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Today’s repeal of DADT is a day which many gays and lesbians have been fighting for and waiting to see for a long time.
And of course, there will be a lot of celebrations.
With that in mind, pardon me for being the “one who lapped up the water like a dog ” (it’s a Biblical reference from the book of Gideon) by checking out what folks on the other side of the DADT repeal feel about this historic day.
First up is Elaine Donnelly of the Center for Military Readiness. Donnelly has fought tooth and nail over the years against not only the repeal but also against the concept of gays and lesbians serving in the military, period.
The irony being, of course, the simple fact that in spite of the official sounding name of her group and how she is looked at as an “expert” by some, Donnelly has absolutely no military experience.
Naturally, she isn’t happy about losing her gig:
The CMR leader predicts litigators for homosexual activists and the homosexual movement are going to have a field day. “Without the law on the books, they will go into court and challenge anything that stands in the way of what they perceive as a civil rights issue,” she warns.
Of course Donnelly’s comments are nothing compared to the comments from the conservative wolf’ cavern, Free Republic.
Those folks abandoned rationality for venom a long time ago. However, the repeal of DADT seems to have especially brought out the hate. Don’t read the following without a crucifix or holy water handy:
No doubt. Just wait for the next draft. They´ll be ¨touched¨ then too.
For the first time since the beginning of the last century, no member of my immediate family is a member of the US Armed Forces. The liberals wanted it, and they’ve got it. Now they can go fight, or find someone to do it for them. We’re sitting the next war out.
In the enlisted ranks almost no straight soldier will ever allow a known gay to place their hands on him in the normal ways this occurs when soldiers horse around. Almost no gay soldier will ever be seen in a group of soldiers out boozing it up because once they get a few in them most of these guys will say what’s on their minds and their will be trouble. No gay will be permitted in the shower when a straight soldier is in there and no straight soldier will enter a shower while there is a gay in there. Gays will be told when they can shower and they will listen. If they choose to complain of their treatment they will have no witnesses and their complaint will get them nowhere but a session we used to refer to as “midnight counseling”, which will quickly cure them of the bad habit of running to the brass.
Seriously, I really hope that a “Gay Mafia” of senior officers doesn’t end up being established. But, I fear that this will end up being the case (in 10-15 years) to make up for past discrimination. If so, it will be the beginning of the end for the military as patriotic, straight soldiers will be forced out (or court martialed) out. Once you have a situation where gays can flaunt it and straights are prosecuted for objecting, you will lose the backbone of the military very quickly. What is left won’t be worth dog spit. It may take a major military loss to change things back, but I doubt it. They will probably place blame everywhere but when it really belongs. This country seems to be slowly losing the ability to learn the right lessons from its mistakes.
With General Barney Frank bringing up the rear.
The people that produce TV and movies think that homosexual behavior is normal, so why would they even consider put a warning label on it? The thought would be as alien to them as Algebra would be to the head-hunters of Borneo. By their way of thinking, they would be more inclined to have a warning saying, “This program contains a graphic depiction of religiously-observant Americans practicing their backward beliefs. This program may be too disturbing to progressive individuals.” That’s how warped they are and how upside-down everything has become in our culture.
And one “enterprising” individual took the time to make the following graphic:
So why am I dwelling on the so-called “negative” during this great day, you ask. Allow a comment from Donnelly to give you an indication:
Donnelly says the “deceptive tactics” employed to pass and enforce the LGBT law should be made public — and that the next president and Congress “should resolve to take our military back.”
Through enormous effort, the gay community and our allies got DADT repealed. But that’s merely a first step. Attaining a goal is one thing. Holding on to what you have is another step entirely.
We are up against opposition who refuse to reason or deal in reality or rationality. The repeal is in place, but what’s to stop those like Donnelly from attempting to bring DADT back. What’s to stop them from siddling to the prospective Republican presidential candidates and exacting a promise – or a pledge (they seem to love signing those) – that one of them will bring back DADT if elected to office?
The gay community and our allies worked hard for this day. We have every right to celebrate the victory and to bask in the glow.
Bu we also need to remember that it’s not over yet. Don’t forget the enemies at the gate just waiting for us to slack up.
38 Comments
Personally, I’m just as glad that no members of this bigot’s family are in the military. I guess they’re staying home and tending to their Klan activities.
I think a big factor in all of this is the extent to which, if any, the culture of the military changes with the repeal of DADT.
Now Elaine Donnelly will run to the Alliance Defense Fund and become their latest cause celebre because we know how the ADF is always on lookout for christian “victims ” of the homosexual agenda.
Our hearts go out to all the straight and GLBT GIs, sailors, air crew and marines who’ll be killed in Obama’s wars of aggression in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bahrain, Yemen, Libya and elsewhere.
And in equal measure to all the civilians who’ll be murdered by the American military in pursuit of oil, land, bases and resources by Obama’s direction.
