Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
Via JMG: HomoQuotable - Andrew Sullivan
"Many of us fought for years to construct a conservatism that treated gay people as individuals and as equal citizens. We fought, as GOProud does, to rebut the notion that being gay means being a socialist or a leftist. But we also fought to have core civil equality recognized - in military service and marriage, and we fought against an agenda that placed gay victimology at its center. What GOProud has done, in inviting this woman, is much more than that: it is to invite someone who actively opposes our civil equality - equal rights, not special rights - and whose record of anti-gay bigotry is as plain as the collar bones on her shoulders." - Andrew Sullivan on Ann Coulter's Homocon appearance.Sunday, September 26, 2010
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Friday, September 24, 2010
Via HRC:
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| Dear Daniel, Tuesday's temporary set-back on the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) reaffirmed two fundamental concepts of American politics: elections have consequences and just one vote can make the difference. Scott Brown's election earlier this year meant that Senate Democrats lost the all-important 60 vote majority needed to break gridlock-motivated Republican filibusters and force votes. The consequence of only having 59 votes is that the Democrats' agenda is virtually always in peril because of the political aims of Republicans; a matter made exponentially worse 45 days from an election. That's where we got caught Tuesday when the Senator Majority Leader Harry Reid moved to break a Republican filibuster and force the consideration of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that includes the repeal of DADT. We learned this morning via the Washington Blade that Republicans' real opposition to the bill was not that Senator Reid had limited amendments as they publicly screeched. Republicans called it an affront to the rights of the party in the minority in spite of the fact that they had done the exact same thing plenty of times when they were in the majority. It turns out that wasn’t the real reason at all. According to Obama campaign manager David Plouffe, the reason for their opposition to the repeal of DADT is because it would hurt the turnout of conservative voters in November. Knowing full well that the votes were there to repeal DADT if it got to the floor, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell did what all good cowards do: he figured out a way for the bill not to be voted on by convincing his caucus that it would have election-year ramifications. Absolutely shameless. If there's a silver lining at all in this story, it's that even Senator McConnell believes DADT will be repealed. According to Plouffe, McConnell told senators, "We'll do it in December," when Congress comes back into session following the mid-term elections. So in spite of the fact that we're at war and the bill authorizes important weapons systems and the construction of military installations, and in spite of the fact that the bill contains a pay raise for our troops and that nearly 80% of Americans support repeal of DADT, election year politics won out. Make no mistake about it: this was a setback, not a defeat. As long as DADT is on the books, giving up is not an option. Senator Reid has committed to bring the bill back up in the lame duck session of Congress. We are quite bullish that it can and will get done then. In the meantime, remember what happened to us this past Tuesday when you consider your involvement in this November’s elections. Elections, my friends, do in fact have consequences.  Joe Solmonese President, Human Rights Campaign  | ||||
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Via JMG: DADT WIN: Federal Judge Orders Reinstatement Of Major Margaret Witt
In another win in the battle to overturn DADT, late this afternoon a federal court ordered the reinstatement of Air Force Major Margaret Witt, who was suspended just before her retirement date in 2004 after her superiors learned she is a lesbian. Today's decision only applies to Major Witt's case.A federal judge ruled Friday that a decorated flight nurse discharged from the Air Force for being gay should be given her job back as soon as possible in the latest legal setback to the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy. The decision by U.S. District Judge Ronald Leighton came in a closely watched case as a tense debate has been playing out over the policy. Senate Republicans blocked an effort to lift the ban this week, but two federal judges have ruled against the policy in recent weeks. Maj. Margaret Witt was discharged under the "don't ask, don't tell" policy and sued to get her job back. A judge in 2006 rejected Witt's claims that the Air Force violated her rights when it fired her. An appeals court panel overruled him two years later, leaving it to Leighton to determine whether her firing met that standard.Witt was represented by the ACLU. Read the decision here (PDF.) Reactions to the decision are below.
