Maddow to President Obama: "Stand up for what is right because you know it is right"

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I couldn't agree more. Why are we wasting these people's talent, and the investment we have made into their careers?

The White House Parties Like it's 1999...

I loved this headline so much I stole it from Pam's House Blend. The lesbian and gay community has reason to be at least a little disspointed with our new president. Yes, he's had a full plate, but some of the things he could have done immediately wouldn't take much more than the stoke of a pen. And there's always that bully pulpit!

Here is what waymonhudson posted at Pam's House Blend:

Yesterday, President Obama hosted a "celebration of Stonewall" at the White House, the first of its kind. While it may have been the first time a President spoke on LGBT rights in the White house for 20 minutes, I couldn't help but be surprised by the reaction of the cheering crowd and by people online.

The speech wasn't anything really different from his campaign promises: repeal DADT and DOMA (legislatively), we need respect for each other, we're all equal, etc. It was more words with very little action to back it up.

Yet part of me was moved by the President speaking these words from the White House, acknowledging us and our struggles. That's when I realized this reaction was part of what has given cover to our political leaders for years now, allowing them to lag behind the general public in regards to our rights and equality.

There was time when that speech might have been enough, but that time was years ago- before out elected officials, marriage equality in some states, employment protections from top companies, and a general trend towards inclusion.

It was a speech for 1999, not 2009.

In fairness, there are usually always at least two sides to every story. For another perspective on the day read: Welcome to Your White House, by Cathy Renna posted on The Bilerico Project Facebook page.

The title of this post is one of the first things President Obama said yesterday at the Stonewall commemoration at the White House yesterday. Were there cocktails? Yes. But this was not a typical cocktail party. Were there many "A-listers?" Yes. But this event should not be easily dismissed as an "A-list gay event."

In the past few weeks, there has been a firestorm of debate and discussion about how we move our community forward under the current leadership. I have personally been very vocal about how our impatience should be a motivator, something to be channeled in a smart, assertive and effective manner.

Yesterday was another opportunity to do that the best way I could, so I did. Want to get past the sounds bites and headlines, as well as what I think is the less productive intra-community attacking that is happening? [...]

I had the singular honor or working with some of the White House staff to secure some Stonewall veterans for this event. Through our firm's work with SAGE and other groups and individuals, we have spent the past few months doing a lot of work related to the 40th anniversary. We were fortunate and thrilled to have two real Stonewall veterans step forward and attend - Jerry Hoose and Tommy Lanigan-Schmidt.

They are decidedly not A-listers, but got treated better than the A-listers and with tremendous respect by all.

Their contributions were recognized by the President - along with others like Dr. Frank Kameny, who was also present.

Leah and I were even asked to take them back to meet with the President and First Lady prior to the speech.

It was, in the words of Jerry (pictured with me on the left), "one of the most exciting things I have ever done in my life."

For someone who helped get this pioneer and still involved activist - who by the way got into the White House using his government-issued Food Stamp ID - it meant a lot to us to be part of helping make that happen.

Don't Ask, Don't Tell ... Don't Care

Melissa McEwan has a great post up at Guardian News, link cross-posted at Shakesville, "A Gay Old Time." You see, the House recently held hearings to review "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" -- the terrible policy that has actually led to MORE lesbians and gay men being discharged from the military simply because of who they love.

I watched the entire hearing. Even saw some of my friends in the audience. Women who have put their lives on the line for their country. It was clear that bigotry and homophobia are rampant among religious right advocates, even if that is not how they identify themselves. Is anyone surprised?

Just listen to what Melissa had to say about Elaine Donnelly:

Elaine Donnelly, the president of the Centre for Military Readiness, whose primary qualification as an "expert" on gay military issues appears to be a pathological fear of being photographed naked by a lesbian, actually created more sympathy for gay service members as she stumbled through the questioning during a House Armed Services personnel subcommittee hearing this week, in which the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" military policy on homosexuality was being revisited.

…On behalf of soldiers "'who do have religious convictions," she argued they would be alienated by the "sexualized atmosphere" if forced to serve with gays and suffer their "introducing erotic factors" to the military.

She also raised the ominous specter of LGBTQI soldiers spreading "HIV positivity" through the ranks, in what one can only assume is a nefarious plot involving bare-backing members of Up with People.

You really have to watch it to believe -- see the whole committee hearing on this video.

It's past time to lift the ban on lesbians and gays in the military. If someone is willing to die for their country, it shouldn't matter who they love.

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General Pace needs to go

General Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in an interview with the Chicago Tribune that he supported the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy because he believed homosexuality was "immoral" and that the military "should not condone immoral acts."

Pace is not backing down. In a statement released this afternoon, he clarified his comments, saying, "In expressing my support for the current policy, I also offered some personal opinions about moral conduct. … I should have focused more on my support of the policy and less on my personal moral views."

During his interview with the Chicago Tribune on Monday, however, Pace talked at length about his personal views.

"My upbringing is such that I believe there are certain things, certain types of conduct that are immoral," Pace said. "I believe that military members who sleep with other military members' wives are immoral in their conduct, in that we should not tolerate that. I believe that homosexual acts between individuals are immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts."

Military experts, however, say morality was never the basis of the policy, which says gays may serve in the military only if they keep their sexual orientations private and don't engage in homosexual activity.

"Morality was never the basis of the policy," said retired Gen. Jack Keane. "It was about unit cohesion."

In fact, in July 1993, Colin Powell, who was then chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and drafted the "don't ask" policy, endorsed the policy with these words to the House Armed Services Committee: "It is not in place in the military, those of us in senior leadership positions, to make moral or religious judgments with respect to homosexuality. Our perspective, and the only perspective we should bring to this issue, is the unique perspective of the military and what is best for military effectiveness."

Virginia Senator John Warner strongly disagrees with Pace's views, saying "I respectfully, but strongly, disagree with the chairman's view that homosexuality is immoral."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, at a press conference today, responded to the Generals comments:

“We need the most talented people, we need the language skills, we need patriotic Americans who exist across the board in our population,” Pelosi said, calling on the military to “carefully consider” reversing the ban on gay service members. “We don’t need moral judgment from the chairman of the Joint Chiefs.”

It is well past time to lift the ban on lesbians and gays in the military.