How Gay Leftie Bloggers Spurred Obama to Act on DADT
Amidst the frenzy of activity on Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell this week, the folks at AOL asked me to write a piece on the hullabaloo and I decided to tip my hat to bloggers with whom we are often at odds, but who, this time, got one right:
While President Barack Obama’s decision to move forward with the elimination of the military’s much hated “don’t ask, Don’t tell” policy has attracted widespread coverage, the reason behind the sudden push hasn’t.
To be sure, some small efforts were made by the administration months ago toward repeal.
In October, the White House approached Sen. Joseph Lieberman, an independent congressman well-regarded in the military who has long opposed DADT, about developing a means to lift the ban.
The same month, Kevin Nix, a spokesman for the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network — a group that advocates for gay members of the armed forces — welcomed the appointment of retired Marine Gen. Clifford Stanley as undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness as a sign of the administration’s seriousness of purpose to move forward.
Yet, despite these and other rumblings, there was no evidence that the White House had a strategy (or timetable) to effect repeal.
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Dan,
Since no one else is using the space, I would love to see your comment on Carly’s new strategy of dressing people up in Sheep costumes with red demon eyes in campaign ads…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yo7HiQRM7BA
Comment by Tim — February 5, 2010 @ 6:20 pm - February 5, 2010
You know, Tim, if you showed more respect for my ideas acknowledged those times, like this one, I praise my ideological adversaries, I might respond more readily to your suggestions, as I do to those of my readers who more thoughtfully engage me. They often ask my opinion on a variety of issues.
From your past comments, I know you’re often at odds with my point of view. Now, here, I praise gay lefties and you don’t even acknowledge what I said. So, I respond to your request in the same manner.
Comment by B. Daniel Blatt — February 5, 2010 @ 6:33 pm - February 5, 2010
I am happy to see that the left gay community focusing on a gay rights issue apart from marriage, and that they appear to be having success!
Comment by Alex in Denver — February 5, 2010 @ 7:04 pm - February 5, 2010
Aw c’mon Dan. Give us some demon sheep!
Comment by Tano — February 5, 2010 @ 10:29 pm - February 5, 2010
What? You guys can’t argue with this so you have to change the subject to something you think you can?
Damnable garbage, both of you.
Comment by ThatGayConservative — February 6, 2010 @ 1:50 am - February 6, 2010
[...] How Gay Leftie Bloggers Spurred Obama to Act on DADT [...]
Pingback by GayPatriot » Obama Works with Military to Repeal DADT — February 6, 2010 @ 6:25 pm - February 6, 2010
[...] have praised John Aravosis before on his leadership of boycott the Democratic National Committee in order to spur [...]
Pingback by GayPatriot » Ask HRC to tell Obama to get DADT repealed this year — February 16, 2010 @ 5:36 pm - February 16, 2010