Human Rights Campaign
“By reinstating Major Witt, a decorated Air Force nurse discharged under ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ another federal court has demonstrated once again that this discriminatory law does not contribute to our nation’s security or defense,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese. “Had Major Witt been discharged in any other circuit in the country, she would not had her day in court. It is time for Congress and the Administration to recognize that his failed law should be removed from the books once and for all.”Servicemembers United
"Yet another judge has taken yet another righteous, historic, and courageous stand against a discriminatory and unconstitutional law," said Alexander Nicholson, founder and Executive Director of Servicemembers United. "Major Witt's case is a clear-cut one in which her discharge itself actually harmed unit cohesion, morale, and combat readiness." This legal victory against the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law is the second this month, with a judge in Riverside, California previously declaring the entire "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law unconstitutional in a facial challenge to the law brought by the Log Cabin Republicans. Major Witt's victory will apply only to her own discharge, but the precedent set with this decision and the previous appellate court ruling in this case on the standard to be used in deciding on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" discharges all contribute to a significant shift in how courts appear to be viewing and treating the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law.More reactions will be added to this post as they arrive.
Via JMG: Libertarian Party To Gays: Leave Your Abusive Democratic "Spouse" And Join Us
The Libertarian Party has launched a campaign to lure gay voters, saying, "Like abused spouses who keep returning to their aggressors, gay voters keep handing their votes to the Democrats who abuse them." The statement continues: The Libertarian Party (LP) wants to break this self-destructive behavior and offers LGBT voters a better alternative. LP Chairman Mark Hinkle said, "Exit polls indicate that Democrats get over 70% of LGBT votes in federal elections. Those voters must really love the Democrats' rhetoric, because they certainly aren't seeing any action. "President Obama and the Democrats had almost a year of complete control of the federal government: the Presidency, the House, and a filibuster-proof 60 votes in the Senate.The statement concludes that the Libertarian Party "neither supports nor opposes gay relationships."
"They could have repealed 'don't ask don't tell.' They could have gotten rid of the Defense of Marriage Act. But they didn't do either of those things. That's a complete and total betrayal of all the promises they made to gay and lesbian voters for years. "After a carefully orchestrated failure in the Senate, the Democrats are now blaming Republicans for blocking the repeal of 'don't ask don't tell.' Of course, three Democrats just voted against it too, including Majority Leader Harry Reid. Reid claims he voted for procedural reasons, but the whole situation seems calculated to look like they're trying to help, while making sure they don't actually help." Unlike the Democratic and Republican Parties, the Libertarian Party believes that gays and lesbians deserve equal treatment under the law.
Obviously the Libertarian Party seeks to capitalize on LGBT disenchantment with the Obama administration and further splinter the gay vote to the benefit of the GOP. Nothing more, nothing less. Most self-described libertarian candidates, of course, actually run on the GOP ticket. (Witness today's post about Colorado's Stephen Bailey.) Virtually no officially Libertarian candidate ever becomes viable in a general election. Talk about throwing your vote away!
But just for the sake of argument, let's tick off the official Libertarian agenda as posted on their website:
1. Abolish welfare.
2. Abolish Social Security.
3. Abolish the IRS.
4. Abolish the FDA.
5. Allow insurance companies to exclude any disease.
6. Dismantle the public school system.
7. Allow machine gun ownership and open-carry anywhere.
8. End foreign aid to starving nations.
9. Sell all national parks to private groups.
To be fair, the Libertarian Party does have reasonable positions on immigration reform, privacy, and the war on drugs. But the essential takeaway from reading their platform is this: "If you are impoverished, starving, desperately ill, unemployed, or uneducated...tough shit. Don't come to the government with your lazy unpatriotic hand out. Every American for himself. Get the fuck out of here."
LAVENDER ANGELS RETURN TO THE HEIGHTS
LAVENDER ANGELS RETURN TO THE HEIGHTS
"Volunteering for a Safer Community"
Lavender Angels, found in many gay communities, were last seen here in the 1990's. Following concerns about the safety and comfort of our public, the group has been revived here in Lavender Heights. Spearheaded by the Center, an alliance is being formed with midtown community agencies including the Center, the Midtown Business Association, and the Sacramento Police Department. Volunteers are being recruited and were first seen at the Rainbow Festival. Their official debut is planned for Second Saturday in October.
