Military Retains Religious Zealot, Boots Gays

Nidal M. Hasan, shooted.
Salon.com:

Recent reports indicate that military officials knew that Hasan's upcoming deployment to Afghanistan caused him severe emotional distress. Also, according to unnamed sources quoted by ABC News, the military knew months ago that Hasan tried to establish contact with al-Qaida. Nevertheless, Hasan remained in the military and did not face discharge proceedings or questions about his fitness to serve.

Apparently, the military retained a person who suffered from known (or reasonably discoverable) psychological problems and who attempted to contact an anti-U.S. terrorist group. Meanwhile, the military continues to enforce "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and to discharge mentally fit and loyal gay and lesbian service members. No theory of military preparedness can justify this perverse outcome.

Gay soldier Dan Choi, booted.

Update: Alex Koppelman reports in Salon that DADT is on track to be repealed next year. I sure hope so.

Update: Aw, what a surprise. The hearings to repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell, have been postponed.

More Capitulation

Candidate Obama's views on reproductive health issues:

Senator Obama believes that reproductive health care is basic health care. His health care plan will create a new public plan, which will provide coverage of all essential medical services. Reproductive health care is an essential service - just like mental health care and disease management and other preventive services under his plan.

And private insurers that want to participate will have to treat reproductive care in the same way.

President Obama yesterday:

"I laid out a very simple principle, which is this is a health care bill, not an abortion bill," Obama said. "And we're not looking to change what is the principle that has been in place for a very long time, which is federal dollars are not used to subsidize abortions.

Saying the bill cannot change the status quo, the President said "there are strong feelings on both sides" about an amendment passed on Saturday and added to the legislation, "and what that tells me is that there needs to be some more work before we get to the point where we're not changing the status quo."

In an exclusive television interview in the Map Room of the White House, Obama told ABC News'Jake Tapperthat he was confident that the final legislation will ensure that "neither side feels that it's being betrayed."

He thinks that he can come up with a compromise that ensures that neither side feels betrayed. Delusion or grandiosity?

Shakesville: "FUCK THAT. There is no fucking "common ground" between people who believe in women's right to autonomy over their own bodies and people who believe that women's bodies are property of the government, or their doctors, or their husbands, or anyone else who gets a vote on whether they have to be pregnant even if they don't want to be. Either you stand on the side of women's equality and independence or you don't."

It is fucking ludicrous that our DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENT refuses to take a stand on this issue.

Don't Ask, Don't Give

image: Pam's House Blend
Gay rights activists have organized a boycott of the Democratic National Committee, Organizing for America, and the Obama campaign until the President and the Democratic party keep their promises to the gay community, our families, and our friends.

Specifically:

Refusing for months to interview with LGBT newspapers during the campaign, while his opponent did repeatedly.

Flubbing question on whether gays are immoral.

Inviting anti-gay activist Rick Warren, who helped pass Prop 8 in California, to give the invocation at the inaugural.

Inviting a gay bishop to the inaugural festivities, then not beginning the TV broadcast until the gay bishop has finished and left.

Refusing to appoint an openly gay Cabinet member.

Abolishing the LGBT outreach position at the DNC and never reinstating it.

Refusing to re-establish the White House Office of LGBT Outreach and the White House LGBT Liaison (which was a Special Assistant to the President at one point).

Continuing to discharge two gay servicemembers a day, even though he could stop it immediately by issuing a stop-loss order immediately.

Asking for a study on “whether” repealing DADT would hurt national security, rather than a study on how to repeal it, as promised.

Deleting his gay civil rights promise from the White House Web site.

Changing his commitment to “repeal” Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, to “changing DADT it in a sensible manner.”

Repeatedly defending DOMA in court, including just a few weeks ago, even though he didn’t have to.

Making jokes about marriage equality, which President Obama claims he doesn't support, even though he once did.

Comparing gay relationships to incest and pedophilia in a Justice Department brief.

Joking about gay protesters upset about the DOMA brief.

Refusing to provide health care benefits to the partners of gay employees, and then claiming that DOMA precludes it, when it does not.

Refusing to meet with gay legal groups to discuss how to provide such health benefits within the confines of DOMA.

Claiming that health benefits for partners of federal employees were new, then being caught in a lie.

Showing visible discomfort when asked about gay civil rights.

Suggesting he won’t get to DADT, DOMA or ENDA until his second term, if ever.

