Barack Obama's ability to duck and weave and talk out of both sides of his mouth about DADT repeal has run out. Judge Virginia Phillips has set the stage where LGBT Americans will know within the next 60 days whether or not Obama has played us for fools since his campaign launch in the run up to the 2008 presidential election. Yesterday's ruling entering a worldwide injunction against enforcement of DADT and the discharge of gay servicemembers allows Obama to sit back and do nothing if he truly supports LGBT equality. If instead, his Justice Department appeals Phillips' injunction, I'd like to see all LGBT Americans publicly abandon Obama and stop providing him political cover and myriad excuses for broken promises. Admittedly, this would be an effort for the folks at HRC who, in my opinion, have their noses a mile up Obama's ass. But it needs to be done and communicated loudly to the Democratic Party as a whole. There needs to be NO forgiveness EVER if an appeal is filed. Meanwhile 21 Senators have delivered a letter to Obama urging him to NOT file an appeal. These Senators - who apparently understand that the U.S. Constitution protects ALL citizens, not just evangelical Christians - are as follows:*
Udall (CO)
Gillibrand
Kerry
Schumer
Burris
Whitehouse
Landrieu
Sanders
Merkley
Shaheen
Johnson
Franken
Boxer
Feingold
Lautenberg
Durbin
Menendez
Bennet
Mikulski
Sherrod Brown
Cardin
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The sad truth is that if the Obama administration files an appeal and a stay of Judge Phillips' injunction is granted, DADT could be around for many more years. And during the interim, more anti-gay witch hunts and disgusting discharges will ensue. The buck truly stops with Obama at this point. Andrew Sullivan has an apt analysis of what an Obama appeal could mean. Here are highlights:
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Here's the thing. We have no guarantee that the Senate will pass legislative repeal of DADT in this session; and there's every chance that a radically Christianist GOP will win majorities in one or both Houses and definitely be able to sustain a filibuster against repeal in the next session if necessary. This is not because even most Republican voters back DADT; it is because it is a party hijacked by religious fundamentalists who cannot conceive of openly gay people serving their country. Look at the party of Paladino and DeMint and Palin. You think they will support anything that could remotely be deemed pro-gay?
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In the long run, this will hurt the GOP - and watching the Log Cabin Republicans fight this battle is heartening. But in the short run, it could very well mean that this awful policy, opposed by 75 percent of the country, that imposes intolerable burdens on servicemembers risking their lives for us ... could be in place for the indefinite future. And Obama will be the commander-in-chief enforcing it.
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Yes, the GOP is the main party to blame. But no, this does not excuse the extra-cautious, gays-are-radioactive mindset of the Obama administration. This ruling therefore represents a chance for the president. He has the executive authority simply to issue a stop-loss order to end the firing of gay troops until further notice. If the Senate does not pass legislative repeal this session, he should use it.
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These men and women are putting their lives at risk for us. Every day we wait, they are victimized and stigmatized. It is immoral, wrong, and damaging to national security. And if Obama thinks gay voters and our families are going to be happy when he ends his first term with nothing accomplished except the lifting of the HIV ban (backed by Bush) and a hate crimes bill that has so far had zero prosecutions, he is mistaken.
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Or perhaps it is better put this way: if this president cannot take a stand on civil rights when it is supported by three quarters of the public, when will he?
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If I were a betting person, I unfortunately believe that Obama will betray LGBT Americans because he never meant a single thing he said during the campaign. It was solely about garnering money and votes.
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