We'll get there, but Obama needs to get health care through Congress first. Once that fight is over, then he can turn left. If he ended DADT now, it would weaken him before what is arguably the most important battle of his administration.

I think we need a butt in our 60th seat.

DADT should be repealed, no question.

However, the unfortunate reality is that there are political issues involved in abolishing DADT that can't just be ignored.

And Obama has to show progress in two difficult wars.

And turn around the economy, etc.

It's frustrating that this issue has to take a backseat. But it's the right strategy.

And Lt. Choi, give 'em hell!

and @ any other fervent Obama believers -

"Once that fight is over, then he can turn left."

Do you have ANY evidence that he will? Maybe he's competent, certainly he's more capable that the fuktard he replaced, but do you have ANY PROOF that he's a closet liberal? Just because he sports a permanent tan and has a "D" behind his name doesn't automatically make him "Liberal", or "Progressive", or "liberal" or "progressive".

spelling correction

slightly OT - I really just wanted to call Shrub a fuktard again. The pure embodiment of "Conservatism", a felonious lying pompous douchebag with mommie and daddie issues that should have spent the last eight years in therapy, not government.

This guy graduated USMA 6 years ago and is still an Lt.? They SHOULD fire him.

Your not equal in America. Make them stand up and admit it.

Stop paying your taxes to a government that hates you.

If the presence of a known gay is contrary to good discipline, why hasn't it been? Where is the evidence? Once again, reason is suborned!

Have you read the articles re: the Christianization of the military. "Jesus Killed Mohammed--The Crusade for a Christian Military" by Jeff Sharlett. This and other writings about the increasing efforts by officers to convert enlisted soldiers, Afghanis and Iraqis to Christianity tells me this fight won't be over even when DADT is ended. Having spent 22 years in the military in much nicer times...this is not a good omen.

Obama's already spent a ton pushing through his 100 days changes. Unfortunately, this is one of those things that would rally some wavering moderates back to the right, so he's got to play it carefully. The legalization of universal marriage rights in many states will help establish the necessary capital to push the policy change through.

He's in the National Guard. You don't make rank quite as quickly there.

Bill Clinton set up don't tell as he was a coward on the issue.

It's not Obama's decision congress has to act.

losing more Arabic speakers because they're gay just really pisses me the fuck off. We need speakers of Arabic now more than ever and we're getting rid of them because of bigotry. That's the dumbest fucking thing I've ever heard.

So people like this linguist should have their lives messed up and wait patiently for equality until a fictional health care reform (or what-have-you) occurs? If there's ever going to be reform, it's not going to be affected by repealing DADT.

Fuck that.

Gay people have had decades now of their lives being treated as nothing more than political footballs.

What are they going to be asked to wait for after this fictional health reform? Some other super-important thing, no doubt (and for the blindingly obtuse, yes, i know health care reform is important).

--Ron

Yeah, plenty of evidence. I've been watching him in the IL State Senate and in the U.S. Senate. He's disappointed me on privacy and surveillance, but otherwise he's been a reliably liberal vote.

He's smart - smarter than you or me, and definitely smarter than his political opponents.

This is pretty much happening. I have recently been doning some research on the right Christian Purity Balls for an art project. This programs where daddies and daughter date, started in Colorado Springs. What I noticed in watching the videos of this purity ball was how many of the dads dancing with their daughter had on air force dress uniforms. Which reinforced what I heard about the the air force academy being full of these Christian right. They even have stolen an air force 'arch of the sabers" ceremony from military weddings as part of the Purity Balls ceremony to pledge virginity. Very creepy and scary that our military appears to be taken over by the Christian right, who appear to hate gays, woman's rights, and Muslims

Yeah, it sucks that gay Americans have to wait on this and that the linguist and others are having their lives screwed up.

But if addressing the issue RIGHT NOW screws up health care reform which will affect not only gay Americans but straight Americans and children and which will lead to a higher standard of living and save lives then they can wait.

That's politics. Someone's ox is going to be gored.

I do not understand why the sexual orientation matters, whether heterosexual or homosexual. You are in the military to do a job, not to bang chicks or guys in the foxholes.

If the soldier adheres to the military code , then their focus is on their duty, not their partners ass, either male or female. This is not a frat house even if we just had a frat boy as a President.

It is time to put an end to this nonsense. This is another straw-man fund raising tool of the republican tools. Thant is it.

His commitment to EVERYTHING is unclear. There is no there there.

(Except for psychopathic ambition, of course.)

It kept me out of Vietnam.

Why should gays and lesbians want kill and die for this corrupt and muderous government? The note Obama sent the shit-canned linguist tells us all we need to know about him, and this country.

If he is gay and out while in the military, it is pretty clear he is not a cunning linguist.

I am so sick and tired of people, especially on the left, telling us to wait for equal rights. I expect it from the right. We've waited long enough. Give up some of your rights and we'll see how long you want to wait to get them back. He had his 100 days and what has he done for us? Invited us to an Easter Egg roll at the White House and backstabbed us at the innauguration. He's the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces. He can make the command and anyone who doesn't like it can sit in the brink. He wants our vote, our support, but what do we get in return? I love the man and voted for him happily, but am starting to feel betrayed. People want us to have patience, but mine is wearing thin. I'm sick of sitting at the back of the bus.