Obama: "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" going away

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Obama said to a Lansing Michigan man that he is fully planning on overturning Clinton's "Don't Ask, don't tell" policy the military has used.

"Thadeus of Lansing, Mich., asks, 'Is the new administration going to get rid of the "don't ask, don't tell policy?'" said Gibbs, looking into the camera. "Thadeus, you don't hear a politician give a one-word answer much. But it's, 'Yes.'"

Link. yes, I know it's Fox News. Sorry.

Pretty great news as far as I'm concerned.

Let's see that happen.

Good news for people concerned with gay rights, but almost certain to be seen as picking a fight with the right wing in an area in which they beat up democrats back in 1993. Maybe times have changed.

You would hope that as a society we would advance somewhat after 16 years.

Funkenpants wrote:

Good news for people concerned with gay rights, but almost certain to be seen as picking a fight with the right wing in an area in which they beat up democrats back in 1993. Maybe times have changed.

The basis of the right's argument in 1993 was that gays would distrupt discipline, order, and unit cohesion. Things are definitely different today because we've been fighting two conflicts for the better part of the decade. We know there are gays currently serving and we also know their presence has not caused the military to go all Brokeback.

The worst case scenario for the right wing--gays will reduce the fighting capability of the military in a time of war--has been proven wrong. All they can fall back on is that they think it's morally wrong.

The ban on gays was never rational, but politics isn't based on rationality.

Obama has been saying alot of things that I would like to see happen ... this and closing Gitmo being the latest two. We'll soon see one way or the other and I wish him luck.

Great news but I'm sure Bill O'Reilly is going to hire an intern specifically to look for "real soldier killed when gay soldier didn't dive in front of bullet" and "soldier gets drunk and says he doesn't like serving with teh gheys" stories.

IMAGE(http://images.zwani.com/graphics/funny_pictures/images/z_gay_military.jpg)

Couldn't resist.

I'm glad that this would happen, but I'm afraid of the backlash that will occur. It's going to be an interesting four years...

I've said it before, and I'll say it again to straight men who get all freaked out about the possibility of a gay man staring at him at an inappropriate time:

You aren't that f'ing pretty, get over yourself.

Seriously, with bullets whizzing by, the last thing on ANY man's mind is going to be "Wow, so-and-so's got a nice butt."

Glad to see we're finally coming into the 21st century.

Fox News wrote:

If a service member's homosexuality becomes known anyway, he or she is expelled.

I guess I've been living under a rock, but I had no idea you could be expelled for being gay. I knew the "don't ask, don't tell" part, which was stupid enough in my opinion, but expulsion? That's insane.

I hope Obama does get rid of this ridiculous policy.

Rubb Ed wrote:

I've said it before, and I'll say it again to straight men who get all freaked out about the possibility of a gay man staring at him at an inappropriate time:

You aren't that f'ing pretty, get over yourself.

Seriously, with bullets whizzing by, the last thing on ANY man's mind is going to be "Wow, so-and-so's got a nice butt."

See, here's the problem with that: as a straight man, if it's a hot girl next to me, or heck, even a decent girl, no matter how many bullets are flying our way, I will be acutely aware of exactly what her ass looks like.

Considering the acute shortage of qualified military personnel as well as the chickenhawk aversion to actually putting one's ass where one's mouth is, I don't think there are really that many people who are sincerely advocating keeping gays out of the military. I think it is fairer to say that even the most ardent of chickenhawks value their service. They just want to reserve the right to treat them like sh*t for having a sexual preference that they disagree with.

aversion to actually putting one's ass where one's mouth is

OOCT is...well..shocked..

*Legion* wrote:
Rubb Ed wrote:

I've said it before, and I'll say it again to straight men who get all freaked out about the possibility of a gay man staring at him at an inappropriate time:

You aren't that f'ing pretty, get over yourself.

Seriously, with bullets whizzing by, the last thing on ANY man's mind is going to be "Wow, so-and-so's got a nice butt."

See, here's the problem with that: as a straight man, if it's a hot girl next to me, or heck, even a decent girl, no matter how many bullets are flying our way, I will be acutely aware of exactly what her ass looks like.

:D

I was thinking the same thing. It's the same reasoning why Zap Brannigan won't let females in his army.

Mimble wrote:
Fox News wrote:

If a service member's homosexuality becomes known anyway, he or she is expelled.

I guess I've been living under a rock, but I had no idea you could be expelled for being gay. I knew the "don't ask, don't tell" part, which was stupid enough in my opinion, but expulsion? That's insane.

I hope Obama does get rid of this ridiculous policy.

Not only expulsion, but from what I understand, it was dishonorable discharge. Not having been military myself, I can't be sure, but I believe that to be the case.

Vector wrote:
*Legion* wrote:
Rubb Ed wrote:

I've said it before, and I'll say it again to straight men who get all freaked out about the possibility of a gay man staring at him at an inappropriate time:

You aren't that f'ing pretty, get over yourself.

