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Obama to end military's ban on homosexuals, spokesman says'
San Francisco Chronicle ^ | January 14, 2009 | Matthew B. Stanhard

Posted on 01/14/2009 2:34:57 PM PST by Zakeet

President Obama will end the 15-year-old "don't ask, don't tell" policy that has prevented homosexual and bisexual men and women from serving openly within the U.S. military, a spokesman for the president-elect said.

Obama said during the campaign that he opposed the policy, but since his election in November has made statements that have been interpreted as backpedaling. On Friday, however, Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs, responding on the transition team's Web site to a Michigan resident who asked if the new administration planned to get rid of the policy, said:

"You don't hear politicians give a one-word answer much. But it's 'Yes'."

The little-noticed response, made in a video posted on change.gov, made barely a ripple outside blogs focused on the gay community, but that's not surprising, said those who have been pushing to overturn the ban. Not only was Obama's position expected, they said, but support for reviewing or repealing the policy has grown markedly in recent years, including from some unexpected quarters.

The end of "don't ask, don't tell" may not happen immediately, several critics of the policy said. Although they appreciate clarity from Obama on the issue, they anticipate that the demands of the economy and two wars are likely to trump a speedy policy reversal.

"The question isn't if we do it and the question isn't when we do it, it's how we do it," said Rep. Ellen Tauscher, D-Walnut Creek, whose 2006 bill to repeal the ban earned broad support among Democrats in Congress but did not move forward in the face of a near-certain veto by President Bush.

"I'm going to reintroduce the bill in the next few weeks," Tauscher said. "We've got the American people behind us."

(Excerpt) Read more at chron.com ...


TOPICS: Breaking News; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 111th; bho2008; bhodod; dontaskdonttell; gays; homosexualagena; homosexualagenda; military; militaryreadiness
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To: hunter112

While I am not sure why you think you need to keep telling me nudity is not sex I think you totally miss the point, so I’ll just ask you a question.
Do you believe there would be an issue if men and women shared close quarters, including showering, going to the bathroom and sleeping?
And, I’m sorry to tell you this, but I think you are very unusual, as a man, if you see attractive naked women and don’t ever get a sexual thought. You are amazing in fact!


261 posted on 01/14/2009 7:48:20 PM PST by brytlea (You can fool enough of the people enough of the time.)
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To: NavVet

My personal experience is that guys do not claim homosexuality to get out of the military. It was much easier to go to the hospital and say you wanted to kill yourself.


262 posted on 01/14/2009 7:50:14 PM PST by lacrew (Where's Blago?)
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To: traditional1; lilycicero; bigheadfred
Sleep well, Amerika; you will be safe in your beds knowing that an army of rump-rangers is protecting you.

Well, we knew it was coming, so might as well make the best of it. I say let them form whole new branches modeled roughly to the Army & Navy, along with their own battalions, and (inflatable) boats. They can have their own facilities and distinctive uniforms. They would rotate leave/duty with the straights, thereby eliminating any friction, as neither branch would be in the same place at the same time.

They should be just fab at the winning hearts & mind PC experiments. In fact the REMFs who dream all that crap up could foist all those programs on Obama's Gay Brigades, Silly Savages, and Slippery Sailors.

It just makes sense that anyone who can find love in a crapper and is in the highest catagory for fatal and communicable diseases should do well with a group that smells like crap and rotten flesh, and is hoping to explode soon.

263 posted on 01/14/2009 7:53:46 PM PST by 4woodenboats (Stop the occupation of Gaza by Palestinian war criminals. Fill the tunnels with wild boars.)
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To: 4woodenboats

Segregation by sexual orientation? Well it could be fun to send all-gay Army units to the Middle East where they would be very popular with the local goat-humping population...... a new way to pursue “hearts and minds” and other body parts.


264 posted on 01/14/2009 7:58:52 PM PST by Enchante (Jan. 20, 2009: There is not enough scotch whiskey in the world to drown my sorrows now..........)
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To: hunter112

Religion is a sexual perversion? Or a choice? I’m asking seriously because I really don’t know what you mean by your statement concerning religion.

I have no doubt we/our Military will get over this homo crap too. Right always wins out in the end.

As for the gender integrated military issue, there’s still issues and lawsuits. I value our female soldiers, those who don’t play the victim card. It’s a damn shame there are those few who still play that card.

“Not every gay or lesbian person is the flaming queer whose loves to show off in the gay pride day parade.”

True. I knew a homo and a so called bi person back in the early 80s/late 70s. He sure liked all the attention he got for being “different” and being a “victim” of society’s norms. He’s dead now, Aids. He was still a freak.

