With yesterday’s Republican upset of Democrats tacitly trying to repeal Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, The Gays are trying to figure out what their next steps are to keep gays from being kicked out of the line of fire. ZOMG WHAT TO DO.
On Friday, U.S. District Judge Ronald B. Leighton will rule on whether former Maj. Margaret Witt was unlawfully discharged — and the Justice Department will have to decide whether to appeal the ruling if they lose, which Leighton hinted they very well might. (Interestingly, Leighton is the same judge who, in 2006, rejected Witt’s claims, but was forced to take her case when overruled by an appeals court.)
But DoJ already has a DADT ruling its sitting on: September’s declaration, in Log Cabin Republicans v. United States that the law violates constitutional rights. And so mounts the pressure, from the media and the House gays pleading with the White House not to appeal.
Which would be a nice little door prize, wouldn’t it? A way for the White House to take its failure on legislatively repealing the law and letting a judge’s decision to stand. Of course that will mean folks like Tony Perkins can continue waving his finger at “liberal activist judges,” and lawmakers shirk their duties to uphold the Constitution, but I think everyone might be at the point where they don’t care about the how, only the when.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Cam
Really? Where do I start??
1. Instruct the DOJ to stop defending DADT in court, the same way that CA is refusing to defend Prop 8. If it gets struck down in court, Congress’s vote on it is irrelevent.
2. Issue a stop loss order to prevent gays from being kicked out while the situation is investigated. By the time the investigation is over you will have multiple examples of openly gay soldiers serving with no problems to use to defend any attacks about gays being bad for unit coheasion.
3. Actually come out and say something specific about the bill and what will be done about it. Don’t just sit there not saying anything and then have Biden call Senator Collins to see if she would vote the right way. Come out on TV and throw down the gauntlet.
How’s that for a start?
Fitz
@Cam: That third item is the most important to me. Instead of sorta kinda trying to deal with the gay problem, some sincere public advocacy could go a long way. It would be nice if the President could say “Bigotry is wrong for the USA”, wouldn’t it?
Jack E. Jett
two possible things…
he could come over to my house and fuck me and let me video tape it so i could make a few bucks.
or he could have his scrotal sack enlarged so he can rock the world of the tea baggers.
in the interim
BOYCOTT HRC RUBBER CHICKEN DINNERS.
Jake
Let Hillary run in 2012 instead and actually get sh*t done!
menlo
Resign.
georgiaguy8
Obama wasn’t ready to be President in 2009 and he was just a blank slate onto which everyone projected what they thought he would do. The reality is totally different. I supported Hillary in 2008 and I think at least she would have fought back. She remembers for vicous the Republicans became under Newt Gingrich and would respond. Obama seems like a wimp and I think he should step aside in 2012. Hillary in 2012!
Jack E. Jett
@Jake: Better yet…..Obama should walk his tired….do nothing ass out of the White House, let Hillary take over (WE SHOULD HAVE NEVER THROWN THIS LADY UNDER THE BUS) and Obama can go to hell and take all his fucked up religious views with him. I am sick and tired of religious blacks standing in the way of OUR equality. They a even more fucked up on religion than whites. Disgusting.
Schteve
Wouldn’t appealing the LCR decision mean the decision only applies to limited areas (California)? I know for example that the DOMA cases in Massachusetts would only apply to same-sex couples in Massachusetts if the DOJ didn’t appeal those. The other forty-nine states would be SOL and DOMA would still apply to them. How is this different?
Schteve
I should say, wouldn’t *NOT* appealing….
Cam
@Schteve:
Hi Schteve, usually the highest decision in a federal court has ramifications across the country if it isn’t appealed. If it is in state court is when it will only apply to that state.
Michael
Sadly, but unsurprisingly, the POTUS is back on the road tour re-hyping health care, like everybody is not going to starve to death before the plan actually kicks in. Pretty unfocused, for sure.
kevin
IMHO, Obama should not appeal the decision. I understand the perspective of those who say that it’s the gov’t’s job to defend a law in court. I get it. They did. There is no reason they have to take a law all the way to the Supremes. One (case) and done.
