Citizen Journalist
A gay Republican group went to court in 2004 seeking the end of the military's odious "Don't Ask - Don't Tell" discriminatory policy against homosexual service members - and today Federal Judge Virginia Phillips ruled in their favor with a decision that ends the policy once and for all. Ends it, that is, unless the Obama administration decides to go against its own better instincts and appeal the decision. The President, who promised during the 2008 campaign to end DADT, has since equivocated, set up a military climate survey on the question, and essentially ignored his promise to the voters. He now finds himself in a corner, directly behind the eight ball, which is exactly where he deserves to be.
Mr. Obama essentially has three choices. The worst, obviously, is to instruct his attorney general to go to court and fight Judge Phillips' ruling. The Republicans and their fleabag (teabag) friends already think he's a Kenyan, Muslim, socialist who is out to destroy the military and the country. He would not win one iota of respect from any of that bigoted lot by trying to cater to their desires. Choice number two would be to do nothing and let the judge's ruling stand. The policy would end, which would be a very positive outcome, but it would be thanks to a fearless federal judge and not to the person who was elected to lead us into an age of enlightenment. It would essentially be a missed opportunity for forthright leadership. The third option would be to get out in front of the judge's order - which has sixty days to be appealed - and declare DADT dead by Executive Order.
Has President Obama got the cajones to declare this joke of a policy dead? I voted for him thinking that he did, and I hope that I may still be proven right.
Here is a link to one of several web petitions urging the President not to appeal Judge Phillips' decision. I signed, proudly!
http://www.couragecampaign.
(Note: The group that brought the suit was the Log Cabin Republicans, an organization of gay Republicans who must feel that their party has something to offer them besides constant threats and relentless shaming. Good work, guys! The rest of America is proud of you!)
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