Refusing to suspend implementation of anti-gay laws, like DADT and DOMA, while suspending laws that hurt others.

White House staffers worked against amendment proposed by Rep. Alcee Hasting (D-FL) to defund Don't Ask, Don't Tell investigations.

Saying won’t repeal DADT until wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have finished.

Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid had to beg President Obama to help on DADT repeal.
A White House official referring to gay civil rights advocates, marching on Washington, as part of “the Internet left fringe” whose opinions don’t matter.

Saying he won’t touch DOMA in his first term.

Refusing to release list of gay attendees at hate crimes reception.

Refusing to mention Maine or Washington state, or anything of substance, in his speech to the Human Rights Campaign dinner.

Saying gays are “naïve” for wanting the president to keep his promise.

Refusing to issue a statement specifically opposing anti-gay ballot measures in Maine and Washington state.

Attorney General Eric Holders flubs question on Maine, twice -- once while in Maine.

DNC/OFA emailed supporters in Maine and Washington state, but didn't ask them to vote against anti-gay ballot measures, then lied about it.

Senator Durbin (D-IL), a very close ally of Obama, says Senate probably won’t repeal DADT in 2010, as promised.

DNC official accuses gays and lesbians of “helping Republicans” by simply asking Democrats to keep their gay civil rights promise.

Refusing to publicly endorse marriage equality for gays.

Continuing to dawdle over DADT.

Refusing to this day to interview with the gay press.

Refusing to apologize for any of these slights.

Sing us out, Donnie!

Selling Out Women

Taylor Marsh:

"Right now every woman who values her civil rights should understand how the gay community feels. Because the Democrats look poised to sell us out too.

If I was in the House I’d vote to kill the Stupak-Ellsworth amendment. But if it passes and it’s in the final legislation, I’d vote to kill the bill.

Civil rights begin with autonomy over our own body. If we don’t have that we have nothing.

But at least Mr. Obama and the Democrats will be closer to their “historic health care win.” That they did it on the backs of women’s civil rights will be a footnote, though some of us will never forget."

The entire post is worth reading.

Gay Marriage Voted Down in Maine

Barack Obama:“Equality is a moral imperative. ...As your President, I will use the bully pulpit to urge states to treat same-sex couples with full equality in their family and adoption laws. ...I will never compromise on my commitment to equal rights for all LGBT Americans. ...Americans are yearning for leadership that can empower us to reach for what we know is possible. I believe that we can achieve the goal of full equality for the millions of LGBT people in this country. To do that, we need leadership that can appeal to the best parts of the human spirit. Join with me, and I will provide that leadership.”

David Mixner: "This past week, Eric Holder, the Attorney General of the United States in the state of Maine said that the Obama Administration had no position on the ballot measure. Read that sentence again carefully. Our nation's chief law enforcement officer and the president's hand picked choice said that the issue was just not that important to this administration."

That's some leadership.

Politifact.com is keeping track of promises made and promises broken.

"Angelina Jolie hit on me" cries Rosie O' Donnell

London (ANI): A lesbian chat show host has alleged that Hollywood beauty Angelina Jolie tried flirting with her after parting ways with hubby Jonny Lee Miller years ago. The 20-stone US TV star Rosie O' Donnell claimed that the ‘Original Sin’ actress was searching for new love on the LA party scene during the period.

"Angie did call me and we talked. She suddenly said, I wanna come see you,” the Sun quoted her as saying. However, Rosie hinted that she was apprehensive about Jolie’s sexuality. She said: "There was a tentative plan to have dinner that never came through. I was a little afraid of her. She''s scary in a sexual kind of way."

Call me crazy, but I don't find anything scary here:



This, on the other hand, is more than a bit grisly:

Posted Without Comment

We Want Ng! We Want Ng!

Dodger Assistant General Manager Kim Ng (center) celebrates the NLDS victory with pitcher Ronald Bellasario (left) and catcher Russell Martin (right). Ng is the highest ranking woman in major league baseball. It's rumored that the San Diego Padres will try to recruit her to replace the GM they just fired, leaving us with the bozo Ng has been propping up for the last few years, Ned Colletti.

Here's hoping the Dodgers do not renew Colletti's contract and promote Kim Ng to GM.



Update: Good news and bad news. The Dodgers signed Colletti to a multi-year contract and Kim Ng stays in Los Angeles to cover his ass and make him look competent.