Really, there is no difference between Obama and Romney:
Last summer, gays in the military dared not admit their sexual orientation. This summer, the Pentagon will salute them, marking June as gay pride month just as it has marked other celebrations honoring racial or ethnic groups.
Raise your voiceRaise Your Voice
Care about the issues in this article? Click to write to your elected representatives.In the latest remarkable sign of change since the military repealed the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, the Defense Department will soon hold its first event to recognize gay and lesbian troops. It comes nine months after repeal of the policy that had banned gay troops from serving openly and forced more than 13,500 service members out of the armed forces.
Details are still being worked out, but officials say Defense Secretary Leon Panetta wants to honor the contributions of gay service members.
“Now that we’ve repealed `don’t ask, don’t tell,’ he feels it’s important to find a way this month to recognize the service and professionalism of gay and lesbian troops,” said Navy Capt. John Kirby, a spokesman.
Awesome.
Alison
Saw this earlier. Warmed my cold little heart :)
arguingwithsignposts
inb4 Obama is worse than Bush!
Also, the dreamy sound of wingnut and talebangelical heads exploding.
Yutsano
The NYD and I had a long talk about this this evening. He still has a hard time believing DADT is truly dead. And he’s so used to operating under the old system he’s just going to move on like normal. He’ll figure things out eventually.
metalgirl
Drives me crazy when I read that some people don’t think there will be any difference between Obama and Romney for President. Obviously, they are not paying attention to reality. We should be honoring anyone who is willing to serve in our military no matter what. A totally thankless job (especially if you’re a woman who gets raped and has to pay for your own abortion (if that’s what you want) because Republicans think that’s the only way to treat our women soldiers).
I made a huge batch of pesto tonight and am freezing it in ice cube trays to make it easier to use this summer :)
MikeJ
@arguingwithsignposts:
Dreary? It’s my favorite sound!
karen
And the Obamas and Bidens have been looking out for military families a lot more than Romney ever will.
arguingwithsignposts
@MikeJ: you might want to read that again.
different-church-lady
@metalgirl:
When they say that they mean neither one is a pacifist socialist. Therefore there are no differences worthy of consideration.
Yutsano
@arguingwithsignposts: His Red Sox cap is on too tight again.
trollhattan
@karen:
His certainly has no chance of becoming a military family. But the Willard boys are still patriotically campaigning for him four years later.
Also, too, once again, the Onion sounds too plausible to be satire.
http://www.theonion.com/articles/romney-spends-most-of-factory-visit-yelling-at-emp,28508/
Roger Moore
No pony, no difference.
MikeJ
@arguingwithsignposts: How did I do that? to many hours staring at the screen.
At least I didn’t say something incredibly stupid based on my misreading, and now we can all agree that republican tears have the sweetest taste.
asiangrrlMN
Nice to have some good news for a change. Fuck, yeah!
Mnemosyne
@Yutsano:
I’m too lazy to go look for the article, but I swear I saw one in the New York Times prior to the repeal that had the Marine officer in charge of coordinating the repeal basically say that he was doing his best to make sure the Marines would make the quickest transition and be the most welcoming branch because, goddamnit, they’re the Marines and they’re better than the other branches.
It was kind of adorable.
Linda Featheringill
@different-church-lady:
Quite right. I am and I hang out with folks who are, and when they say that both parties are much alike, that is what they mean.
Yutsano
@Mnemosyne: He knew about all that (this has been a long topic of discussion between us) but when you have it in your head that your career could end with just one wrong move it heightens your paranoia. He’s like a prisoner cleared after a long sentence: it hasn’t quite kicked in yet that he’s free. I don’t push him on these things at all. I’m just the sounding board.
Linda Featheringill
military gay pride:
A permanent change has occurred. Very, very nice. The process was nerve wracking but the result is very, very nice.
Xenos
A bit off topic, but given the latest bus-oriented stunt, is it acceptable to start referring to the Romney people as ‘honkies’?
If they don’t want me to use the term then they should stop acting like honkies all the time. Really, what do they expect?
asiangrrlMN
@Yutsano: Aw, poor Puppeh. I hope he adjusts fairly soon with lots of petting from you, hon!
@Xenos: I like it. Stolen!
Yutsano
@asiangrrlMN: I r all about teh honkies!
He’ll figure himself out. He’s not going to become a Rainbow Warrior any time soon if ever. He’s comfortable enough with his own sexuality to know what he wants. I’m good with that.
