Thursday, January 28, 2010

Obama Gets It Right For The Wrong Reasons

OK. This is my second and last post on the SOTU address... and I have a feeling it's not going to be a popular opinion:

President Obama, it's about freaking time you addressed "Don't Ask Don't Tell" on a national stage.

The gays have been pissed at you for a year, and I don't blame them. You promised to work on this issue much sooner, and you only went there now because you're losing support from the people that helped put you into office! (I really hope they're smart enough to see this isn't about your genuine concern or support, but about the 2010 elections.)

DADT was and is a stupid policy that does nothing but divide and hurt. It has accomplished nothing beyond costing the jobs of some dedicated military personnel.

Here's a news flash -- there are gay people currently serving in our military. That's right. Right this second, there are homosexuals in uniform. They just aren't allowed to say so.

What earthly good does that do? They're THERE. If they say, "Hey, I'm gay.", they won't be any more gay than if they didn't say it.

I know... this is an unpopular idea. Even two-faced weasel esteemed Senator John McCain supports it completely. (Good thing for DADT it wasn't his VP candidate, or it could kiss that support goodbye.)


"This successful policy has been in effect for over 15 years, and it is well understood and predominantly supported by our military at all levels," McCain said. "We have the best-trained, best-equipped, and most professional force in the history of our country, and the men and women in uniform are performing heroically in two wars. At a time when our Armed Forces are fighting and sacrificing on the battlefield, now is not the time to abandon the policy."

Hey, Senator Stab People In The Back, McCain, some of those men and women performing heroically are GAY. The policy hasn't kept them away, it has only kept them in the closet.

We're at war on two fronts, and Iran is always a possibility. We have an all-volunteer military. When a qualified American volunteers to serve his or her country, you say "Thank you for your service and your sacrifice." You don't concern yourself with things that have no bearing on their ability to serve. What's so hard about this?

It's just a shame that Obama isn't doing it for the right reasons. If it was about discrimination and justice, he'd have done something much sooner. He's throwing a bone to the gay community so they'll support his candidates in 2010. Even if he doesn't ASK, they should TELL him -- too little too late.

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