Your new Congressional point person on repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell? That would be Pennsylvania Rep. Patrick Murphy, who takes over leading the bill from just-exited Rep. Ellen Tauscher, who left the Congress on Friday to become Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security. So is Murphy our guy to push this thing through?
He sure has us believing that's the case. Unlike some big names, there's little talk about "reviewing" or "revising" DADT in Murphy's camp. Just a full repeal. "It is vital to our national security," he says. "We have troops that are fighting in two wars and we need every qualified able-bodied individual who is able to serve."
Murphy should know. He's an Iraq war veteran.
But even with 150 co-sponsors, Murphy is asking for patience. "This is going to take months and months, but change is going to happen." Indeed, given folks like Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is pretending to care about military families as an excuse to hold things up.
If there's one guy who can act as a liaison between The Hill and the military, you'd expect it's Murphy.
Is It Wrong to Report on a Marine Starring in Hardcore Gay Porn? (44)
· Keith Kimmel says: “If you had bothered to do some research you would have found Active Duty... »
EXCUSES: The Senate Just Knocked DADT’s Hearings Into Next Year (2)
· Andrew says: The votes to repeal DADT are not there and were NEVER there. Everyone who told you they... »
Adam Lambert: Out Magazine Can Eat Shit + Die (177)
· Mike in Brooklyn says: ENOUGH ENOUGH ENOUGH. FOR FUCK”S SAKE, ENOUGH ALREADY! Is the singular... »
The Ridiculous Catholic Manifesto Pledging to Ignore Gay Marriage + Abortion Laws (37)
· geglesias says: The problem with the bishops & the priests & the cardinals, & pope etc.... »
· Jaroslaw says: #33 for what it is worth, the books I read say George Washington said “in no... »
· Jaroslaw says: #33 for what it is worth, the books I read say George Washington said “in no... »
Playgirl Slowly Reveals the Ultimately Disappointing Levi Johnston Spread (8)
· Carl says: It’s a bit of a scam to make such hoopla over these pictures. I was expecting more... »
PHOTOS: He RSVPd With His Eyes (40)
· Yeah I Said It says: Not surprising that my first comment ‘mysteriously’ ; didn’t... »
What Happened Last Month Before Your Little Boycott? The DNC Raised $11.5 Million (4)
· wondermann says: Honestly, the boycott will have any real effect on the DNC. Most supporters will... »
· Rainfish says: More important than your cash donations is a boycott of homo-antagonistic or... »
Watch him have this moronic anti-gay woman for breakfast over the issue. He's the PERFECT man for the job.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....r_embedded
Wow, he's pretty cute. I mean, damn, congressman! Oh, that's not the point of this story? Ooops.
@George: That bitch needs to be shot! I hope I don't piss off any of the radical feminists when I say, she is a C.U.N.T.
@George:
Great post/link…thank you.
This hateful cunt shows the deep level of gay HATRED we are up against in repealing DADT. This hatred is held by a minority, but a powerful minority, of military brass and top advisors/consultants. This isn't a "dislike" of us, or mild disdain, this is pure hatred, bordering on irrational obsession. Ugly, and unfortunately, all to familiarly seen in our enemies.
Godspeed to Rep. Patrick Murphy, we need many more like him to beat down the multi-headed beast of gay hatred in the military.
The Dems have a large majority in the house and now have a filibuster prrof majority in the Senate. If there isn't movement on this NOW, with THESE numbers…then I'm sure as hell going to want to know why.
@Dennis: Let's face it, the Christian Right believes the only place a gay person belongs is in a gas chamber. We know this because all throughout the 1980s and 90s they openly advocated for the death penalty for gays. The American Christian Right has more in line with Nazi Germany than anything we have seen since the Holocaust. The rhetoric they use, the beliefs…. it's so identical its frightening!
The US military has been fighting alongside the British armed forces since 2001. The British armed forces have had gays serving openly since 2000. The Pentagon has no excuses.
It's great news that Murphy will now be leading the House fight for repeal. And I hope he will call for a freeze in the interim.
Look for him Wednesday when "Human Rights Campaign will launch a national tour to encourage repeal of the failed “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy in conjunction with Servicemembers United. The kick off event will be a National Press Club Newsmakers press conference this coming Wednesday, July 8th at 10 a.m. in the Zenger Room, 13th floor, National Press Building, 529 14th St., N.W.
U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-PA), a veteran of the Iraq war, will attend along with gay, lesbian and straight veterans, including: Eric Alva, the first wounded veteran in the Iraq War; Jarrod Chlapowski, a former U.S. Army Korean linguist who opted to not re-enlist because of DADT and is currently a public policy advocate at the Human Rights Campaign; and Alex Nicholson, a U.S. Army veteran fluent in Arabic discharged under DADT and current executive director of Servicemembers United. The Human Rights Campaign and Servicemembers United are both organizations leading the repeal effort on Capitol Hill."
[img]http://www.hrcbackstory.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/DADTx4.JPG[/img]
I wouldn't count on much action, it's not like he has a lot of clout on the Hill….he's simply the only Democratic member of the Armed Services committee who's a Iraq War vet.
And as JAG officer with the 82nd Airbourne, how many DADT discharges did he sign-off on?
That makes about as much sense as DADT. A Democrat "fiscal conservative" . That's why the entire Democratic political set up is such a circus. He's a republican in all respects but gay rights . Pretty much of a fake passing as a Democrate–not such a good point man idt would seem.
This is a perfect example of why the Democrates can't get anything together. These phoney "fiscal conservative/social liberals' are more damaging to the cause than anything. Murphys another version of Lieberman. The two views are incompatable.