Obama's State of the union address
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President Barrack Obama just announced in his state of the union address that he is going to fight to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" law about gays openly serving in the U.S. military.
While this is a bold and welcome move by the President of the United States do you think this will reignite the argument about sexual orientation in America?
I believe it takes a firm conviction and strong will to overcome division. As a community do you think this is a great first step toward equal rights or is it more ammunition to close minded homophobes to attack us with.
Discuss…...as nicely as you can.
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Oh, I thought he already repealed DA, DT. I mean he promised to do that last March, again in July and again in Nov. That was sarcasm btw.
Notice he didn't give a time frame for when he planned on repealing it.
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If this did happen, that would be a plus. There aren't many highlights from his first year in office. Not that I'm disappointed, because I never expected a lot from Obama. Even a mere consideration of tact would seem to show the irrelevance of a president who chooses to have Rick Warren speak at his inauguration–a man quoted as saying such inane absurdities as "Resisting homosexuality is about 'maturity,'" and "Some body parts are meant to fit together, and some aren't."
I think people who are dazzled by Obama's rhetoric ought to begin to understand that he is going to be a mediocre president — which means, in our time, a dangerous president (remember George W. Bush?) — unless there is some national movement to push him in a better direction.
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Notice he didn't give a time frame for when he planned on repealing it.
You're right, raphjd. Obama gave no time frame for the repeal of DADT. When I listened to Obama's speech live, I understood that he was giving a firm commitment to the repeal of DADT this year.
But when I looked up the text of his speech on the internet, I was surprised. He didn't actually promise anything at all!
Obama devoted 38 words to DADT in his State of the Union address:
This year, I will work with Congress and our military to finally repeal the law that denies gay Americans the right to serve the country they love because of who they are. It’s the right thing to do.
So, in the coming year, the president will presumably work with Congress and work with the military with the intention of eventually repealing DADT. Are we to understand he has NOT already been doing this over the past year?!? During the 2008 campaign, Obama promised to be a "fierce advocate" for LGBT rights. Fierce? "Fierce" means he will eventually get around to discussing the eventual repeal of DADT with some of the people involved?!?
The sad thing is that Obama does not need the military or the Congress to repeal DADT. He could repeal it by executive order today if he wanted. He said of the repeal of DADT that "It's the right thing to do." If it's the right thing to do, why does he insist on continuing to do the wrong thing?
hXXp://globalcomment.com/2010/state-of-the-union-time-to-deliver-on-lgbt-rights-dont-ask-dont-tell/
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The sad thing is that Obama does not need the military or the Congress to repeal DADT. He could repeal it by executive order today if he wanted. He said of the repeal of DADT that "It's the right thing to do." If it's the right thing to do, why does he insist on continuing to do the wrong thing?
Even without an Executive Order, as Commander in Chief, he could order the military to stop discharging gays.
He has several options on how to end DA,DT, but so far he has refused to do anything.
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I will believe it only after it happens at this point!!! I am afraid we were used to get him into office and now forgotten :xpl:
Activists praise Obama's 'don't ask, don't tell' repeal pledge
By Ed Hornick, CNN
January 28, 2010 7:10 p.m. ESTWashington (CNN) – President Obama's call in his State of the Union address to repeal the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy this year was met with praise from gay activists and questions by top Republicans as to why it should be changed.
"Tonight, President Obama stepped up to the plate and made a firm commitment to work to finally end 'don't ask, don't tell' in 2010," said Alexander Nicholson, founder and executive director of Servicemembers United. "Although brief, his language was plain, his message was clear, and the outline of his strategy was smart."
In his State of the Union speech, Obama said he would work with Congress and the military to repeal the 1993 law that bars openly gay and lesbian people from serving in the military.
"[We must] repeal the law that denies gay and lesbian Americans the right to serve the country they love because of who they are. It's the right thing to do," Obama said.
Nicholson, a former Army human intelligence collector who was honorably discharged in 2002 under the policy, said Obama did something Wednesday night that will cool criticism he has faced from the gay rights community.
President calls for repeal
"He didn't pass the buck … he seemed to take the bull by the horns and fully commit," said Nicholson. "I thought it was pretty clear that he intends to do it this year and take a leadership role."
Obama said he would work to repeal the policy during his 2008 campaign but was criticized by gay and lesbian groups when the issue didn't emerge as a priority over the first year of his presidency.
Nicholson said that activists truly feel that the issue's time has arrived, and it's "game on for us."
"Ready or not, we have to take this on ... I think we'll get it [repealed]."
In a statement to CNN, Servicemembers Legal Defense Network said that it applauds the president's message and hopes for the repeal to be included in the defense budget.
"We call on the president to repeal the archaic 1993 law in his defense budget currently now being drafted, that is probably the only and best moving bill where DADT can be killed this year," the statement reads. "What is also needed is more attention and leadership to win repeal."
Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Pennsylvania, an Army veteran and vocal supporter of repealing the policy, applauded Obama for tackling this issue.
"I'm glad that President Obama is calling for Congress to repeal the wrongful policy known as 'don't ask, don't tell,' as he did repeatedly on his campaign," he said in a statement. "It is ridiculous that American taxpayers have spent $1.3 billion to kick brave, talented Americans out of the military simply because of their sexual orientation. … It is time to repeal this ridiculous law that hurts our national security and military readiness."
But one of the military's leading supporters said "don't ask, don't tell" should remain in effect.
"This successful policy has been in effect for over 15 years, and it is well understood and predominantly supported by our military at all levels," said Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, in a news release. "At a time when our Armed Forces are fighting and sacrificing on the battlefield, now is not the time to abandon the policy."
McCain's stance was echoed by the House's top Republican.
"When it comes to don't ask, don't tell, frankly, I think it's worked very well. And we just ought to leave it alone," House Minority Leader John Boehner said at a news conference on Wednesday.
But there is solid support for the repeal coming from a former high-ranking military official.
Former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. John Shalikashvili said it's time to repeal the law.
"As a nation built on the principal of equality, we should recognize and welcome change that will build a stronger, more cohesive military," said Shalikashvili. His letter was sent out on Wednesday by "don't ask, don't tell" opponent Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York.
Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin, D-Michigan, who told reporters on Monday that the president would discuss "don't ask, don't tell" in his speech, supports ending the practice but wants to go about it carefully.
"If we do this in a way which isn't sensitive ... we could have exactly the opposite effect of what I hope will be the case, which is to change the policy," he said Monday.
Levin said the committee plans to hold hearings on the issue in early February, although the hearing may be with outside experts. That would delay a hearing with the Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs Chairman Michael Mullen that had originally been scheduled.
