Feeling the heat from a portion of his Liberal Left contingency, President Obama finally attempted to address the budding crisis over his broken campaign promises to homosexual Americans that he would end “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” in our military. Then Candidate Obama was adamant on the campaign trail that he would end the Clinton administration policy, but has yet to take any action on the matter in his first ten months in office. He began to – or to at least buy himself a little more time – this weekend by promising once again that the policy would die.
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Barack Obama restated his campaign pledge to allow homosexual men and women to serve openly in the military, but left many in his audience of gay activists wondering when he would make good on the promise.
“I will end ‘don’t ask-don’t tell,’” Obama said Saturday night to a standing ovation from the crowd of about 3,000 at the annual dinner of the Human Rights Campaign, a gay civil rights advocacy group. He offered no timetable or specifics and he acknowledged some may be growing impatient.
“I appreciate that many of you don’t believe progress has come fast enough,” Obama said. “Do not doubt the direction we are heading and the destination we will reach.”
Some advocates said they already have heard Obama’s promises and now they want a timeline. Cleve Jones, a pioneer activist and creator of the AIDS Memorial Quilt, said Obama delivered a brilliant speech, but added “it lacked the answer to our most pressing question, which is when.”
“He repeated his promises that he’s made to us before, but he did not indicate when he would accomplish these goals and we’ve been waiting for a while now,” said Jones, national co-chair of a major gay-rights rally scheduled for Sunday on the National Mall.
Aubrey Sarvis, executive director of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network said he was encouraged to hear Obama’s pledge but added “an opportunity was missed tonight.” He said his group “was disappointed the president did not lay out a timeline and specifics for repeal.”
Obama also called on Congress to repeal the Defense Of Marriage Act, which limits how state, local and federal bodies can recognize partnerships and determine benefits. He also called for a law to extend benefits to domestic partners.
He expressed strong support for the HRC agenda of ending discrimination against gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people but stopped short of laying out a detailed plan for how to get there.
“My expectation is that when you look back on these years you will look back and see a time when we put a stop against discrimination … whether in the office or the battlefield,” Obama said.
Obama’s political energies are focused on many issues, including managing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the economic crisis and his ambitious plan to reform the health care system.
The HRC holds out hope of seeing more action.
“We have never had a stronger ally in the White House. Never,” Joe Solmonese, the group’s president, said at the dinner before the president spoke.
The law was passed by Congress in 1993 and signed by President Bill Clinton, who also promised to repeal the ban on homosexuals in the military but was blunted by opposition in the military and Congress. Obama said he’s working with Pentagon and congressional leaders on ending the policy.
“We should not be punishing patriotic Americans who have stepped forward to serve the country,” Obama said. “We should be celebrating their willingness to step forward and show such courage … especially when we are fighting two wars.
Typical homophobic republican position. Talk about Obama’s divide with the gay community so that you dont have to talk about yours
Wow. Homophope? Glad you read that in that article. Its exactly the angle I was going for. I thought to myself, write this so that if a flaming liberal reads this article he/she will think I hate all flaming homosexuals. In fact, let them think I hate any and all. The truth is I could give a rats ass about anyone’s sexual preference or choice of life partner, etc. Frankly, my Constitution tells me that it is not my place to care. Call me a weird conservative – or a NEOCON for the 10th time, but I just dont care one way or the other about what people do in their alone time.
To the president’s position here, he is a blatant hypocrite. He plays to the Left and to the gay community for votes and they buy it / bought it hook, line, and sinker. Now that its time to deliver he only offers them rhetoric and more promises and will not and never will take any real action. He will do less to advance the rights of homosexuals, trans-gendered individuals, and non-traditional couples than any conservative republican has in the history of this nation. Mark my word. NADA!!
If this man would have ever served he would know this is impossible. Now that he is Commander n Chief he knows it is. Gays can be gay in life and sluts can be sluts in life, but in the military you have to know that the people next to you have your back. Sexual preference or practices have no place in the military. It shouldnt be disucssed or shared.
This is a democrat issue that they use to make republicans seem like homophobes. It was never an issue because the military was just like every other workplace in that it didnt matter. Making that rule made it an issue. Let them deal with it