Don K
There are a hundred ways I’m disappointed with the Dems when they had power, but Reps in power would be a thousand times worse. Cf. actual Reps in control in, e.g., MI, OH, IN, WI.
And sometimes the Dems were able to make a difference for actual people.
Lavocat
Throw teh gays a bone and yer happy. I get it.
Meanwhile, back in McDroneland, things ain’t so hunky dory.
Quick, look over there! Teh gays!
Romney isn’t the only master of the bait and switch.
asiangrrlMN
@Yutsano: Honk honk! Yeah, I wouldn’t expect him to be. But, not having to worry about losing his job is a good thing. Oh look. Someone else to add to the pie filter.
Villago Delenda Est
This is a really good thing.
It’s about time the patriotism and professionalism of gay and lesbian members of the military was acknowledged. I’ve been talking about how if the military was as professional as it claims to be, sexual orientation would not be an issue, because the professionalism would address any conduct issues.
Villago Delenda Est
@metalgirl:
That pretty much sums up 12 years ago when that egomaniac Nader was talking about tweedledee and tweedledum.
Mnemosyne
@Yutsano:
It takes time. Some people are never comfortable being too publicly out, even in the civilian world. So, yeah, he needs to figure it out for himself.
But he shouldn’t be surprised if, once he gets his courage all worked up and tells his co-workers, they’re all like, “Yeah, we already figured that out. And?”
Odie Hugh Manatee
Romney would have strapped the gays to the top of his station wagon and taken them on a month-long cross country trip.
Cacti
There is no difference between____________ and ____________.
A. Democrats and Republicans
B. Apples and Cyanide
C. Shakespeare and Ted Nugent
D. None of the Above
FlipYrWhig
@Lavocat: Oh, I know. Things haven’t been the same militarily since the development of airborne weapons. I mean, you let that pointy rock fly and there’s no telling where it lands. The pointy rock thrower has no accountability for his actions and the cycle of violence only accelerates. It’s been a bad few millennia for peace loving people.
Cacti
@Lavocat:
You may not believe this, but it is possible to walk and chew gum at the same time.
jwb
@Odie Hugh Manatee: I had some random person on Pinterest try to convince me that Seamus “clearly enjoyed the trip on top of the car.” How did this person know? Beats me.
asiangrrlMN
@Cacti: This is a trick question – I’m sure of it.
robertdsc-iPhone 4
@Cacti:
Tire rims & anthrax.
Yutsano
@Mnemosyne: Well he just had an MOS change, and he’s getting prepped to go to law school, so he has a new unit and commanders to interact with. I’m super excited for him on this, and he’s psyching himself up for the LSAT. So I can understand him not trumpeting it to the world. As far as I’m concerned it’s no one’s business anyway. But he’ll make those choices.
taylormattd
@Lavocat: LMAO.
shorter Lavocat: “I’ll ignore the substance of John’s irrefutable post because DRONES”
piratedan
@Roger Moore: the poniless are STILL poniless… until there is a poni, there are no votes…. who knew that the far left would behave like a 3 year old girl told to eat her green beans. Unfortunately they are still more mature than the 2 year old boys that comprise the Tea Party who have been told to take a bath before bedtime.
asiangrrlMN
@robertdsc-iPhone 4: I knew it was a trick question!
Rita R.
@jwb:
Because animal whisperer Ann Romney, she of the Olympics-caliber dressage horses and butt ugly bird shirts, has said so.
Yutsano
@piratedan: Their argument is invalid.
piratedan
@Yutsano: whew…. thought you were gonna hammer me with this one….
http://verydemotivational.memebase.com/2012/04/26/demotivational-posters-jeff-bridges-fights-jeff-bridges-on-a-bridge/
Sly
@Lavocat:
I’m reminded of the immortal words of Jesus Christ, who said, “There’s just no pleasing some people.”
Odie Hugh Manatee
@jwb:
Yup, Seamus shit for joy on that ride! What a dumbfuck…lol!
OT: It seems that Curt Schilling might lose more than his gaming company.
amk
Bet dan choi is celebrating it with log repubs. Mebbe lavocat can join him.
patrick II
@Cacti:
Unless you squeeze in an “all of the above” at D, I don’t see a correct answer.
Hill Dweller
Good news, Republicans announced today that they wouldn’t
t be confirming any more of Obama’s circuit court nominees before the election. Granted, it won’t be much of a change from their usual behavior, but at least they had the common courtesy to inform the public.
