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Showing posts with label DADT. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DADT. Show all posts

Thursday, January 5, 2012

STRETCH: Randy Phillips CAUGHT Shirtless Working Out!


Phillips
Randy Phillips, the formerly closeted airman who made a name for himself on YouTube talking about 'DADT' as it was repealed, would like to open his own gym one day. His latest video offers some advice on how to start shedding the holiday pounds.

Friday, December 23, 2011

It's WAR: Log Cabin Republicans Rip Bradley Manning's Lawyers for Using the Gay Card!

Cooper, Executive Director of the Log Cabin Republicans, takes Wikileaks soldier Bradley Manning's lawyers to task in the Stars & Stripes military newspaper:CooperIf he’s guilty, Manning not only violated security protocol and the Uniform Code of Military Justice, he violated the trust of his colleagues, the Army and his countrymen. Now that he prepares to stand trial, he has shown himself to be willing to sacrifice honorable gay and lesbian servicemembers to avoid responsibility. Lawyers for Manning are claiming that his struggle with his sexual orientation contributed to emotional problems that should have precluded him from working in a classified environment. This shameful defense is an offense to the tens of thousands of gay servicemembers who served honorably under “don’t ask, don’t tell.” We all served under the same law, with the same challenges and struggles. We did not commit treason because of it.

Log Cabin Republicans have long advocated that one’s sexual orientation should not be grounds for discrimination or dismissal in the workplace. As conservatives, we believe in the meritocracy of one’s labor. Good behavior and excellent performance come with reward and encouragement. Bad behavior and poor performance come with punishment and corrective measures. To justify misbehavior in the workplace because of minority status is detrimental to the morale and performance of others. For Manning’s legal counsel at Fort Meade, Md., to suggest that his orientation and/or gender identity be part of a defense or excuse for misbehavior is as unacceptable as the use of a “gay panic” defense by a murderer.

OVER: Manning WikiLeaks Hearing Ends!

Bradley Manning's court hearing ended today almost a week after it began. Prosecutors revealed an alleged al-Qaeda propaganda video that featured militants describing how they used leaked documents to their advantage. Manning, prosecutors said, "aided in the publication of those files, knowing that our enemies would use those files." Defenders called him a naive and emotionally troubled young man who didn't get the support he needed from the military, the New York Times reports.

Manning's lawyers didn't suggest he was innocent of giving material to WikiLeaks, but they said prosecutors were "over-charging" a young private who hadn't threatened national security. Manning thought of himself as a whistleblower who "thought he could make a difference," they said, adding that he was troubled by having to keep his homosexuality a secret for years. On Jan. 16, the officer running the hearing will decide whether to proceed with a court-martial, notes the Christian Science Monitor. A trial is likely on at least some of the charges, according to experts.

Thursday, December 22, 2011

BANNED: Lt. Dan Choi Ejected from Bradley Manning Trial, Thrown Off Base!


Choi
Lt. Dan Choi, who was thrown out of the courtroom at the Bradley Manning trial, talks about his view of the proceedings as a "show trial". Olbermann agrees that it is "ridiculous even by military standards".

FireDogLake has a report on Choi's ejection from the trial and the base, during which the rank was ripped from his uniform: Choi, a West Point graduate, went to the Manning trial because “soldiers stand up for integrity, and if the code of ethics and army values are important, then we should support Bradley Manning.” He added that Manning’s actions were not only in the interest of his unit, but also in the interest of the country. “He believed that our country as a whole needed to have integrity. The law of land warfare says that if a soldier sees a crime — a rape or a murder — it’s their responsibility to report it. As I understood it, he brought it up to the chain of command. The chain of command knew about it, and they were the ones who were in violation of the law of land warfare. To not report it is to be complicit. He was the only soldier in the chain of command to do the right thing, so that’s why we have to support him.”

HISTORIC: Traditional Navy Homecoming Kiss is Gay in Historic First!


Kiss
The dock landing ship Oak Hill, deployed for three months in Central America, returned home today. As part of Navy tradition, one person is chosen to be the first off the boat to kiss a loved one. Petty Officer 2nd Class Marissa Gaeta was chosen, and her girlfriend, Petty Officer 3rd Class Citlalic Snell, was waiting.  

