Don't Ask, Don't Tell and Don't Vote!
Some very disappointing events have taken place in the political arena this week. Don't Ask, Don't Tell was the very stance the Senate took in constructing an argument to repeal this unfair act. Instead of winning or losing, postponement would mean that the date for reassembley would be so far down the road that maybe no one would notice if they failed to act again. Why our Commander-In-Chief cannot issue an executive order to strike down DADT is beyond me.
Before I get down to bitterly lamenting the party of NO, NOPE and NEVER, let me express my frustration in the Democratic party for their fragmented front, lack of purpose and unwillingness to stand and FIGHT for what is right! The whole idea of gay Americans being any less Americans that the straight Americans is... well... unconstitutional! As in the past, I remind my right-sided friends that the USA is governed by the Constitution and not the Bible. When we first got here.. it was the white males that held all the power. The Civil War gave Black Americans their freedom and the right to vote, which the White Southern population found "legal" ways to take back the voting privilege. One way was allowing only those who could read the right to vote! There were many other convoluted hoops to jump a black man through on his way to the ballot box, but by the 1950's, the Black population knew it's place and the consequences of stepping out of that place. Civil Rights was not one march that ended in victory. It was many marches, a few riots and one sympathetic, determined President to give Black Americans back their rights. The President was John F. Kennedy. He not only opened Southern ballot boxes by holding ground, he opened up segregated schools from kindergarten to colleges. At one point, he even stood up to George Wallace, then governor of Alabama who threatened the President in a telephone conversation with "anarchy" if he insisted on desegregation in Alabama. JFK, without missing a beat, reminded him of the "possibility" of federal troops being deployed to insure the "safety" of young black students attending the schools and universities of Alabama! That conversation is preserved for all time at the Black History Museum in Memphis, Tennessee! This is an example of Democratic ideas followed by Democratic action!
In the 1920's women had to fight for their right to vote, own property and be considered elgible for all the freedoms afforded the men in this free country. One would think that once you gave ground to an entire group of people left out of a free nation, that the idea of being all inclusive would have an obvious choice at some point in early times! Instead, we have given freedom out in rations, according to acceptance into the norm of American life. Equality is doled out only when we accept a culture that has dissolved into our melting pot.
Sadly, we go another round for a group of people disallowed two major rights of American community. The right to engage in a legal joining of property, legal responsibility and inheritance between consenting partners and the right to serve in the United States Armed Services as openly gay. There seems to be no one to effectively speak in a forceful and powerful enough voice to push the legislature through an uncooperative Senate to insure the Constitutional rights for this group of people! I realize that the vote may fail due to the heavily divided nature of this bill, but I would rather have a failed vote than the failure TO vote, as what actually happened yesterday!
Stepping up to the plate is what gets our country where it needs to go! We have become a nation of no challenges, no forward movement and we have set aside higher ideals for "order" and "tradition". How is this ever going to make us a better nation? How are these lackluster performances ever going to raise us out of our depression and put this country back where it belongs? How can we be the shining example of hope and tolerance if we hold petty divisions amongst our own people? What has happened to us? Why does the granting of one group's rights automatically make us turn around as a people and look for someone else to discriminate against?
Stephanie Germanetti, dropping her world famous Lady Gaga persona, stood in front of a rally speaking out that if someone in the armed services is unhappy serving next to an openly gay service man or woman, that person should, "Go home"! Our new policy should be that, "If you don't like it, Go home!" Her speech was incredible! It was heartfelt, to the point and the strongest show of support to end DADT that we have had to date! As much respect as I have for Stephanie and all the credit I give to a 24 year old girl who is a talented and idealistic young American... this type of support needs to be coming from the Democratic party as well! Maybe even first, to show the country the gap we have created in offering "a lesser cut of meat" to the gay population of America and speaking out in opposition to not offering all of the constitution to all of the people in America.
Democrats, get off your duff! Losing an argument is a better option than NO argument!
Before I get down to bitterly lamenting the party of NO, NOPE and NEVER, let me express my frustration in the Democratic party for their fragmented front, lack of purpose and unwillingness to stand and FIGHT for what is right! The whole idea of gay Americans being any less Americans that the straight Americans is... well... unconstitutional! As in the past, I remind my right-sided friends that the USA is governed by the Constitution and not the Bible. When we first got here.. it was the white males that held all the power. The Civil War gave Black Americans their freedom and the right to vote, which the White Southern population found "legal" ways to take back the voting privilege. One way was allowing only those who could read the right to vote! There were many other convoluted hoops to jump a black man through on his way to the ballot box, but by the 1950's, the Black population knew it's place and the consequences of stepping out of that place. Civil Rights was not one march that ended in victory. It was many marches, a few riots and one sympathetic, determined President to give Black Americans back their rights. The President was John F. Kennedy. He not only opened Southern ballot boxes by holding ground, he opened up segregated schools from kindergarten to colleges. At one point, he even stood up to George Wallace, then governor of Alabama who threatened the President in a telephone conversation with "anarchy" if he insisted on desegregation in Alabama. JFK, without missing a beat, reminded him of the "possibility" of federal troops being deployed to insure the "safety" of young black students attending the schools and universities of Alabama! That conversation is preserved for all time at the Black History Museum in Memphis, Tennessee! This is an example of Democratic ideas followed by Democratic action!
In the 1920's women had to fight for their right to vote, own property and be considered elgible for all the freedoms afforded the men in this free country. One would think that once you gave ground to an entire group of people left out of a free nation, that the idea of being all inclusive would have an obvious choice at some point in early times! Instead, we have given freedom out in rations, according to acceptance into the norm of American life. Equality is doled out only when we accept a culture that has dissolved into our melting pot.
Sadly, we go another round for a group of people disallowed two major rights of American community. The right to engage in a legal joining of property, legal responsibility and inheritance between consenting partners and the right to serve in the United States Armed Services as openly gay. There seems to be no one to effectively speak in a forceful and powerful enough voice to push the legislature through an uncooperative Senate to insure the Constitutional rights for this group of people! I realize that the vote may fail due to the heavily divided nature of this bill, but I would rather have a failed vote than the failure TO vote, as what actually happened yesterday!
Stepping up to the plate is what gets our country where it needs to go! We have become a nation of no challenges, no forward movement and we have set aside higher ideals for "order" and "tradition". How is this ever going to make us a better nation? How are these lackluster performances ever going to raise us out of our depression and put this country back where it belongs? How can we be the shining example of hope and tolerance if we hold petty divisions amongst our own people? What has happened to us? Why does the granting of one group's rights automatically make us turn around as a people and look for someone else to discriminate against?
Stephanie Germanetti, dropping her world famous Lady Gaga persona, stood in front of a rally speaking out that if someone in the armed services is unhappy serving next to an openly gay service man or woman, that person should, "Go home"! Our new policy should be that, "If you don't like it, Go home!" Her speech was incredible! It was heartfelt, to the point and the strongest show of support to end DADT that we have had to date! As much respect as I have for Stephanie and all the credit I give to a 24 year old girl who is a talented and idealistic young American... this type of support needs to be coming from the Democratic party as well! Maybe even first, to show the country the gap we have created in offering "a lesser cut of meat" to the gay population of America and speaking out in opposition to not offering all of the constitution to all of the people in America.
Democrats, get off your duff! Losing an argument is a better option than NO argument!
posted by suzie at 6:44 AM
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