They plan to be on area streets on Friday and Saturday nights between 9:00 and bar closing times, and during special events in the area. They will be visible, and will be extra eyes for law enforcement and security personnel. They will be in close touch with Sacramento Police officers in the area and will coordinate with bar security personnel. The Sacramento Police Department will provide training for the volunteers, the first Safety Seminar to be held in October. Their official debut is planned for Second Saturday in October.
If you have been in midtown at night recently, you will know that the area is bustling on weekend nights with heavy pedestrian traffic in areas such as 20th Street between I and L Streets. The vision is to promote a safe experience in the area for patrons enjoying the conviviality offered through the area businesses. Active recruitment of volunteers is underway.
For more information, contact: Lavender.Angels@SacCenter.org.
They plan to be on area streets on Friday and Saturday nights between 9:00 and bar closing times, and during special events in the area. They will be visible, and will be extra eyes for law enforcement and security personnel. They will be in close touch with Sacramento Police officers in the area and will coordinate with bar security personnel. The Sacramento Police Department will provide training for the volunteers, the first Safety Seminar to be held in October. Their official debut is planned for Second Saturday in October.
If you have been in midtown at night recently, you will know that the area is bustling on weekend nights with heavy pedestrian traffic in areas such as 20th Street between I and L Streets. The vision is to promote a safe experience in the area for patrons enjoying the conviviality offered through the area businesses. Active recruitment of volunteers is underway.
For more information, contact: Lavender.Angels@SacCenter.org.
Via JMG: DOJ To Judge: Keep Enforcing DADT
In response to the federal court ruling that DADT is unconstitutional, late this afternoon the Department of Justice filed a brief in support of keep the ban on openly gay servicemembers. Via Advocate:In a 14-page brief, Justice Department attorneys argued that a permanent injunction against enforcing the 17-year-old law — one supported by Log Cabin Republicans, which successfully challenged DADT in federal court and has argued for an immediate halt of DADT enforcement throughout the armed forces — would be "untenable." "[A]ny injunction in this case must be limited to plaintiff LCR and the claims it asserts on behalf of its members – and cannot extend to non-parties – plaintiff’s requested world-wide injunction of the statute fails as a threshold matter," assistant U.S. attorney Paul Freeborne wrote.The White House has issued the following statement.
Among the government’s arguments, Freeborne wrote that an injunction would preclude the government both from litigating other legal challenges to DADT and considering the terms of a stay barring discharges of gay and lesbian service members. An immediate halt of discharges would jeopardize successful implementation of repeal, by interfering with the “ability of the Department of Defense to develop necessary policies, regulations, and training and guidance to accommodate a change in the DADT law and policy,” the government argues.
Today, the Department of Justice made a filing in a legal challenge to the Don't Ask, Don't tell (DADT) policy, as it traditionally does when acts of Congress are challenged. This filing in no way diminishes the President's firm commitment to achieve a legislative repeal of DADT -- indeed, it clearly shows why Congress must act to end this misguided policy. The President was disappointed earlier this week when a majority of the Senate was willing to proceed with National Defense Authorization Act, but political posturing created a 60 vote threshold. The President spoke out against DADT in his first State of the Union Address, and the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs have both testified in support of repeal. And the Department of Defense continues to work on a plan on how to implement repeal. The President, along with his Administration, will continue to work with the Senate Leadership to achieve a legislative repeal of DADT as outlined in the NDAA this fall.Here's the DOJ's full brief.
DOJ DADT Injunction
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Via JMG: Morning Nutcase - Juice Boxes Make You Gay!
Nationally syndicated libertarian radio host Alex Jones told his audience that drinking out of juice boxes turns people into homosexuals. Also gay-making: kettle chips. It's all a government plot to create more gay people! And here you were blaming Glee.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Via JMG: Samoan Clerics: Homosexuals Are Causing Global Climate Change
Clerics of an unnamed Christian denomination informed attendees at a University of the South Pacific conference on climate change in Samoa that homosexuals are responsible for global warming. Academics were apparently thrown off their consideration of "Arts in the Age of Global Warming" and "Ecology in Poetry / Poetry in Ecology" by reports of Church Ministers who maintained that climate change in Samoa are clearly attributable to to homosexuals. The revelation prompted one attendee USP student, Shaiza Janif, to opine: "We need to educate our ministers and not turn this into an agenda." Details of exactly how the ministers think homosexuals are pumping more CO2 into the atmosphere, thereby trapping heat around the planet, driving up the average temperature and causing massive economic and environmental dislocation are scant.Tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, and now the melting of the polar ice caps. We are truly a fearsomely fabulous force. Points to the UK's Register for their headline: Samoan Clerics Finger Homosexuals Over Global Warming.