Jeffree
@Cam: Cyber-beers for you — I appreciate your knowledge and analyses on this thread & others….
— — -~- — —
I just wish Obama would show some actual *leadership* on DADT, plus some other issues like ENDA, DOMA repeal, etc, but then I’m just being greedy!
AndrewW
DOJ is going to appeal the LCR decision.
Yellow Bone
@Jack E. Jett: I can play this game too!
*Them damn blacks!*
See kids, racism is fun.
Hilarious
@Jack E. Jett: Are you wet, hungry, or both?
Pipe down, baby.
matt
Obama and the Democrats screwed us again and now they are wanting the GLBT community to send money and more votes their way… what a joke. Obama did nothing to help push the DADT vote and is showing little to no real support for our community execpt lip service with no real backing. Best we should do now is vote this lieing SOB out of office during the primaries – Hillary should of been the President! Hary Ried is no better… his ignorance of demanding only specific consessions or standng by his refusal to bring the Bill to the Senate floor could of broken the filibuster – just shows the ignorance of these congressmen. Instead this congress would like us to belive the Democrats tried… LOL – they purposely failed and had no intention of getting this trhough.
The DADT legislation was attached to a Defense Spending bill that was so far off base with Armed forces unwanted budget spending and illigimate children imigration legislation it was redicilious…
Cam
The state of CA. is NOT defending prop 8 in court. Anybody who says that the DOJ MUST defend Don’t Ask Don’t Tell is lying. Obama didn’t bother to make any statements pushing the repeal, and his DOJ is still defending DADT in the most insulting language possible.
Actions speak louder than words.
jason
Obama is useless. All he does is walk around with a permanent glum look on his face. He looks as if he’s depressed. A President who fails to get behind his own promises is not somebody I’d vote for again.
ewe
Obama is commander in chief, head honcho of the military. Nothing more clear than that. Enough said.
xyz2
@Jack E. Jett: Lets keep in mind that it was her husband that signed that stupid bill into law.
robert in nyc
Fitz, No. 2….If Obama were to state that DADT is about bigotry and I doubt that he would, he’d have to concede that not allowing us to marry is equally bigoted, but he’s not going to use the word because he opposes same-sex marriage. I don’t think he’d be that dumb to fall into that trap.
B
No. 18 · Cam wrote, “The state of CA. is NOT defending prop 8 in court. Anybody who says that the DOJ MUST defend Don’t Ask Don’t Tell is lying. Obama didn’t bother to make any statements pushing the repeal, and his DOJ is still defending DADT in the most insulting language possible.”
The reason that California’s governor and AG are not defending Prop 8 in court is that both believe it is unconstitutional. Otherwise the AG would defend it, whether he liked the law or not. There’s a legitimate argument that DODT is constitutional, just as there is one that DOMA is unconstitutional: you need a court decision as to which takes precedence, and appeals to make the decision apply to the whole country.
As to whether Obama is doing anything, none of us really know: it’s not like we are privy to his personal conversations with members of the U.S. Senate. Being publicly quiet right now might be a good strategy. Then he can publicly push for getting the bill signed to fund the military without appearing to use that as an excuse to repeal DADT, forcing the Republicans to explain why they are stalling a defense-appropriations bill rather than argue about gays in the military to appease their conservative base.
Markie-Mark
It would be very plausible to make a comparison between gay supporters of Obama and Bishop Long’s congregation.
B
No. 24 · Markie-Mark wrote, “It would be very plausible to make a comparison between gay supporters of Obama and Bishop Long’s congregation.” Really? Look at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJ6hgFYB1aM&feature=player_embedded#!
After seeing John McCain’s performance and denial of the facts regarding DADT, how on earth can any gays or gay-friendly individuals complain about those who voted for Obama instead of McCain?
Schteve
@B: ” There’s a legitimate argument that DODT is constitutional, just as there is one that DOMA is unconstitutional: you need a court decision as to which takes precedence, and appeals to make the decision apply to the whole country.”
Obama has repeatedly called the law discriminatory. Are you suggesting that he, the former constitutional law professor, thinks the current Constitution promotes discrimination? I’d love to get him to admit that.