As for the gay pride/lesbo crap (I think of all homos as homos, lesbian or male), I didn’t realize there were gay parades until recently...a thread on here a bit ago showed me just how creepy they were. They get away with public sex, etc. cos they’re homos and heaven forbid should they be held to the same standards the rest of society is held to.

Homos are gross. Homosexuality is gross. The rest of the world can accept it for all I care but I never will. It’s not normal, no matter how much it’s shoved down our throats that it is.


265 posted on 01/14/2009 8:01:27 PM PST by Twink
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To: Zakeet

Barney ‘I touch other men’s bottoms’ Frank says: “Hello sailor”!


266 posted on 01/14/2009 8:05:04 PM PST by Batman11
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To: Twink
Religion is a sexual perversion? Or a choice?

Why would you even ask this question? If religion were not a choice, then its believers would not gain any afterlife benefits from something they were psychologically forced into, now would they?

You probably know more homosexual people than the one guy back in the 70's/80's, but they know where you stand on the issue, and they're not going to risk getting into an argument with you over it. They're perfectly content to let you assume they're straight, because they probably don't want the attention that the discussion of it with you would bring.

I don't believe the ten percent figure that was being thrown around a few decades ago, but I do believe that there are about four to six percent homosexuals in the population, depending on where you live. If you are acquainted with three hundred people in your work, your community, and the places you frequently travel, that's between 12 and 18 of them, roughly. They just don't wear signs around their necks advertising it.

The parades have been going on for at least thirty years, if you just found out about it here, then I'd say you've lived a pretty sheltered life in regards to this issue. I'd venture to guess that it is in a fairly rural area where most homosexual people know better than to tell everybody they know about it.

267 posted on 01/14/2009 8:10:45 PM PST by hunter112 (We seem to be on an excrement river in a Native American watercraft without a propulsion device.)
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To: All

We’re talking about SOLDIERS—as in people who are trained to brave the most gruesome and dangerous situations in order to protect our country. Do you honestly think America’s toughest are too lily-livered to deal with being around gays?

I am strongly against homosexual activity, but as long as they are responsible, disciplined, and committed to serving our country and not just pushing for validation of their lifestyle, I don’t see much of a problem with openly homosexual people being in the military. The only possible problem is that a gay man who becomes attracted to someone he serves with may find his emotions conflicting with his ability to do his job.

As far as sexual attraction goes, I am a lesbian, though I am morally opposed to that lifestyle and choose to take no part in it. I can assure you being a lesbian in a locker room or shower full of women is NOT the same as being a man in a roomful of naked women. Homosexuals grew up sharing sleeping quarters, locker rooms and such with people of their own gender. They are completely used to non-sexual encounters with naked people of their gender. There is nothing you have that a homosexual person of your gender doesn’t see every day of his or her life. Unless they have sexual disorders or psychological problems unrelated to their homosexuality, gays aren’t going to lose control of themselves in the locker room. In fact, they probably aren’t going to get terribly excited in the first place.

That said, lots of homofascists would consider this a “victory” for their mission to force others to accept their behavior, and I get a sick feeling Obama thinks the same way. I detest the way gay activists treat those who disagree with them, almost to the point where I don’t want to see them awarded anything resembling a victory just for that reason.


268 posted on 01/14/2009 8:12:36 PM PST by Julia H. (Somewhere in Kenya or Indonesia, a village is missing its idiot.)
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To: All

Of course, I should add that no homosexual activity should be tolerated in the military, period. Letting people who are openly gay AT HOME join the military isn’t the same as advocating homosexual acts among soldiers.


269 posted on 01/14/2009 8:12:37 PM PST by Julia H. (Somewhere in Kenya or Indonesia, a village is missing its idiot.)
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To: brytlea

LOL!

The Catholic priesthood became a haven for homo pedophiles?

I not only read the news in the last decade, I’m even Catholic for the last 4 decades, since birth.

A tiny minority (as opposed to the huge minority of other minorities) of priests are/were homos. Another minority of those perverts, acted on their perversion. And they got caught. Big surprise.

The Catholic priesthood didn’t become a haven for homos or homo pedophiles or hetero pedophiles (but mostly homos, although the media likes to ignore that aspect of it, it’s not PC). It’s always been there, in the Catholic priesthood and every other aspect of life, careers. It’s just the PC punching bag. We’re still allowed to trash the Catholic Church.

The homos are coming out in all careers...we have to accept them now. They can be teachers in public, private, and Catholic schools. They can be in the Military. We have to accept them, unless they’re Catholic priests, then heaven forbid.

Give me a freakin’ break. The homo and hetero pedophiles in the Catholic Church, minority that they are, make the news because it sells.


270 posted on 01/14/2009 8:17:51 PM PST by Twink
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To: Zakeet

Wow lets see how that works in shipboard berthing compartments. I guess Obama really could care less about what the military wants.