via jmg: Bill Clinton: I Regret DADT
Saying that he only reluctantly signed DADT into law when it became clear that Congress would impose an outright ban on gays in the military if he didn't, former President Bill Clinton told CBS News last night that he regretted his role in the creation of the bill. He also said that former Joint Chiefs Chairman Colin Powell was deceptive about how DADT would work. Transcript via the Advocate: “Don't Ask, Don't Tell was only adopted when both Houses of Congress had voted by a huge veto-proof margin to legislate the absolute ban on gays in the military if I didn't do something else. So there's been a lot of rewriting history saying Bill Clinton just gave into that. That's just factually false. I didn't do anything until the votes were counted. Now, when Colin Powell sold me on Don't Ask, Don't Tell, here's what he said it would be: Gay service members would never get in trouble for going to gay bars, marching in gay rights parades as long as they weren't in uniform. That was what they were promised. That's a very different Don't Ask, Don't Tell than we got."
Via jmg: Britain's Liberal Democrats Endorse Marriage Equality
Delegates to the Liberal Democrats' annual convention voted yesterday to endorse full marriage equality for Britain's citizens, as well as other LGBT rights. The motion called to open up marriage and civil partnerships to straight and gay couples, allow religious celebrants to hold same-sex marriages and civil partnerships if they wish to do so, and to allow trans men and women the right to stay married or civilly partnered when they legally change their gender. Speaking after the motion passed, Liberal Democrat MP Steve Gilbert said: “This policy underlines, once again, that equality is in the DNA of our party. Today, Liberal Democrat members showed that the party remains in the vanguard of the progressive movement and won’t settle until everyone enjoys equal status. “Current legislation degrades same-sex couples to a second-tier partnership and leads to unnecessary pain and trouble for anyone wishing to change their legally recognised gender, forcing them to divorce or dissolve their civil partnership and enter into a different commitment. "It is time that Britain ends the current unfair legal situation and regains its position as a country leading the fight for full LGBT equality.”The Liberal Democrats formed a coalition government with the Conservative Party earlier this year when the general election resulted in a hung Parliament. Yesterday's vote means the party will now likely begin lobbying for full marriage equality in Britain.
Via jmg: HomoQuotable - Jim Burroway
"This was never a serious attempt to pass legislation in the best interests of the American people. It was nothing but political theater, and everyone on both sides were eager actors in the drama. All the Senators had a role to play, and everyone played to the audience. Even the White House was given a bit part. They issued a statement calling for an end to the filibuster, but according to SLDN’s Trevor Thomas, there was no lobbying behind the scenes."And now that the vote has been taken, the play moves on to its second act: everyone now gets to go home and use it on the campaign trail. Republicans, even those who support DADT’s repeal, will be able to brag that they stood up to the evil Democratic machine. Democrats will be able to blame the evil Republican machine for blocking legislation that three-fourths of the American population agree on." - Box Turtle Bulletin blogger Jim Burroway.
Via JMG: New York Times To President Obama: Don't Appeal Court Ruling On DADT
Today the New York Times published an editorial advising President Obama not to appeal the recent federal court ruling that DADT is unconstitutional. President Obama, the House and a majority of senators clearly support an end to “don’t ask, don’t tell,” but that, of course, is insufficient in the upside-down world of today’s Senate, where 40 members can block anything. The two parties clashed on the number of amendments that Republicans could offer. Republicans wanted to add dozens of amendments, an obvious delaying tactic, while Democrats tried to block all but their own amendments. In an earlier time, the two sides might have reached an agreement on a limited number of amendments, but not in this Senate, and certainly not right before this election, when everyone’s blood is up even more than usual.
