Powell now Opposes Dont Ask Dont Tell

[vanitybinge]

Check out this email I just got:

"No matter how I look at the issue...I cannot escape being troubled by the fact that we have in place a policy which forces young men and women to lie about who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens...For me, it comes down to integrity -- theirs as individuals and ours as an institution."

-- Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee.


Dear caleb --

In the war over "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," the battle lines have been drawn: It's Republicans vs. the military. And John McCain vs. John McCain.

On Tuesday, Admiral Mike Mullen and Defense Secretary Robert Gates gave game-changing testimony to Congress strongly supporting President Obama's effort to repeal DADT. Then, Wednesday morning, Colin Powell -- the man who made DADT possible -- announced his opposition to this discriminatory policy, saying that "attitudes and circumstances have changed."

That isn't stopping recalcitrant Republicans like John McCain from flip-flopping on the stance he took in 2006 to follow the lead of our nation's top military brass on DADT.

You can watch the embarrassing blow-by-blow in the "McCain vs. McCain vs. Mullen" video linked below. After you watch, please sign our letter to Senator Carl Levin, Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, who vocally opposed McCain and other Republicans on Tuesday in support of repealing DADT.

To allow soldiers like Lt. Dan Choi to serve their country, Sen. Levin needs to immediately take the lead on including DADT repeal in the defense budget bill. Please sign our letter to Sen. Levin right now -- and help us get to 500,000 total Courage Campaign letters against DADT:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/DontWait

Here's what John McCain said back in October 2006 on MSNBC's "Hardball":
"I listen to people like General Colin Powell, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and literally every military leader that I know... The day that the leadership of the military comes to me and says, Senator, we ought to change the policy, then I think we ought to consider seriously changing it because those leaders in the military are the ones we give the responsibility to."
Seems pretty clear, right? Or did we miss the " * Void if Barack Obama is President" fine print?

Obviously, John McCain and his Republican colleagues on the Senate Armed Services Committee are not listening to Colin Powell, a man McCain says he admires "as much as any man in the world." Or to Admiral Mullen or Secretary Gates -- both originally appointed by George W. Bush.

Chairman Levin can't let Sen. McCain get away with delaying justice on DADT. Sign our letter to Sen. Levin right now asking him to immediately include DADT repeal in the defense budget bill -- and help us reach 500,000 total Courage Campaign letters against DADT:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/DontWait

Colin Powell gets it. Admiral Mullen gets it. Secretary Gates gets it. Even Cindy McCain and her daughter Meghan get it, having come out strongly in favor of same-sex marriage a few weeks ago.

Help us spread the word by forwarding this email to more people who get it -- so we can save Lt. Choi's job and defeat John McCain's obstruction.

Thanks for helping us bring equality to our armed services, one action at a time.

Eden James
Managing Director, Courage Campaign

I dont have any faith in signing internet-based petitions, but I am interested in your thoughts on the issue.

[bane]

I can't think of a political issue I care less about. Let the military do whatever they think they need to do. They'd be the ones who'd know how it affects troop morale and interaction a lot more than some pandering to the religious right politician would. It's retarded that this ever became a national issue in the first place.

[vanitybinge]

I can't think of a political issue I care less about. Let the military do whatever they think they need to do. They'd be the ones who'd know how it affects troop morale and interaction a lot more than some pandering to the religious right politician would. It's retarded that this ever became a national issue in the first place.

I agree it is retarded that this became an issue of "army vs church" or however it is, but in the past 75 years or so it's only led to discharges by the thousands. I can't recall hearing about one incident where a battle was lost because two soldiers were fucking in the trenches.

Besides, I hate the idea of having to lie if I wanted to join up. What the fuck does your sex life have to do with your ability to aim a gun? If anything, they should figure out if people who suck in bed suck in a fight too, if they care so much.

You aim a gun with your eyes, not your dick.

[bane]

I'm sure it has to do with interaction between troops. It's all about their attitude on it. It doesn't have anything to do with somebody's orientation affecting their ability to be a good soldier. Some of the greatest warriors in history were gay. Alexander the Great? That said, it's about how the guy next to him feels about it. You could equate it to racial integration in the military. It was a big question mark 70 years ago, but nobody thinks twice about it now. If the military leadership thinks it's time to make it happen, make it happen. It's nobody else's business.

[Crazy Levi]

McCain is a douchebag, but we all knew that.

A couple years ago he claimed that he opposes gays in the military "because that's what the military leadership says is right. If they changed their tune, so would I."

Well now they have, and the old bastard is still leading the charge against this archaic bullshit. It's so ridiculous and again makes us look like backwards morons.

Israel stowed that shit in 1993 and it hasn't hurt their soldiers morale or any of that other garbage the Republicans are always spouting.

it's time to get with the 20th century already.

[lerxstcat]

Very simply the all-volunteer military can't afford to turn away willing and qualified applicants who are gay. It can no longer afford the prejudice. If the military brass are for the change, make the change.

[VinnieKulick]

Very simply the all-volunteer military can't afford to turn away willing and qualified applicants who are gay. It can no longer afford the prejudice. If the military brass are for the change, make the change.

Absolutely! I know there were at least two gays I served with at every single command I was at. (6 different commands) Just about everybody KNEW they were gay, and nobody said a word about it. They all did their job, just like everybody else.

[tin00can]

The thing is, whether you're gay or straight your sexuality shouldn't effect your service. That is: while people in the military certainly will have sex together, the laws of fraternization apply no matter what combo the coupling is. Nobody wants a homosexual to shove their sexuality down their throats, and it is equally uncomfortable being around somebody who brags about their straight conquests and talks endlessly about pussy.

