The last seven days has seen a lot of back and forth news on the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy preventing openly GLBT Americans from serving in the military and prohibiting closeted GLBT Americans serving in the military from disclosing, voluntarily or not, their sexual orientation or gender identity; however, after seven rocky days, we as a country are worse off than when those seven days started as atleast one more patriot, Lt. Dan Choi, has been discharged from the military for saying three little words: "I am gay."
The seven days started when GLBT bloggers noticed some rather dramatic changes to the White House Civil Rights agenda page. The language regarding GLBT issues was either cut completely or if the issue remained on the page, the language was softened dramatically. One of the issues that remained on the page was Don't Ask, Don't Tell; however, the language went from repealing DADT to merely "changing" it. This after it was discovered the Pentagon had included in its 2010 budget funds for the continued enforcement of Don't Ask, Don't Tell and Defense Secretary Robert Gates responding to a question by Chris Wallace about DADT enforcement being in the 2010 budget, Gates responded he and the President feel they need to "push that one down the road a little bit." This was a strong sign of backpedaling from Obama's promise to do what Clinton didn't and from Robert Gibbs' unequivocal affirmative one word answer on whether Obama would get rid of Don't Ask, Don't Tell.
This shift in DADT language and the disconcerting removal of other GLBT issues lit up GLBT blogs like a firestorm:
Late on Friday, the Administration tried to quiet the storm by restoring the former stronger language and making that restoration known to the bloggers who had been denouncing it.
However, the fact they tried to make these changes without consideration or concern of the impact, continues an inane trend of bumbling, inept and dare I say incompetent handling of GLBT issues by the generally artful, well prepared and capable Obama staff. From the first sign of trouble with Donnie McClurkin, through Rev. Warren and Rt. Rev. Robinson through this latest chapter, time and again Obama and his staff have shown acute tone deafness for the concerns of the GLBT community.
The timing of the change in language on the White House website could not have been more coincidental when the Saturday following, Richard Socarides, a former staffer for Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin and later President Clinton, wrote an editorial piece in the Washington Post titled Where's our "Fierce Advocate?". Noted GLBT blogger (and one of the bloggers at last year's Democratic National Convention) Pam Spaulding of Pam's House Blend built on Socarides' editorial in her post Where's Barack Obama, the 'Fierce Advocate' for LGBT rights?.
In his editorial, Socarides takes Obama to task for not suiting up on GLBT rights issues pointing out
I understand that the president has his hands full saving the economy. But across a broad spectrum of issues -- including women's rights, stem cell research and relations with Cuba -- the Obama administration has shown a willingness to exploit this change moment to bring about dramatic reform.
So why not on gay rights? Where is our New Deal?
It is the memory of 1993's gays-in-the-military debacle (and a desire never to repeat it) that has both the president's advisers and policy advocates holding back, waiting for some magical "right time" to move boldly.
This is a bad strategy. President Obama will never have more political capital than he has now, and there will never be a better political environment to capitalize on. People are distracted by the economy and war, and they are unlikely to get stirred up by the right-wing rhetoric that has doomed efforts in the past.
Clinton's pause on DADT is what gave the right wing (and more than a few "Democrats") time to mobilize to oppose any policy change. It let Sam Nunn orchestrate his photo op on board a submarine and give people the despicable notion that in such tight living quarters gays will prey on our poor sailors.
Obama has hardly even spoken a word on gay rights as President. Socarides writes
First, he should start talking about gay rights again, the way he did during the campaign. What made Clinton such a transformational figure of inclusion was his constant willingness to talk to and about gay people. When he said, "I have a vision and you are a part of it," you could feel his sincerity.
As president, Obama barely mentions gay and lesbian Americans. During his first 100 days, he has done so only while defending his selection of inauguration speakers. He was silent after the announcement of the Iowa decision -- one of the most important gay civil rights victories ever.
On his last point he's not entirely correct. the White House did issue a statement on the Iowa decision, a statement that managed to completely avoid using the word "equal" until another fast building blog maelstrom forced a quick "correct" statement.
Obama subsequent to the editorial did urge the House passing of the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crime Protection Act at the 11th hour long after its was apparent it would pass.
Which brings us to this evening...
Two months ago we first heard of Lt. Choi when he appeared on The Rachel Maddow Show on consecutive nights (thanks to a technical malfunction with his mic, she interviewed him twice). Choi was interviewed about a new organization he and fellow West Point graduates had formed to combat the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy: Knights Out.
You can watch Maddow's interview of Lt. Choi:
In the interview, Choi uttered the three little words: "I am gay." And as a result, in a followup on tonight's broadcast of the Rachel Maddow Show, we have learned that Lt. Choi has been informed that he is being discharged from the New York National Guard for openly admitting he is gay:
America has lost yet another patriot to this insane policy. A West Point grad who has served this nation honorably is being shown the door for no reason except for his sex orientation. Qualified men and women with skills our military needs, are continuing to be drummed out.
President Obama may have inherited this policy from a President who inherited it from a President, but make no mistake, it is HIS policy now and 100+ day's in, he hasn't shown the will or the courage or the honor to fight the policy...will, courage and honor Lt. Choi apparently has an abundance of.