Why not just go completely co-ed. Co-ed living conditions throughout the military.....

Good order and discipline out the window. If you really want to know why Obama and Clinton could make these Pro-Homo positions in the military? They never SERVED.

I would like to see an Amendment to the Constitution that every Candidate should have served at least 1 tour in the military.

How else can you sent soldiers to fight if you have no idea what they are going through yourself....

Obama is an idiot and danger to America.


271 posted on 01/14/2009 8:19:09 PM PST by tomnbeverly ("In the hour of darkness and peril and need, the people will waken to listen and hear.....)
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To: Twink

Believe what you want. BTW I was Catholic.


272 posted on 01/14/2009 8:20:25 PM PST by brytlea (You can fool enough of the people enough of the time.)
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To: Julia H.
Of course, I should add that no homosexual activity should be tolerated in the military, period.

I'm just curious how you propose to achieve that?

273 posted on 01/14/2009 8:23:21 PM PST by brytlea (You can fool enough of the people enough of the time.)
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To: Zakeet
"We've got the American people behind us."

Gay marriage failed by a big margin even in California. What makes this Bozo think that the American people are behind them?

274 posted on 01/14/2009 8:23:56 PM PST by Flint
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To: Julia H.

WHAT?

If we are all mature enough to handle the issue of sexual attraction as your post concludes, then Why are mens and womens living quarters seperated in the first place?


275 posted on 01/14/2009 8:25:44 PM PST by tomnbeverly ("In the hour of darkness and peril and need, the people will waken to listen and hear.....)
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To: hunter112

I asked the the question because I wasn’t sure of what you meant in your post. I wanted to know what you meant. Waste of time, I guess.

“You probably know more homosexual people than the one guy back in the 70’s/80’s, but they know where you stand on the issue, and they’re not going to risk getting into an argument with you over it. They’re perfectly content to let you assume they’re straight, because they probably don’t want the attention that the discussion of it with you would bring.”

LOL! Oh, ok. Whatever you say. Maybe they don’t want to be reminded that they’re abnormal? Perverted? Of course it can’t be that. RME. And maybe all those numbers don’t exist.

I asked an honest question and your reply post was way off, imo. I don’t know nor do I know how religion was entered into the equation and asked an honest question concerning what you posted.

“The parades have been going on for at least thirty years, if you just found out about it here, then I’d say you’ve lived a pretty sheltered life in regards to this issue. I’d venture to guess that it is in a fairly rural area where most homosexual people know better than to tell everybody they know about it.”

Yep, I lived a really sheltered life. All that growing up in the city (philly) and living there til I was married, then living in the D.C area (and at Penn State during college). Really sheltered life. Hell, I thought living at Penn State, University Park, was a culture shock, coming from the city.

Not everyone has first hand knowledge of the depravity that goes on at those homo pride parades. I honestly didn’t know that stuff went on in public. What I saw posted here in links shocked me. I wasn’t aware sex acts were allowed in public.

Whatever. If you don’t want to discuss it rationally, don’t bother replying.


276 posted on 01/14/2009 8:38:57 PM PST by Twink
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To: darkangel82

LOL, must be. Or an idiot thing.


277 posted on 01/14/2009 8:40:24 PM PST by Twink
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To: brytlea
“I’m female, so it’s hard for me to know for sure, how many of you guys would want to server knowing you would be likely sharing a tent or other close living arrangements with an openly gay man? I just foresee big problems with this.”

Not to mention administering first aid, with the possibility of PFC tinkie winkie having HIV/AIDS or some other easily communicable disease.

What Zer0 proposes is very dangerous, it will undermine the moral and unit cohesiveness within the military.

There will be a very sharp drop in retention, and an equally sharp drop in recruiting due to such a policy and it will more than likely result in a reinstatement of the draft.

278 posted on 01/14/2009 8:46:30 PM PST by 2CAVTrooper (If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under.)
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To: brytlea

I”ll continue to believe as I do as I’m sure you will.

The minority, and they are a minority, of homos that have a huge voice/presence in our society and our institutions, continue to destroy every institution and the fabric our our society. People can compare it to race but it’s different.

Our Military doesn’t deserve this homo crap.

PC is ruining this Country, imo.


279 posted on 01/14/2009 8:53:02 PM PST by Twink
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To: MortMan
"Bite me, utahson"

You say something twinkie? My preferred candiate was Fred Thompson, Duncan Hunter or even Mitt. McCain was my second to last choice, in front of the surrender monkey Ron Paul. I voted for McCain and Palin to stop Obama. Many conservatives stayed home or many here on FR voted third party to protest vote. And I will not quit saying that. If you do not like it, that is your problem. I could care less what you think twinkie.
280 posted on 01/14/2009 8:58:38 PM PST by utahson
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