As usual, the Freeper’s comments are completely disconnected from reality, since soldiers already know, shower with, horse around with, and drink with their gay comrades-in-arms. The same soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines that greeted this entire change with (generally) a collective shrug. To the Freepers who won’t serve, well, the military won’t miss them.
I have to admit I’m almost amused by Donnelly. The DADT repeal was the most open-to-the-public military personnel policy change that I can recall. How she thinks it was deceptive is beyond me. Can I have some of what she is smoking?
(blink)
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I would wear the HELL out of that crest. I would want the t-shirt, if it existed, but then my money would go to a freeper, and that I cannot do.
Soreloserman !! Ha ha.
NIce post, thanks Mz. Pam for showcasing Mr. McEwen’s thoughts . . . congrats again to all regarding the repeal.
Like all civil rights, as Mr. McEwen says above, it ain’t over . . . ever.
Always a continuing battle since the Magna Carta. N here in USA, we been losing the civil rights battles more n more despite great gains in the 6-0′s n ’70′s.
On we trudge, never give up.
When do you think the army will be allowed to open fire on nazis again?
It has been a long time since we killed a load of sieg heiling social darwinist bigots.
Asking to be treated equally in the military meat grinder and serving in armies of imperialism is not a civil rights achievement. I doubt Gandhi or MLK would approve.
“Military glory – that attractive rainbow that rises in showers of blood”- Abraham Lincoln
And let’s not forget that transgendered Americans can still be thrown out and people like me still have an OTH discharge or even worse and are still denied of the benefits that we earned. I hate to keep sounding like a broken record on this but out of two front page posts I’ve read since the repeal went into effect and in the two diaries on the subject I’ve seen, there hasn’t been one mention by the various authors of the fact that there are people who are still discriminated against by the military. Or perhaps transgendered Americans aren’t real people…
It’s about equality and has nothing to do with the morality or the wisdom of service. And I seriously doubt that you’re qualified to speak for either Gandhi or MLK.
Good point. I would like to see a diary about it. I’ve got two transgender friends one who served. I’d like to know what their path to success would look like.
Ha! I too love that crest. I live in SF I could probably sell ‘em on street corners.
“Service which is rendered without joy helps neither the servant nor the served. But all other pleasures and possessions pale into nothingness before service which is rendered in a spirit of joy.”
-Mohandas Gandhi
“A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.”-MLK
So I would say that they wouldn’t approve.
Social justice and equality has nothing to do with military service.
Here ya go. I wrote one a long time ago.
I agree. But if you believe that, why are you equating the two?
You can’t have it both ways.
Oh yeah, and I still find it extremely arrogant of you to pretend to be able to speak for anybody but yourself.
I am not trying to have it both ways. I am of the opinion that the repeal of DADT is not what I would consider a move to a more socially just world. The purpose of the military is to maintain and protect the status quo. A status quo that goes out and kills other people around the world for resources.
You said you don’t consider it a civil rights victory because it’s in the context of military service, then I told you that it’s about equality, not service. You refuse to acknowledge that. Fine. But unless you are both L,G,B or T and have been a service member, your opinion is irrelevant to me. Because unless you’ve been poor and had no other options to go to college or even to feed yourself, and you had to be somebody you’re not in order to make it work, you are out of your ken. Period.
It’s the same warped outlook that lets her say “perceived” civil rights issue. What tacky and distorted language.
Wow. Great diary. Sad story. Well written.
FWIW…’justice and equality’ HAVE….
If something negative occurs, Obama is saddled here with the blame. To some extent, that is fair. But, something positive occurs, Obama who?
Obama initially fought the repeal of DADT, along with his DOJ when courts made the decision for him because he was dragging his feet. Obama signed the bill in the end so kudos to him but it was Congress that passed it.
Good God, Elaine Donnelly’s still around? She was one of the movement conservatives in Michigan who first got on the political map by jumping on the “Stop ERA” bandwagon during the 1970s.
Thanks for reading. Glad you got some benefit out of it.
That the majority of Americans were speaking up while she was screaming ‘la-la-la I can’t hear you’ is not a “deceptive tactic”.
They said the same thing about black soldiers.
They said the same thing about minorities as well.
Once done, it can not be undone. At least not easily.
And no politician, R or D, will waste actual actionable time on this. Because they don’t really care. It’s all just words to rile up their base. They used black people as an excuse for their hate fest. Some still do. Now it’s gay people. And immigrants, but for more “reasons”.
America has a rich history of hate and violence. And the way things are going, we’re doubling down on it.
“Military glory – that attractive rainbow that rises in showers of blood”- Abraham Lincoln
Wow. Nice quote.
Oh my, my, my…straight soldiers horse around? Is that the same horse that might get out of the barn if the door is left open? And straight soldiers’ backbones turn to dog spit if they object to The Mafia? Geez, we better recruit more Gays.
