All the hysterical fear mongering nonsense from the homophobic right-wingers, who unfortunately have had their ridiculous warnings given much more due respect and for far longer than they deserve, can be concentrated and flatly dismissed by the happy but reserved and dignified reaction by gay troops serving in Baghdad to the abrupt ending of "Don't Ask Don't Tell" by the federal courts that allows LGBT troops to serve openly:
Some gay troops serving on the front lines said Thursday that military culture — not a court order — would dictate whether they eventually reveal their sexual orientation.So, while Virginia Foxx and her fellow haters were once again bashing gay servicemembers, some of them were quietly meeting in a Baghdad coffee shop and raising a cup of coffee to one another. They were celebrating their ability to serve their country -- and put their lives on the line for the rest of us -- without fear of being kicked out because of their sexual orientation. This is no surprise to a gay veteran, like me, who knows gay troops have fantastic military bearing. We always have. In fact, I'm quite sure the gay and lesbian troops will continue to perform better than the average soldier. Again, we ALWAYS have throughout history. When will our government stop enabling the hysterical right wingers, like Virginia Foxx, from withholding our full equality as American citizens based on their ridiculous fear mongering?
“I’m ecstatic,” said one soldier stationed in Baghdad, adding that he planned to meet Thursday night at a military coffee shop with other gay soldiers to celebrate.
“We won’t be loud or obnoxious, but we will show solidarity and resolve,” the soldier said by e-mail, speaking on the condition of anonymity while the ban remains in effect.
Also, the article mentions the disappointment of an anonymous staff sergeant in Baghdad to the wearying pace of the slow walking of the certification to end DADT:
“A lot of people thought it all ended back in December and thought we were done. People are frustrated. They’re waiting and thinking, ‘It’ll be any week now,’ and they’d just like it to get done.”How many patriotic, gung-ho would-be gay and lesbian American troops, who thought it all ended in December, have been turned away or prevented from signing up because of the snails pace of certification? The troops, the courts and many of us who voted for Obama are tired of this administration always leading the parade from behind. Where is the Commander-in-Chief who coolly dispatched Osama bin Laden when it comes to defending and implementing important priorities that, yes, mostly happen to be progressive, but happen to be the right medicine for our nation at this time in our history?
