It is certainly disappointing and frustrating that the administration has sought a stay. There is one simple way to put the endless legal wrangling behind us and do what the president and the American people want to strengthen our military: The administration and Congress need to finish the legislative work on ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ repeal after the election.
—HRC president Joe Solmonese, reacting to DoJ filing an appeal yesterday afternoon to the DADT ruling, and indicating his organization is just fine with Obama’s legislative strategy to keep gay soldiers from being kicked out [via]
randy
Uh, no Joe. There is an even simpler way to finish this whole thing off — don’t appeal the ruling.
You are just parroting Obama’s talking points by saying that it need to be done legislatively. This is proof that HRC isn’t really interesting in advancing gay rights, because if it were, it would be putting pressure on Obama to not appeal the decision. Instead, they back the totally insane idea that a right secured by the courts somehow isn’t good enough as a right secured by the Senate.
the crustybastard
There is one simple way to put the endless legal wrangling behind us and do what the president and the American people want to strengthen our military: The president needs to go before the American people and make the following statement.
My fellow Americans,
My administration went to a federal court and made the best legal arguments in favor of maintaining the ban on open service by gay Americans that could possibly be made. They didn’t prevail.
I have read Judge Phillips’ decision, and while I may not reached the same conclusions in the same way, I do and must respect this decision because we are, all of us, bound by the rule of law.
I had hoped that Congress would change the law and policy, allowing the legislature, the military, and my administration more control over the manner and process of making these changes. However, some members of my party joined all the Republicans in spoiling that opportunity. I’m disappointed by that, but I concede that ship has sailed.
Therefore, by order of the court, as of today there will be no more investigations or discharges under the unconstitutional and void law and policy, and gay servicemembers are now free to serve openly in the armed forces of the United States of America. There will be other details to work out, but I assure you that they will be done in good faith to the letter and spirit of the decision.
And to those servicemembers and their families who have been harmed by the policy, I extend my most profound and sincere apologies. Discrimination and bigotry has no place in America.
That is why I am also withdrawing my notice to appeal in the Massachusetts DOMA case.
Thank you, and God bless America.
Gregger
Joe is a douche nozzle and HRC inches closer to total irrelevance.
Dissapointed?
Try livid, furious, speechless might even work. But when your puppy pees on the carpet, dissapointed works.
Cam
Do you guys see what he just did?
So not only doesn’t he express any anger or outrage at this complete attack on the gay community, but he also is putting no pressure on them to do ANYTHING before the election even though there is a good chance there will be less Dems in Congress after the election. He is now working against our rights.
He got his talking points straight from the White House.
If he was ANY kind of gay advocate he would have taken issue with their phony reasons for appealing.
He would have demanded that they vote before the elction.
He would have called them out for continuing to violate the civil rights of the gay community.
This more than any thing else has proven that Joe Solomase does not work for the gay community. He ONLY takes his orders from the White House and just uses the gay community to pay his salary.
If we get our rights, Joe is out of a job.
Cam
Oh and lastly, By saying that our rights shouldn’t be granted by the courts…Does that mean that Obama is saying that…
The desegregation of schools was illigitimate since it was done by the courts?
or
That interacial marraige rights, (Like that of his parents) weren’t legitimate because they were granted by the courts?
Funny how rights given to others by the courts are ok, but for some reason known only to him, our rights can’t be granted that way.
This combined with the fact that Obama’s rep said that being gay is a “Lifestyle Choice”, proving that that is the way they refer to us in the White house, is making me thing that deep down he and the others in the White House are just plain ole homophobes.
Mark in Dallas
Robin McGehee said “Solmonese is retiring” and I believe her. GetEQUAL has replaced HRC. You have to get in the streets and make angry demands to get results. Obama is now afraid of us because of getEQUAL’s protests. We own this guy now. Thank Robin and pray for her because she is risking her life for our equality. God bless her arrogant soul.
jason
Joe Solmonese is like the battered wife returning to her husband. Not content with having just one of his eye sockets bashed in, he goes back to plead for the other one to be done too.
ait10101
Anger and outrage.
robert in nyc
Cam, exactly. The Loving v. Brown case was decided by the court, not a congressional act as was Roe v. Wade. He should be reminded of that. This is nothing more than delay tactics to do nothing. Obama is running scared of the GOP and their extremists in the tea party. Their rights and feelings trump ours. Politics as usual.
Ronbo
Obama’s opposition to equality is absolute. The only solution is to “Primary” Obama with an actual Democrat. Look, the man may be black; but, he IS a Republican. It’s not impossible – so quit supporting his Republican policies. His health insurance plan was originally floated by Nixon. His wars are continuation of Bush’s. His Military budget is larger than Bush’s. Obama has moved Bush’s assisination program to now include Americans! Obama has increased the Unitary Executive concept – a Republican plan.
We need a Democrat and it’s not Obama. Primary the liar!
randy
It seems you can’t walk any city block in Washington without be accosted by canvassers asking me if I have a minute for gay rights. So I tell the that I used to be a donor (long time ago, when I was still naive) and that I don’t like the direction that HRC is going. They just say thank you and want you out of the way asap when you do that.