Frankly, I am more concerned with the self-aggrandized pretty-boy syndrome of our straight military personnel. Ordinarily, it would be laughable how these stuck-on-me sicko’s think any self-respecting Gay man would want to touch them. Yuk. Especially if all they can do is shower and primp themselves and horse around. But these characters are supposed to be protecting our country! Yes, indeed, we do need to recruit more Gays.
“Now they can go fight, or find someone to do it for them. We’re sitting the next war out.”
Yes! FReepers, Tea Baggers, Arch Conservatives, Right WIngers and anti-sex, Fascist control-addicts of all stripes, please, please, please, for the love of god, sit the next one out.
Got’am funniest line of the week: “In the enlisted ranks almost no straight soldier will ever allow a known gay to place their hands on him in the normal ways this occurs when soldiers horse around.” Ye gods, these guys are hysterical. Well, no more “Hide the Grenade Launcher” for the entire platoon. Teh Gays have wrecked a perfectly good homoerotic institution.
Margaret, put up a diary at MyFDL and let your friends at the Lake know about it. With a few recommends, it could be front-paged. Also poke Teddy about it (he posts on the front page a lot). I think it’s something that FDL could get behind.
I did serve and why does my sexual orientation matter? It was the point of the repeal movement correct?
Obama did much more than sign the bill. This is what happened.
You should see who holds the rights, I doubt that the Freeper who posted that does. They just aren’t that creative. That was pretty funny, especially since they think that they are clever. Go fighting sodomites!
is poor widdle maggie unhappy-happy? is poor widdle maggie mad at ev-wy one? except her widdle fwend wobby dum-dum?
should she get out of her pajamas and go get socialized? naaah! won’t happen!
familiarity breed contempt, and christ, this is the same snarling hyaena who attacks everyone around here. and y’all let her derail the conversation by trying to communicate with her. what’s that about? she’s rabid and angry and that won’t change. give up and ignore her.
bbb
Wow. This guy sounds so much like a sailor I talked to long ago. Back during the early 90s, I was a sailor and took some supplies over to another ship. I had served with females throughout my career thus far. The ship I dropped off the supplies to was an all-male ship on an all-male base. The fellow who received the supplies was very curious as to what it was like to serve with females.
Aw man, the guy was so-o-o-o ignorant! He clearly had no idea as to what he was talking about! He was convinced that females were always trying to get males to do all of their physical work for them, always batting their eyelashes at the males, who would of course do whatever they were then asked, always sitting around filing their nails instead of working, etc.
The above statement sounds just like that fellow. His preconceptions won’t survive their first contact with reality. The trick, of course, is to get them in touch with reality as this sounds like somebody who was either in the service a long time ago or only knows about it through the stories told by others.
I seriously doubt many people will avoid the service just to stay away from gays. Maybe some potential military recruits will sit out the next war due to that, but I can’t see any truly patriotic people allowing America to be in danger because they were squeamish about sharing showers, etc. That’s like the people who argued against the ERA because it supposedly required unisex bathrooms.
Margaret,
Very moving diary post. Thanks for sharing your story.
As a GWM, I have given some thought to the long standing difficulty of the T’s in our community and to the undeniable short shift that you receive even from within the community.
I haven’t come up with any answers, only the observation that some combination of education and an in your face/too loud to ignore presence, a la ACTUP, seems to be the only thing that’s going to have an impact. To many people, T’s are still perceived as “men in dresses” and too many LGB’s seem to see T’s, drag queens and any other non-gender conformists as a bridge to far in our path to equality.
We have and will continue to be faced with the solomonesque choice of refusing to compromise on equality for all or taking what we can get now while leaving others behind. And while I have a hard time condemning those who grab the victories that most never thought they would see in their life times, I also recognize that our shared humanity suffers when we don’t insist that human equality must be shared with all.
It’s also important to note that the repeal of DADT does not mandate nondiscrimination for LGB’s but only that LGB status is not grounds for discharge. To the best of my knowledge, the repeal will not prevent bigots in the chain of command from exercising the same type of religious based bias that you experienced against LGB’s in the future.
Alvin’s call back to the cold reality of the incompleteness of this, none the less historic, victory is important because there are still many gaps of all types and too many ignorant and self righteous opponents to equality for us to remain distracted by jubilation for too long.
There are no easy answers and the path ahead will not be any easier than the path thus far. We cannot relax, we must push forward using this victory as fuel rather than respite. And you – our brothers and sisters who carry the T part of out banner must continue to make your voices heard and refuse to be ignored either within the community or without.
One thing has been true throughout all phases of all civil rights struggles. Allies are great and indispensable to the fight, but ultimately we must each make sure that our voice is heard and that we are not marginalized or ignored.
Thanks for doing your part.