The Virginian-Pilot reports: As the homecoming drew near, the crew and ship’s family readiness group sold $1 raffle tickets for the first kiss. Petty Officer 2nd Class Marissa Gaeta bought 50 - which is actually fewer than many people buy, she said, so she was surprised Monday to find out she'd won.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

CONNECTED: Prosecution Links Manning to Assange!

Prosecutors unveiled a damning litany of evidence yesterday at a pretrial hearing linking Bradley Manning to the massive leak of government materials posted on WikiLeaks, reports the Washington Post. The trove includes chat logs between Manning and Julian Assange, testimony that Manning's computers contained more than 100,000 State Department cables, and an email Manning wrote in 2010 taking responsibility for the leak of the 2007 Apache helicopter video showing the killing of two journalists.

Many of the files recovered from Manning's computers had been deleted, including a file containing a contact number for Assange in Iceland and a file containing another 10,000 State Department cables that apparently was never sent to WikiLeaks. “You add it up, add it up, and eventually it gives people something approaching a moral certainty” that Manning committed the crimes, said a military justice expert. “Private Manning is in serious trouble."

Monday, December 19, 2011

DEFENSE: Did Homophobia Make Manning Leak?


Bradley_Manning_2_(cropped)Private First Class Bradley Manning, the Army intelligence specialist who allegedly leaked hundreds of thousands of classified documents to Wikileaks, has officially made his sexual orientation a keystone of his defense. From Salon: The young Army intelligence specialist accused of passing government secrets spent his 24th birthday in court Saturday as his lawyers argued his status as a gay soldier before the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell” played an important role in his actions.

Lawyers for Pfc. Bradley Manning began laying out a defense to show that his struggles as a gay soldier in an environment hostile to homosexuality contributed to mental and emotional problems that should have barred him from having access to sensitive material.

DIS-ENGAGED: Rick Perry Confronted by Teen Bi Girl About Views on DADT!

Perrygirl
Rick Perry was confronted by a teen girl after a town hall in Decorah, Iowa yesterday, about his views on gays in the military.

ABC News reports: “I just want to know why you’re so opposed to gays serving openly in the military, why you want to deny them that freedom when they’re fighting and dying for your right to run for president,” Rebecka Green, a high school student from Decorah, asked the Texas governor.

Friday, December 16, 2011

DUTY: Bradley Manning Heads to Court!

Bradley Manning will at last head to court today, for a pre-trial hearing in which prosecutors must prove they have sufficient evidence to court-martial him. The charges against him include aiding the enemy, violating the Espionage Act, and a variety of lesser offenses, the Washington Post reports.

While aiding the enemy carries a potential death sentence, the Army says it will not seek it and instead try to send the alleged Wikileaker—who turns 24 tomorrow—to prison for life. Manning hasn't been seen in public since his arrest in May of last year, though he is unlikely to speak. Prosecutors' key piece of evidence is expected to be a series of chat logs between Manning and hacker Adrian Lamo, but those chat logs may actually undercut the central "aiding the enemy" charge. For that charge, prosecutors must provide "reasonable grounds" to believe Manning intentionally gave intelligence to an enemy. In the logs, Manning instead evinces altruistic moments, saying he wants "people to see the truth. … We're human … and we're killing ourselves."

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

BACK: Sailor Discharged Twice for Being Gay is Reinstated in Navy!

Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) Petty Officer 2nd Class Jase Daniels, who was discharged in April 2005 and again in March 2007 under 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell', has been reinstated in the U.S. Navy. Jase_danielsWrites SLDN in a press release: He was sworn in on Monday, December 12, 2011. “Today, I took an oath, and affirmed to defend the Constitution of the United States of America. I am humbled as I am reinstated to the job I love and by the enormous support I have received on this momentous day. I look forward to returning to the Defense Language Institute and ultimately, my career in the military,” said Daniels.