Seriously, with bullets whizzing by, the last thing on ANY man's mind is going to be "Wow, so-and-so's got a nice butt."

See, here's the problem with that: as a straight man, if it's a hot girl next to me, or heck, even a decent girl, no matter how many bullets are flying our way, I will be acutely aware of exactly what her ass looks like.

:D

I was thinking the same thing. It's the same reasoning why Zap Brannigan won't let females in his army.

Well, yet another reason to put us gay guys in the military: we have our priorities straight.

It may be the only thing about us that is, but...

Rubb Ed wrote:
Vector wrote:
*Legion* wrote:
Rubb Ed wrote:

I've said it before, and I'll say it again to straight men who get all freaked out about the possibility of a gay man staring at him at an inappropriate time:

You aren't that f'ing pretty, get over yourself.

Seriously, with bullets whizzing by, the last thing on ANY man's mind is going to be "Wow, so-and-so's got a nice butt."

See, here's the problem with that: as a straight man, if it's a hot girl next to me, or heck, even a decent girl, no matter how many bullets are flying our way, I will be acutely aware of exactly what her ass looks like.

:D

I was thinking the same thing. It's the same reasoning why Zap Brannigan won't let females in his army.

Well, yet another reason to put us gay guys in the military: we have our priorities straight.

It may be the only thing about us that is, but... :D

http://www.instantrimshot.com/

*Legion* wrote:
Rubb Ed wrote:

I've said it before, and I'll say it again to straight men who get all freaked out about the possibility of a gay man staring at him at an inappropriate time:

You aren't that f'ing pretty, get over yourself.

Seriously, with bullets whizzing by, the last thing on ANY man's mind is going to be "Wow, so-and-so's got a nice butt."

See, here's the problem with that: as a straight man, if it's a hot girl next to me, or heck, even a decent girl, no matter how many bullets are flying our way, I will be acutely aware of exactly what her ass looks like.

:D

Having seen what passes for female in the military, I don't think that would ever be a problem.

MechaSlinky wrote:

Having seen what passes for female in the military, I don't think that would ever be a problem.

Well, they aren't exactly there to stand around look pretty...

Now if you want to fight next to a HOT soldier, join the IDF.

IMAGE(http://okieonthelam.com/images/IDF-babe-1.jpg)

Shalom...

My military acquaintances tell me that more "straights" use DADT to get out than anything. Don't want to serve that next tour in Iraq? Time to be gay!

As to Obama, last I checked, this was federal law, and thus would need to be repealed by Congress. He would have been in a better position to introduce legislation while he was a Senator.

Democrats have a long history of throwing gays under the bus. I'll believe it when I see it, especially with the whole Rick Warren thing.

LobsterMobster wrote:

Shalom...

You're aware she can kill you in 17 different ways, none of which even HINT at sex?

Hobbes2099 wrote:
LobsterMobster wrote:

Shalom...

You're aware she can kill you in 17 different ways, none of which even HINT at sex?

...I'm desperate for any human contact.

You're aware she can kill you in 17 different ways, none of which even HINT at sex?

That's why he's crossing his fingers and hoping for way #18.

Dr.Ghastly wrote:
aversion to actually putting one's ass where one's mouth is

OOCT is...well..shocked..

It's never ok to go ass to mouth.

Is there anyone around anymore that really feels strongly about NOT having gays in the military? This goes specifically to people who've been in the military in the last couple years -- like is there still an atmosphere of heterocetrism, etc. . .

The only argument against this that doesn't seem to amount to "girly fancy men in glittery pink uniforms can't do anything as manly as fighting" is that it would hurt unit cohesion. Basically that yeah, there's an atmosphere of homophobia and a straight soldier might be less inclined to help a gay soldier, or a gay soldier might not help a straight soldier who had been mean to him. I was always under the impression that you aren't thinking about that kind of thing in the middle of a firefight and you protect the guy next to you because he's protecting you. I've heard a lot about the military being quite Christian yet I haven't heard anything about non-Christian soldiers getting left to die (or dying in friendly fire incidents?).

Assuming that having openly gay soldiers would hurt unit cohesion, would that reduce overall effectiveness more than simply discharging all the gay soldiers and losing whatever manpower, talent and skills they have to offer?

Just great. Now what am I going to pretend to be in the event of a draft?

LobsterMobster wrote:

Assuming that having openly gay soldiers would hurt unit cohesion, would that reduce overall effectiveness more than simply discharging all the gay soldiers and losing whatever manpower, talent and skills they have to offer?

What, you mean like booting translators who can speak Arabic right before you invade a country where its spoken, just because they're gay? I'm pretty sure that might have "reduced overed effectiveness" a bit.

Assuming that having openly gay soldiers would hurt unit cohesion, would that reduce overall effectiveness more than simply discharging all the gay soldiers and losing whatever manpower, talent and skills they have to offer?

Similar assumptions were made about women and blacks. People will get over it.

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