Which is a little sad — I was hoping that they would hear this and then report back to their superiors that there is a lot of dissatisfaction and that is hurting their fundraising.
But I don’t think they are at all interested in dissent, discussion or any sort of self-examination. IT’s all about the money.
Ian
@Mark in Dallas: This bears repeating: “GetEQUAL has replaced HRC. You have to get in the streets and make angry demands to get results.”
There are a lot of gay conservative blue dogs who are the equivalent of repubs and their love of the Log Cabin Republicans who will have difficulty in letting go their support of the lapdog to the Dems, the HRC. I DON’T mean this in a critical or mean way but rather constructively, that I sometimes think that those who are afraid to take to the streets if it is needed to ensure their own EQUAL rights in favor of giving support to pseudo-progressive groups that don’t rock the boat like the HRC, are still dealing with some level of internalized discomfort and dislike of their true gay selves.
robert in nyc
Ian, GetEqual is a far more effective, vocal organization worth supporting. We may or may not have any choice but to take to the streets and I see that happening. I will be one of the first to do it. I’ve done it before during the early days of AIDS when I was an ACT UP member.
This is what I see happening after November 2. Assuming the republicans take back one of the houses, we’ll get NO repeal of DADT, enactment of ENDA or repeal of DOMA. The GOP will make sure that they use the filibuster on everything the democrats do just as they do now, nothing will change. They want absolute power and a republican controlled government indefinitely. That spells no equality, ever. Meanwhile, the Log Cabiners will continue supporting them, its wired in their blood unfortunately. That delusion of theirs to change their party from within is just that, a delusion. The GOP hasn’t authored one piece of legislation favoring LGBT equality issues and they never will. Its by far the party of absolute exclusion than the Democrats, not that they’ve done such a great job either lately.
Ian
@robert in nyc: I don’t have a lot of income to spare but I donated a little $$ to GetEQUAL just a few days ago and felt way better than anytime in the past when I gave to the HRC but felt “just WHAT is this money going to do that is effective??” I agree that it has become clear for DOMA & DADT to fall and for ENDA to pass that it is time to stop being polite about it and start to REALLY take to the streets, no more complaining just on the internet blogs, we need to PHYSICALLY get into people of power’s faces and shake them out of their indifferent malaise against EQUAL rights for Gay Americans.
robert in nyc
Ian, I share your concerns. GetEqual is grateful for just $1, every penny helps. GetEQual is a lot more “in your face”, something that HRC has never learned. All they’re interested in is having an in with the powers that be, patting themselves on the back at their annual galas that achieve absolutely nothing. Solomonese is overpaid and undereffective. He needs to go and have someone replace him who is serious about equality even if it means confrontation and ultimatums. I’m done with the political correctness, its got us nowhere fast. We don’t have to be rude, but we can be aggressive and hold the politicians’ collective feet to the fire, persistently, just keep up the pressure. I’d like to see a petition going to the DNC and the Democratic Party vowing not to support them if they don’t deliver on anything soon. That’s the kind of thing HRC should have been doing from the outset. The Dems need our votes more than they’ll admit. The problem is they’ve taken our votes for granted for far too long and haven’t come through for us. I’m sick and tired of their excuses especially Obama’s.
After November 2, all of us have to galvanize. Having one annual march on Washington a year won’t do it. We’ve got to do it continuously and make our voices heard, loud and clear even it means a dose of civil unrest in our community. The politicians have to be told to put up or shut up. Action speaks louder than words, another thing HRC has never learned.
Tell Robin
Robin should just appeal to HRC supporters and tell them she is more effective and has great results this year. It is clear that GetEqual has power over Obama and HRC has never been able to do that. A few more protests and Robin will be working in the White House.
ActivistBoi
GetEQUAL has sent out a Call to Action. If you are SERIOUS about your EQUALITY:
Once again, we are faced with a stark contrast in this Administration between lofty speeches about equality and concrete progress. We’d like to say we’re still hoping in the change promised to us two years ago, but that hope is fading quickly — particularly when the lives and livelihoods of our brothers and sisters are on the line.
Today, we’re coming to you with a key question — what will your role be in helping to make all of these things happen? GetEQUAL is committed to moving LGBT legislative priorities forward through strategic and targeted direct action — but we need your help.
We need people to take the lead in their state and organize — to ensure that a diverse array of LGBT folks and allies are given clear and strategic ways to both take action and build community.
Are you one of those people? What role will you play in taking proactive steps to ensure that the LGBT movement continues to press forward? What role will you take in owning our collective equality?
TO SIGN UP, GO TO: http://bit.ly/bQralo
showmeindc
HRC is just another group of lapdogs for the Democrats…DNC throws them a bone from time to time, but the reality is they just keep the LGBT community on a leash without delivering any results. They had a filibuster-proof majority and yet they couldn’t get a simple thing like DADT through? Now they’re going to apologize and say Congress couldn’t pass it? The only way to get the attention of the party and HRC is to withhold our money and give it directly to gay candidates through the Victory Fund.