, Pam, this fainting couch for this pearl-clutching diva!
And according to the Right, Mandatory Hiring of Transvestite Teachersis next. Wonder how many college males will buy their first dress to get their first teaching position? Of course, Roman Catholic Seminarians are already set in the dress department.
Well, Maura, look on the bright side…
At least they reffered to lesbians for a change.
They always bring Lesbians in on Military IssuesIt is about the only time that they mention us—”Lesbian gang rape of some poor white Christian Girl” which is one of Elaine Donnelly’s mantras….and it is a complete fiction. However, Rape OF Lesbians by straight white Christian males? Yes, that occurs all too frequently, encouraged by a coprorate, organised reactionary Christian right that dehumanises us and makes any crime against us imaginable, implementable, and justifiable.
Ooooh… IIIIICK!!
OOOOOH… DOUBLE IIIIIIICK!
LGBT people should avoid giving Barry credibility/coveruntil he actually ends the discharges and “certifies” the policy into oblivion. Until he does that, I can’t see that there’s much to celebrate. Granted, passage of the bill was an important step forward, for several reasons. But it was only a step, no more. We haven’t reached the destination yet.
A real threat to AmericaHer Dominion Theology and that of the rest of the radical Christian right is the greatest threat our country faces… Her religious views so color her thought that she doesn’t recognize her own hate.
Its obvious she does not believe in separation of Church and State… One area the radical christian right would like to expunge from our constitution. The radical christian right’s embracing of Dominion Theology and Reconstruction Theology is the biggest threat America faces today.
You can read about Dominion Theology and Reconstruction Theology at :Christian Terrorism, Dominion Theology, Theonomy, Reconstruction Theology, and Tea Parties
http://dunedinschool.wordpress…
It is not those in the camp that resort to domestic terrorism but those other one’s in the camp that are the real threat to America…
It is important for us all to learn all we can about our most dangerous enemies so we recognize what is happening…
Don’t blame all Christians for what the radical christian right is doing… Progressive Christians are just as concerned about the Radical Christian Right as most LGBT folks…
Shouldn’t that be “anti-sodomy?”What’s with the anti-adultery issue?
Yup.Wimmins in the last bastion of Real Manhood™.
Straight women are too delicate to be real soldiers, and dykes are just an abomination. Women who want to have sex with women should stay in porn where they belong.
Pretty much all other objections to gay people come down to male privilege, in which women are only important as potential sex objects. Pretty lesbians are fun to watch, ugly lesbians are not worth considering. So why discuss lesbians at all, when there might be men who want to hit on you? Ick. And the Bible writers very inconveniently left out condemning lesbians – leaving us to wonder what went on in Solomon’s harem.
Lesbians, by virtue of not being owned by another man, are therefore inherently available to men who need sex. Like soldiers. Since they can’t actually do the job of soldiering, not having penises, the least they can do is put out.
“Don’t blame all Christians for what the radical christian right is doing”I don’t. I do blame them for sitting quietly and letting the Right take complete control of the dialogue from the Christian side.
They may be concerned. They may even be talking about it among themselves. But they sure as hell are not making any visible effort to stand up and denounce the haters.
I used to be very outspoken in defense of “good Christians.” Not so much any more. I do believe that they are in the majority. And sitting on their asses while whatever remains of the good name of Christianity is destroyed.
This showering thing isn’t a problem in gyms.So why should it be a problem in the army? These heterosexuals. They really are under the impression that they are all hot as hell, aren’t they? And it’s the really homely ones who think that they’re irresistible to gays. Dudes, we are pickier than heterosexual woman. You are not cute.
Maura,Bill O’Reilly has done a series of investigative pieces on lesbian school gangs who bully and rape girls in bathrooms. He’s done alot for the advancement of lesbian issues.
Re:Paul does mention lesbians in Romans. Though arguably he was referring to temple prostitution and ritual sex in pagan religions.
dunnothat’s Art. 134 IINM. Art. 125 is sodomy and bestiality.
The “Pink Pistols” fiasco?pure fiction.