For me, all that matters is if the job gets done in a professional manner. I don't care who you're screwing.

[vanitybinge]

All your answers are really on point and each point is a hundred times better than any McCain or Bill Oreilly could make on the subject. i agree with each of you and it's totally a mountain out of a molehill. I guess I was expecting some hate on the issue but you metalheads prove your maturity once again

Sudge for Congress?

[bane]

I wouldn't get too crazy with the praise just yet. The resident brainwashed meatheads haven't made their appearances yet.

[vanitybinge]

Oh I look forward to it

[Ugmo]

...and it is equally uncomfortable being around somebody who brags about their straight conquests and talks endlessly about pussy.

Isn't that what every military guy is like, or has Hollywood been misleading me? I know VinnieKulick talks endlessly about pussy!

[Ugmo]

Nobody wants a homosexual to shove their sexuality down their throats

Indeed.

Haha

[VinnieKulick]

...and it is equally uncomfortable being around somebody who brags about their straight conquests and talks endlessly about pussy.

Isn't that what every military guy is like, or has Hollywood been misleading me? I know VinnieKulick talks endlessly about pussy!

A, Hollywood misleading somebody? Who'da thunk it!

And, I haven't talked about pussy in quite a while.

[tin00can]

Nobody wants a homosexual to shove their sexuality down their throats

Indeed.

Haha

That was a subconscious accident.

Hey, I wrote a blog about it and I'm whoring it out! http://tin00can.wordpress.com/2010/02/0 ... ont-think/

About gays in the military, that is, not the throat-ramming.

[vanitybinge]

That was a tight blog.

btw it's argue not arguet

[tin00can]

That was a tight blog.

btw it's argue not arguet

Thanks, fixed! Can't believe I missed it on spell check.

[SeminiferousButtNoid]

Very simply the all-volunteer military can't afford to turn away willing and qualified applicants who are gay. It can no longer afford the prejudice. If the military brass are for the change, make the change.

Absolutely! I know there were at least two gays I served with at every single command I was at. (6 different commands) Just about everybody KNEW they were gay, and nobody said a word about it.

Nobody said a word about it because it wasn't out in the open. Everybody is "tolerant" when it's out of sight, out of mind.

[VinnieKulick]

Trust me, there was NO DOUBT that two guys I knew at my very first command were gay as can be. I'm talking 'JAZZ HANDS" gay.

[HeavyMetalZombie666]

Check out this email I just got:

"No matter how I look at the issue...I cannot escape being troubled by the fact that we have in place a policy which forces young men and women to lie about who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens...For me, it comes down to integrity -- theirs as individuals and ours as an institution."

-- Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee.


Dear caleb --

In the war over "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," the battle lines have been drawn: It's Republicans vs. the military. And John McCain vs. John McCain.

On Tuesday, Admiral Mike Mullen and Defense Secretary Robert Gates gave game-changing testimony to Congress strongly supporting President Obama's effort to repeal DADT. Then, Wednesday morning, Colin Powell -- the man who made DADT possible -- announced his opposition to this discriminatory policy, saying that "attitudes and circumstances have changed."

That isn't stopping recalcitrant Republicans like John McCain from flip-flopping on the stance he took in 2006 to follow the lead of our nation's top military brass on DADT.

You can watch the embarrassing blow-by-blow in the "McCain vs. McCain vs. Mullen" video linked below. After you watch, please sign our letter to Senator Carl Levin, Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, who vocally opposed McCain and other Republicans on Tuesday in support of repealing DADT.

To allow soldiers like Lt. Dan Choi to serve their country, Sen. Levin needs to immediately take the lead on including DADT repeal in the defense budget bill. Please sign our letter to Sen. Levin right now -- and help us get to 500,000 total Courage Campaign letters against DADT:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/DontWait

Here's what John McCain said back in October 2006 on MSNBC's "Hardball":
"I listen to people like General Colin Powell, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and literally every military leader that I know... The day that the leadership of the military comes to me and says, Senator, we ought to change the policy, then I think we ought to consider seriously changing it because those leaders in the military are the ones we give the responsibility to."
Seems pretty clear, right? Or did we miss the " * Void if Barack Obama is President" fine print?

Obviously, John McCain and his Republican colleagues on the Senate Armed Services Committee are not listening to Colin Powell, a man McCain says he admires "as much as any man in the world." Or to Admiral Mullen or Secretary Gates -- both originally appointed by George W. Bush.

Chairman Levin can't let Sen. McCain get away with delaying justice on DADT. Sign our letter to Sen. Levin right now asking him to immediately include DADT repeal in the defense budget bill -- and help us reach 500,000 total Courage Campaign letters against DADT:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/DontWait

Colin Powell gets it. Admiral Mullen gets it. Secretary Gates gets it. Even Cindy McCain and her daughter Meghan get it, having come out strongly in favor of same-sex marriage a few weeks ago.

Help us spread the word by forwarding this email to more people who get it -- so we can save Lt. Choi's job and defeat John McCain's obstruction.

Thanks for helping us bring equality to our armed services, one action at a time.

Eden James
Managing Director, Courage Campaign

I dont have any faith in signing internet-based petitions, but I am interested in your thoughts on the issue.

Actually the policies that pre-date Don't Ask Don't Tell were much more oppressive because the military questioned people on sexuality. This is more of a compromise just to make the left and the right happy.