If the military’s unjust policy is not repealed in the lame-duck session, there is another way out. The Obama administration can choose not to appeal Judge Phillips’s ruling that the policy is unconstitutional, and simply stop ejecting soldiers. But that would simply enable lawmakers who want to shirk their responsibility. History will hold to account every member of Congress who refused to end this blatant injustice.
Via JMG: HomoConQuotable - Charles Winecoff
"Like slavery in America, there is no moving on from gay Republicanism. Robert 'KKK' Byrd can be forgiven. Jim 'I-am-a-gay-American-cheating-on-my-wife' McGreevey can be forgiven. Dean, Clinton, and Obama can be forgiven for their hollow promises to the LGBT community. Hell, even Fidel Castro can be forgiven for his homosexual re-education camps. And, of course, it wouldn’t be 'nice' to criticize Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan for a single one of his many offensive remarks, such as: 'It’s the wicked Jews, the false Jews that are promoting lesbianism, homosexuality.' As Robot B9 would say, that does not compute."No, for Ken Mehlman, eternal damnation is too lenient. Because of his 'bad' political choice, he’s not allowed the freedom of personal evolution that 'good' gays enjoy. He’s not allowed to change. And spitting wouldn’t satisfy the intolerant community’s need to obliterate his existence. In cases like his, the only thing that could possibly appease the oppression-obsessed gay Left would be… well, frankly, some torches, pitchforks, and a public execution. Maybe they can all convert to Islam while they’re at it. Surely, paradise can’t be too far away." - Homocon Charles Winecoff, writing for wingnut Andrew Breitbart's Big Government.
NOTE: Sen. Robert Bryd's history with the KKK was indeed largely "forgiven," but that forgiveness came after decades and decades of public service and, by Bryd's own words, "thousands of personal apologies" delivered face-to-face to the people he had wronged. Ken Mehlman has only just revealed the rainbow lining in HIS white hood and has yet to issue a single apology. Maybe after a few decades of contrite service like that delivered to the nation by Sen. Byrd and some well-publicized and believable apologies, we'll forgive Ken Mehlman too.
Via JMG: Sen. John McCain Flips Out During DADT Interview With Gay Reporters
Think Progress reports:
This afternoon, immediately after the Senate failed to invoke cloture on a defense authorization measure which included an amendment to gradually repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, a group of journalists met with Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) to discuss the vote. Pressed by The Advocate’s Kerry Eleveld and Metro Weekly’s Chris Geidner about instances when the military actively sought to out gay troops, McCain grew defiant and insisted that the military does not “go out and seek to find out if someone’s sexual orientation."A full transcript of the exchange is at the above link.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Via Courage Campaign
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Because of an unprecedented filibuster by Sen. John McCain, we just lost a critical vote in the Senate to end debate on the Defense Authorization bill and repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."
But this is NOT OVER. Not by a long shot.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid can attempt to end debate -- and bring the Defense Authorization bill to the floor for a vote -- again. The question is when he will do so. Until he does, we need to keep up the pressure on the Senate.
On Monday, we delivered 557,293 Courage Campaign signatures to targeted Senators. While we may have lost this vote, we need to keep fighting to get another -- and finish off DADT for good. Please help us keep up the pressure on Washington to finally repeal DADT by contributing $25, $50, $100 or more right now:
http://www.couragecampaign.org/FightToTheFinish
Let's be clear. Without your relentless pressure to repeal DADT -- along with the activism of so many other organizations, individuals and communities -- a vote would not have taken place today.
Your pressure made it possible, from your support for Lt. Dan Choi during our "Don't Fire Dan!" campaign to the 557,293 signatures we delivered to Congress and the President, to the thousands of calls you made to Congress via Courage and the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network.
And we're going to keep up that pressure. But we need your support now to do it.
Today, we came within ONE vote of bringing DADT repeal to the Senate floor. Now we need to get that last vote -- and finish off DADT for good. Please help us keep up the pressure on Washington to finally repeal DADT by contributing $25, $50, $100 or more right now:
http://www.couragecampaign.org/FightToTheFinish
Thanks you for your commitment to the cause of equality. We really can't do this without you.
