For reasons that escape me, many gays act as if Hillary Clinton's election in November 2008, would be a home run for gay rights. Their logic defies reality. True, it would be a more opportune situation than say a Mike Huckabee win, but there would be no guaranty that gay rights would flourish. After all, Bill Clinton sold gays down the river twice while in office. First with the horrendous "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy and later with the Defense of Marriage Act. Each time political expediency was the objective for throwing gays under the bus. Now, Bill is out running around trying to explain away the consequences of DADT which has ruined the careers of thousands and thousands of military personnel. How he can try to claim this consequence was unforeseen is - excuse me - utter bull shit. Here is PageOneQ's coverage on Bill's latest snow job effort (http://pageoneq.com/news/2008/President_Clinton_Dont_Ask_Dont_Tell_was_not_meant_to_sabotage_gays_militar_0119.html):Former President Bill Clinton, while on the campaign trail for his wife, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY), said that anti-gay forces made 10 USC 654, or the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy, do more than he says it was meant to do. Don't Ask, Don't Tell prohibits a member of the United States military from disclosing a non-heterosexual orientation. Stated fears of lower morale among troops and compromised "unit cohesion" are largely used to justify the policy, which has to date claimed the careers of at least 12,000 men and women with an average of two joining those ranks on a daily basis.
Clinton, who signed Don't Ask into law in 1993, says he and then-Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Colin Powell meant for the policy only to govern gay servicemembers while they were on duty or in uniform. Servicemembers, says Clinton, "would be free to live their lives; as long as they didn't go marching in gay rights parades or go to gay bars in uniform... In uniform... and talk about it on duty, they would be all right."
Bill, you can quiver your lip all you want, but I am not buying this bull shit. Here in this area with a large military population, the enforcement of DADT has involved surveillance of gay networking sites such as gay.com and having snitches watching for who goes into gay bars. None of which circumstances have involved anyone in uniform, yet individuals had their careers ruined.
2 comments:
Hey Michael,
I'm not sure it is completely fair to say that Bill Clinton "sold gays down the river" with the DADT legislation.
I was on active duty during that time and there was a fire storm of controversy inside and outside the military. Frankly, I think it was the only cmpromise that could be obtained undr the circumstancs.
For me, the troubling part of the story, is that this rule has continued for so long. Once it was demonstrated that gays were serving, and there was no effect on unit cohesion or morale, they should have repealed the rule.
I also think that had it not been for the distractions of Whitewater and the impeachment, it might have been done.
DADT is incredibly flawed and variably enforced among the services. I know Air Force folks who served rather openly. At the same time, the Navy would park cars outside the bars here in Norfolk and VB and write down license numbers.
It is a policy that needs to end. But, the reason for the policy should be blamed on the likes of Colin Powell and the Christian right.
Tom
Tom, your comment is duly noted. One of my concerns with a Hillary presidency is that ALL of that old crap will be dredge back up and rather than getting things accomplished much energy and attention will once again be addressed to scandal control and partisan rancor. We do NOT need any more of that Clinton legacy.
As a former GOP member and activist, also make no mistake about how much Hillary will unify and otherwise fractured party. I am not saying it is her fault, but it is a reality the Dems better factor in if they want to win in November. I continue to believe that McCain will beat Hillary if he is the GOP nominee.
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