Update: This blog is now about beer, so even if you don't care about Sen. Kirk's vote on DADT, stay with us and have a good time. FNBB is always fun, mostly do to WB and AZ but I try to help out too. Also, I cleaned up some wording, as I was tipsy.
As some of you may have noticed, I know a little bit about Illinois 'politicians. I know that Mark Kirk needs to vote yea on this bill.
He's been outed, but newly elected Republican Senator Mark Kirk (IL) is currently not telling and not being asked. If he votes against this, then he is damning himself, and he and his staff need to know that. This is how he voted in the house:
Why report on Mark Kirk (R-IL)?
Until now, Mark Kirk elected not to play the typical Washington game. Instead of supporting his party's dismal record on gay rights, Kirk received Human Rights Campaign ratings of 67% in 2002, 88% in 2004, 76% in 2006 and 85% in 2008. That's more impressive than a lot of Democrats. I even let Kirk slide by when he didn't co-sponsor earlier legislation relating to the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. My thoughts then were that he wasn't THAT bad on gay stuff and that the bill was going nowhere anyway. [...]
[...] Times have changed. Now, for the first time in his congressional career, Mark Kirk really had the chance to stand up and do what is right with the power of a vote. When I heard that five GOPers voted to lift the Don't Ask Don't Tell ban I instinctively thought Kirk would be one of them. What a disappointment when he wasn't.
We all have close friends or family who are lesbian or gay or bisexual or transgender or basically just figuring things out for themselves. Why can't they serve their country honorably like the rest of us? It isn't just about being silent about their sexuality either.
So please call Senator Kirk's office and leave a message this weekend, or speak to a staffer soon to tell them that he needs to help pass this bill.
Thank you, that is all. Except, now that teh serious stuff is through, what are you drinking and how about a song?