Rick Jacobs
Chair, Courage Campaign
P.S. The Senate is not the only place we're going to apply pressure in Washington. We are also joining the Human Rights Campaign in calling on the Justice Department not to appeal the recent court decision that ruled DADT unconstitutional. The decision in this historic case, launched by the Log Cabin Republicans, affirms what the vast majority of the American people know to be true - that it's time for DADT to be sent to the dustbin of history. Stay tuned.
Courage Campaign Equality is a part of the Courage Campaign's multi-issue online organizing network that empowers more than 700,000 grassroots and netroots supporters to push for progressive change and full equality in California and across the country. To get involved in Courage Campaign Equality, visit "Testimony: Equality on Trial" -- our year-long campaign to bring the Prop 8 trial into the lives of Americans.
To support our work to repeal DADT, please chip in what you can today:
Via HRC:
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Dear Daniel,
Just moments ago, Senate Republicans blocked the bill that contains the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" from even receiving an up-or-down vote. Not a single one broke ranks. It's an outrage. But this doesn't mean the fight is over. Senate majority leader Harry Reid has committed to bringing the bill back up after the November elections – and we'll have a fighting chance to get it passed then – so we'll put everything we have into that effort. In the meantime, we need to pursue every possible avenue to get rid of this law. And the Justice Department may be our best hope. Here's why: A federal district court recently ruled that "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is unconstitutional. Now, the Justice Department has a choice: they can fight the decision, or they can let it stand and bring "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" one step closer to the dustbin of history. Today's move by Senate Republicans is an outrage. Not a single Republican senator was willing to even begin debate on this important legislation, which includes a pay raise for our service members. But we've faced setbacks before, and this is not the end of the road. We'll keep our efforts at full steam as we prepare for another showdown in the Senate after the election. And if Attorney General Eric Holder agrees not to appeal the recent court decision, discharges under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" could become a relic of the past. We need to make sure the Attorney General gets the message: he may very well be our best hope to bring about the repeal of this discriminatory law. Then spread the word by email, Facebook, and Twitter. Thanks for your help. Together, we can and we will end this law once and for all. Sincerely,  Joe Solmonese President  | |
Via JMG: Senate Blocks "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Repeal and DREAM Act
Mike Ludwig, Truthout: "Senate Republicans on Tuesday blocked the Obama administration's effort to end the military's 'don't ask, don't tell' policy that prevents openly gay and lesbian Americans from serving in the armed forces. Democrats failed to find the 60 votes needed to begin debate of the 2011 Defense Authorization bill that includes language to repeal the Clinton-era rule on gays and lesbians in the military. The 56-43 vote followed party lines, with Republicans threatening to filibuster, and two Democratic Sens., Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor of Arkansas, supporting Republicans in opposing debate on the bill."
Read Article
Read Article
Via JMG: DADT Cloture Vote Fails In Senate 56-43
The cloture vote on DADT has failed 56-43 with zero Republicans voting "yes." I'll have the complete roll call in this post shortly. Knowing that cloture would fail, Sen. Harry Reid voted "no" too, so he'll have the chance to reintroduce the bill. That bit of maneuvering was lost on GOProud.
UPDATE: All Republicans voted "no." Aside from Reid as noted above, the only two Democrats who voted "no" were Sen. Blache Lincoln and Sen. Mark Pryor, both of Arkansas.
