Free Republic

The landmark, bipartisan, and congressional action I witnessed the president sign last week may prove to be the tipping point when it comes to gay rights in America. A sense of optimism and hope was truly palpable among the several hundred at the signing ceremony. My gut told me it was genuine. As proof, I was able to look into the eyes of and speak directly to the president, vice president, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Adm. Michael Mullen, Sen. Susan Collins and Rep. Barney Frank. Rather amazing they made themselves available. Convening on that bitterly cold morning of Dec. 22 was...

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – A federal judge in Southern California has declared the U.S. military's ban on openly gay service members unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Virginia Phillips on Thursday granted a request for an injunction halting the government's "don't ask, don't tell" policy for gays in the military. Phillips says the policy doesn't help military readiness and instead has a "direct and deleterious effect" on the armed services. The lawsuit was the biggest legal test of the law in recent years and came amid promises by President Barack Obama that he will work to repeal the policy.

''Human rights are gay rights," Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said recently, "and gay rights are human rights, once and for all." That's a touchy-feely liberal talking point, but don't tell it to the Muslims. Eventually, the Obama administration might have to decide to which radical group it's most important to pander: homosexuals or Muslims. There is some friction between these two Obama constituencies.... Given the Obama administration's fawning outreach to Muslim majority states, this drive for homosexual equality seems something of a disconnect. The Democratic conundrum illustrates an aspect of the clash of civilizations Mr. Obama is willfully...