This week it seems our commander-in-chief has managed, for the first time, to frustrate liberals on not one, but two major issue flip-flops. First, he said he'd repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" policy. Then Obama said he'd release those Abu Ghraib abuse photos. Now, he's doing neither.
Obama's spokesperson said of the former that it will take more than "the snapping of one's fingers" to eradicate President Clinton's requirement of forcing gay soldiers to hide their sexuality. It's not to say Obama won't urge Congress to overturn "don't ask, don't tell." But it is safe to assume - in this age when the military should accept anyone deluded enough to sign up to die - that this policy has found its way to the cozy back burner along with the other civil liberties issues the government continues to ignore.
Come on, Obama. You know it's bad when Rachel Maddow's guest says you're "morphing into your predecessor."
As if a George W. Bush comparison weren't enough to incite the "change" for which Obama campaigned, the president has further regressed by now denying the American Civil Liberties Union its Freedom of Information Act request for the Abu Ghraib pictures which, the administration decided Wednesday, will not see the light of day after all.
Obama says releasing the pictures would "put our troops in greater danger." Really? I'd argue your pledge last month to keep our troops in two wars until at least 2012 puts them in greater danger.
How about holding our troops to account rather than putting them on a pedestal? The American people are entitled to see how those they hold up so high have engaged in the lowest of activities. It would appear that too many soldiers have too little to do, so some have resorted to tormenting prisoners and capturing it on camera. Obama says releasing more evidence would only "further inflame anti-American opinion." Sorry, Mr. President, but that ship sailed six years ago, circa Bush's "Mission Accomplished" charade.
Our military must immediately cease its own "anti-American" operations, not the least of which ousting any soldier who admits he's gay. This, Mr. President, would exist as the crux of acting "anti-American." I hope you'll consult your Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, Michael Mullen, about your latest misjudgments. General Colin Powell would have never stood for any of this nonsense.
Powell fought President Clinton on "don't ask, don't tell" in 1993, but it stands 16 years later and looks like it may never go away.
Even Log Cabin Republicans - who "work within the Republican Party to advocate equal rights for all Americans" - accuse Obama of "backpedaling" on the policy. They say his administration has put "our military readiness in jeopardy."
If "don't ask, don't tell" were ever legally enforced in the world of business and politics, we would surely be without good leaders, as well as our good sense.
Have you ever heard of Kevin Beckner? He's a Hillsborough County Commissioner. How about Jeffrey Slavin? He's the mayor of Somerset, Maryland. And Lupe Valdez? She's the sheriff of Dallas County. And she - along with Kevin and Jeffrey - is an openly gay public official.
So, if you happen to be a gay American, you can convince the people of a Texas county that you're qualified to be the area's chief law enforcement officer. Just don't go fantasizing about boot camp anytime soon.
The best part is, Sheriff Lupe Valdez was once a tank commander for the U.S. Army. She even served as a Senior Agent with the Department of Homeland Security. You go, girl!
For too long, Governor Charlie Crist has fought rumors that he is a closeted gay politician. At 52, Crist married Carole Lynn Rome Oumano, 39, in December. Does our governor owe the people of Florida an explanation? The newly-released documentary Outrage would argue that he does. The film outs conservative Republican politicians like former Idaho Senator Larry Craig and former Florida Congressman Mark Foley as hypocrites who lead privately gay lives while they publicly denounce homosexuality.
No one - including public officials - truly has the duty to inform the public about his sexuality. And the government should have no duty to interfere with a gay couple's right to marry and/or adopt children. The only time it should interfere is when people are targeted for what they are.
In April, the House passed the "Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act," which now lies in the hands of the U.S. Senate. Matthew Shepard was subjected to unbelievable acts of cruelty, violence and bigotry in 1998. Two rotten men targeted the 21-year-old Wyoming student because he was gay. For more than a decade, legislation in his honor has never held up because of the opposing viewpoints on what constitutes a hate crime. If approved, the law would provide federal money to local prosecutors of crimes like the murder of Matthew Shepard.
Neither Senator Bill Nelson nor Senator Mel Martinez has returned calls for comment on Senate Bill 909. A subcommittee with more Democrats than Republicans has been reviewing the bill since April 28. We can only hope our representatives will send this off for the president's signature.
Mr. President, you wouldn't be here if it weren't for generations of fighting social injustice in the country you now lead. Please recognize the civil rights struggle that continues in the lives of our gay friends. Their public service depends on what you promised all of us for the last two years.
Do you want change, or don't you?
-P.F.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment