DADT's Slow Crawl Toward Oblivion

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Interviews like this and the Colin Powell are what separates Rachel Maddow from the others. She's not being used to her potential and it's a shame. Make sure you watch the full video if you need further proof why DADT must be revoked.

Obama sent a personal promise to repeal DADT to a soldier a couple weeks ago but the delay is ending careers now.

Mark Ambinder at the Atlantic posted what seems to be an educated hypothesis of the White House's plan:

"You can see the outline of the strategy in the administration's decision to let stand an appeals court ruling requiring the military to explain why being gay is, in itself, a reason to have fired a highly regarded lesbian Air Force major. The effect of not appealing the ruling will put the burden on the government to explain to skeptical judges why being gay is inherently incompatible with military service, something the administration (and many in the military) believe is very hard to prove, let alone justify. The hope here is that by allowing the military to make its best case -- and then seeing that case be torn apart by the courts, a critical mass of opposition to Don't Ask, Don't Tell, will build."

There's more. It's worth a read. One of Ambinder's commenters, calchala, perfectly capture my feelings on the subject.

"[I]t's a little too soon to be worried, and I'm actually a little angry at activists on this issue. We're four months in his first term and it's not ALL activists, not just gay rights ones, seem to feel that everything should be done immediately. There's still plenty of time, however, if we're coming to the fourth year of his last term and it's still not done? Then that would be pretty problematic. But right now, I don't like saying this, but chill."

h/t Huffington Post
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Now playing: Etta James - At last

White House to Honor Stonewall Rebellion

Word is that the White House is going to release a proclamation recognizing the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion for Gay Pride month. San Francisco-based blogger Michael Petralis says:

A draft is being prepared as we speak in preparation for June. First one since 2000!

Interesting that Bill Clinton issued a presidential proclamation honoring LGBT pride month in June 2000, his last year in the Oval Office, and Obama is getting ready to put forward a similar proclamation in his first year as president.

Nice bit of progress!

I can't wait to read the Stonewall 40 proclamation from Obama in a few short weeks. And to also say, "Thanks, Mr. President."

h/t Carla Marinucci

Rachel Maddow w/ Rep. Joe Sestak and Lt. Dan Choi

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I've really enjoyed watching Sestak performance since Sen. Arlen Specter's move to the D's.

California Dreamin'

Attorney General Jerry Brown was a horrible mayor of Oakland. Not that the current Mayor Ron Dellums has been any better. But I've always been under the impression that both men were not successful for the same reason.

The minutiae of running the mayors office was just too small time for them. They both are visionaries, of their own right, and see big picture issues. Dealing the day-to-day responsibilities, along with their own over sized egos, was never going to be easy for either men.

This became even more evident with today's news that Brown asked the CA Supreme Court to over turn Prop 8. Brown understands that it was never the intention of the state constitution's author to allow right to be taken away from the minority group by a simple majority vote.

Money quotes below from SFgate:

"'We have a conflict between the amendment power (through voter initiatives) and the duty of the Supreme Court to protect minorities and safeguard liberty," Brown said...

Fundamental rights in the state Constitution, including the right to marry that the state's high court has recognized, "become a dead letter if they can just be amended" by popular vote, Brown said."

And for those that remember Kenneth Starr of Whitewater and Lewinsky fame, he's heading the yes on Prop 8 legal team. Would this guy please just go away?

Overplayed Hand

I'm as big a supporter of gay rights and Barack Obama as you'll find. I've previously written here, here, here and here displaying my support for both.

However, Equality California Executive Director Geoffrey Kors decision to boycott the inauguration is disappointing. The decision to invite Rev. Rick Warren to give the invocation has drawn understandable anger by gay rights group. Warren is a bigot. I get that. But everything Obama has said over the last two years has pointed towards the invitation.

Kors decision is childish. Kors won't be Obama's friend as long as Obama is friends with Warren. Obama is the most pro-gay rights president EVER elected. The overreaction by gay rights activist only helps Obama demonstrate his inclusiveness and further showcases the pettiness of the activists.