Judicial vacancies have actually increased significantly since Obama took office due to Republican obstructionism. To put that in perspective, by this time in both Dubya’s and Clinton’s first terms, judicial vacancies had been reduced by approximately 60%.
cat48
Since Seamus was mentioned a few times; thought you might like to know:
David Koch
But Obama didn’t want to do it. We forced him to do it. If Dan Choi didn’t handcuff himself to the White House fence on a day when Obama was out of town, then it would never been repealed.
Plus, it’s just a bone to the base. Also too, just words.
magurakurin
@Lavocat: that’s some fucked-up, homophobic, repugnant shit. And it would be disturbing if the odds of you being just a hard, bong hitting, high school junior weren’t so unbelievable high.
bubble, bubble, bubble.
Rita R.
@Hill Dweller:
I know it’s never going to happen, but I would love to see just one journalist report on how the Republicans have systematically used the power of obstruction in unprecedented ways and to an unprecedented degree to basically attempt — and in may ways succeed — to nullify the results of the 2008 election and block what the American people were voting for when they cast their ballot for Barack Obama.
But I guess it’s more important to write about the gaffe o’ the day and how Mitt Romney has apparently turned into a super-human political machine overnight able to leap tall buildings and vanquish Obama in a single bound.
Yutsano
@magurakurin: Meh. I know gays that can turn him into fine powder. But we’re just soooo demanding!!
Odie Hugh Manatee
@cat48:
It’s not My Pet Goat, but I bet ol’ Dubya will enjoy it!
@Cacti:
Not when you’re looking for a poni!
Hill Dweller
@Rita R.: Republicans really wanted to work with the President, but he was just too partisan. All those Republican filibusters were no doubt done with heavy hearts. All the secret holds and near government shuts downs were done to save the children.
Elizabelle
Don’t look now, but the WaPost has a book excerpt up: How Barack Obama became black.
Karen Tumulty did not write it.
slightly-peeved
It is funny seeing Americans complain about the lack of choice in your elections when in all the other nations that have, say, single-payer healthcare and maternity leave, there’s far lesss difference between the parties. A whole heap of the issues that are fiercely argued in US poliitics are almost entirely settled. And on style – it’s pretty hard to find a better orator than Obama, or for that matter a worse one than Romney, anywhere on the globe. Even in Australia, where people do love a drive-by honk, you’d have to look hard to find a candidate that would incorporate it into their campaign.
Valdivia
@Rita R.:
I am loving your comments today. Specially the one about Anne’s shirt. :)
superdestroyer
I wonder how soon from homosexual officer is writing an article about how powerful the gay mafia is in the military and how their careers benefits from organized homosexual groups.
Rita R.
@Valdivia:
Aww, thanks! And that shirt was hideous, wasn’t it?
Someguy
I have to agree with Magurakurin. Anybody who brings up the subject of drone warfare, the assassination of Americans abroad and the warrantless surveillance of Americans domestically, the undeclared wars in Yemen and Somalia, and the failure to limit carbon emissions when he had the chance, and whether he’s doing enough to preserve reproductive rights, is just a homophobic racist bastard.
The real issue here is when gays in the military will have the right to marry each other.
Keep your eye on the ball, people!
Mnemosyne
@Someguy:
See, now we know you’re a spoof. Because since it’s a choice between the guy who wants everyone’s insurance to cover birth control as free preventative care or the guy who wants to kill Planned Parenthood, I think it’s pretty clear who’s doing more to preserve reproductive rights.
Brachiator
@different-church-lady:
And until we have a president who will outlaw corporations and throw all bankers under the jail (after nationalizing banks and installing clones of Elizabeth Warren as the Fed), why, hand to Nader, nothing will ever change in this country.
Nathanael
@Mnemosyne: This is what I love about the Marines. They have this whole myth about honor, and they actually believe it, and that’s important. If you have a good myth to live up to, it makes you better people, and it makes a better organization.
By way of contrast, the Army’s founding myth is something like “If it moves, salute it, if it doesn’t paint it”, which really doesn’t make the people who listen to it into better people at all, nor does it improve the organization.
I bet the rape rate in the Marines could actually be pushed down by the leadership loudly reminding Marines that sexual assault is *dishonorable* and making examples by drumming out the dishonorable rapists. In contrast, doing that would make no difference at all in the Army, where honor just isn’t in the vocabulary.