via jmg: DADT Cloture Vote Reactions
Stonewall Democrats
"Senate Republicans have tragically blocked the National Defense Authorization Act because it contains language to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," showing themselves to be far outside of the American mainstream. Their actions today are just more obstructionism and willful disregard of what 8 in 10 Americans want. It is a sad the lengths the GOP will go to in order to discriminate against soldiers who want to serve our country openly, honorably and with integrity. It is nothing short of a slap in the face to their service in their fight for our freedoms. Today, one man's bigotry and opinions proved how out of touch the GOP is with the majority of Americans. Today Senator John McCain held back progress and history. Senator McCain along with the rest of the Republican party is consistently out of touch with the values that Americans hold true to in 2010.”National Gay & Lesbian Task Force
“Once again, politicians are playing politics with people's lives. Filibustering the defense authorization bill to block action on 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' repeal and the DREAM Act — two measures that do justice to the fundamental principle of fairness — is a disappointment and disservice to our country. Seventy-eight percent of Americans support ending 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' and countless others believe that young people should be provided a path to citizenship in the country they love and have always called home. Today's Senate vote mocks those ideals. The senators who led and supported the filibuster effort should be ashamed.”Human Rights Campaign
Today our military readiness and national security were set back as Senator John McCain successfully led a Republican filibuster of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), to which the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is attached. Not since 1948 has Congress failed to act on the NDAA. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has committed to bringing the bill back up following the election. “This filibuster was election year politics at its worst,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. “It’s a shame that during a time of war, Republican Senators wouldn’t even allow debate on the bill that provides a pay raise for our troops.”GetEQUAL
Today is a disappointing day for everyone who has engaged in this fight over the years -- for Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, Servicemembers United, Outserve, Knights OUT, countless servicemembers who have taken action with us, and the active-duty servicemembers across the globe who are being forced to remain closeted while serving our country. We thank them for their service and we stand steadfast in our commitment to serve them as they have served us. We are calling on President Obama to show the courage and leadership required of the Commander in Chief to unequivocally state that military discharges must end immediately. Our elected leaders have demonstrated that they are either unwilling or unable to do the right thing. Now it's time for our "fierce advocate" to step up to the plate for us.GOProud
“Just now on the floor of the Senate, Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell offered a consent agreement that would have allowed for a vote on Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell repeal and provided a fair framework for the debate. Unfortunately, Democrat Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid rejected this offer – and as a result, Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell repeal has died in the Senate. “The defeat of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell repeal lies solely with Harry Reid and the Democrat leadership. Harry Reid is playing political games with the lives of the brave gay men and women serving in our military. It's clear now that Lady GaGa should have held her Don't Ask, Don't Tell repeal rally in Nevada instead of Maine.”Servicemembers United
"Today's vote is a failure of leadership on the part of those who have been duly elected to serve this nation and to put the best interests of the country ahead of partisan politics," said Alexander Nicholson, founder and Executive Director of Servicemembers United. "The Senate could learn a good lesson from those who serve in uniform and who stand to benefit from proceeding to debate on this bill - serving this country means putting politics aside and getting the job done. It is simply inexcusable that this vote failed today." The votes to break the filibuster had previously been lined up, but last week Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid decided to use an uncommon procedural privilege on the bill that eroded support for breaking the filibuster and guaranteed the vote's failure. Intense lobbying and public pressure over the past week proved not to be enough to force either side to back down. The Senate will not likely take up the defense authorization bill again until after the mid-term elections in November.Servicemembers Legal Defense Network
“Today’s Senate vote was a frustrating blow to repeal this horrible law. We lost because of the political maneuvering dictated by the mid-term elections. Let’s be clear: Opponents to repealing ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ did not have the votes to strike those provisions from the bill. Instead, they had the votes for delay. Time is the enemy here. We now have no choice but to look to the lame duck session where we’ll have a slim shot. The Senate absolutely must schedule a vote in December when cooler heads and common sense are more likely to prevail once midterm elections are behind us. Servicemembers Legal Defense Network will continue to take this fight to the American people, the vast majority of whom support repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’”
Via JMG: Republican supported homophobia...
"All Faggots Must Die"
The above comment was left today by "Jimmy" on my post about the DADT cloture vote. The IP address *appears* to resolve to the neighborhood of GOP U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss' Atlanta office. The ISP is "United States Senate." I'm confident that the JMG internet sleuths can get to the source.
Here's the IP: 156.33.20.72. Get busy, geeks!
UPDATE: According to a friend of JMG reader Sean Chapin, the comment appears to have actually come from the Atlanta office of Sen. Johnny Isakson, the OTHER Republican Senator in Georgia, whose offices are not far from Sen. Chambliss'. Dennis writes:
"First I did a WHOIS lookup on the address and found out that it belonged to the US Senate. Then I did a trace on the IP and got the latitude, longitude and city location for the IP. Once I had the city, I did a search on senate offices and started with the one that came out on top which was Isakson’s. Once I had the address of his office, I pulled up the latitude and longitude info for it and found that it matched those of the IP."Examine Dennis' screenshots below and tell us if you think he's got this nailed.
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