“The reinstatement of Petty Officer Daniels into the United States Navy underscores that all qualified and needed service members are now officially welcomed back into the ranks.  The new policy and regulations in this post-repeal era make this historic occasion possible.  We continue to work with our clients and the services to facilitate more reinstatements and help process applications for those discharged under DADT, who wish  to serve their country again, whether it be on active duty, in the reserves, or in the guard,” said Army Veteran and SLDN Executive Director Aubrey Sarvis...
...Jase Daniels is one of the plaintiffs in a case, Almy v. U.S., filed by SLDN and Morrison & Foerster in December 2010 that challenges the constitutionality of the three plaintiffs’ discharges under DADT and seeks their reinstatement to active duty.  Sarvis said resolutions for the other plaintiffs, former Air Force Major Mike Almy and former Air Force Staff Sergeant Anthony Loverde, are expected soon.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

FRESH: Gay Soldier Comes OUT to Pizza Guy!

Soldier
Fausto Fernos of Feast of Fun spoofs gay YouTube airman Randy Phillips' now famous video.
Writes Phillips in a comment on the clip's YouTube page: "This is the best thing I have ever seen...I hope you get a billion views."

Monday, October 10, 2011

NEW FRONTIER: Marines Recruit ... at Gay Pride Event!

As usual, Marine Corps recruiters asked passersby to attempt 20 pull-ups from a bar. But this time they were asking gays and lesbians at a gay pride event yesterday in Pasadena, Calif.—possibly the first Southern California pride event to host military recruiters, the Los Angeles Times reports. The eight Marines at the recruitment table made for the event's biggest draw, attracting more people than church groups, healthcare organizations, and nearby tables of colorful garden decorations.

Event organizers said they were intrigued that among US forces, only the Marines accepted an invitation to the San Gabriel Valley Pride event—especially after Marine Corps Gen. James Amos had adamantly opposed last month's repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." The Marines even claimed poverty and had their $150 table fee paid for them. "They had tens of thousands of felony waivers, and they were taking people convicted of drug use," said a passerby who had left the military because of its gay ban. "This will increase the pool of people available and allow people who want to serve the country to join."

Sunday, October 9, 2011

GROSS: Rick Santorum Menaced by Wet Gay Soldiers!

Picture 16 Rick Santorum was on Fox News Sunday this morning, where his conversation with anchor Chris Wallace strayed to the subject of gay men showering with straight men in the military.

The thought of it makes Santorum uncomfortable: "The problem is that sexual activity with people who you are in close quarters with who happen to be of the same sex is different than being open about your sexuality," Santorum said on "Fox News Sunday."
Fox host Chris Wallace pushed back, asking Santorum if he was suggesting gay soldiers would "go after" their colleagues.
"They're in close quarters, they live with people, they obviously shower with people," Santorum said, saying the presence of gay soldiers could have an adverse "effect on retention and recruitment."

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

DUH: Herman Cain Says Being Gay is a Choice and Wants to See the Science That Proves Otherwise

Cain_choice
Herman Cain, frontrunner in many of the latest GOP 2012 straw polls, was asked by Joy Behar Tuesday morning how he could think being gay is a choice when so many people are vilified for it.
Said Cain: "You show me the science that says that it's not. Could be persuaded. Right now it's my opinion against the opinion of others who feel differently. That's just a difference of opinion."


Cain went on to add that he wouldn't allow his personal opinions to get in the way of running the country, and also repeated his intention to reinstate 'DADT'.

Monday, October 3, 2011

DUH: Herman Cain on Gay Soldier Booing: I Should Have Spoken Up!

Cain
Penn mentioned Herman Cain's interview on ABC This Week with Christiane Amanpour in the round-up last night, but here's the video of Cain responding to the booing of the gay soldier, and the recently-revealed racial slur at Rick Perry's hunting camp.

Cain, winner of last week's Florida straw poll, when pressed, said that he should have spoken up against the booing. "I happen to think that maybe they were booing the whole ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ repeal more so than booing that soldier...In retrospect, because of the controversy it has created and because of the different interpretations that it could have had, yes, that probably — that would have been appropriate."

Saturday, October 1, 2011

PLEASE DO: Pentagon Gives Military Chaplains Green Light On Gay Marriage!

Armyhands One of the most contentious issues about Don't Ask, Don't Tell's repeal has revolved around marriage equality.

Though at least one branch of the armed services, the Navy, said it would allow gay marriages after the discriminatory law's repeal, which happened on September 20th, officials later said "no go" to such events.

Now, the Pentagon announced today that military chaplains are free to preside over same-sex nuptials, both on and off government bases.

From The Washington Post: Some members of Congress have objected to military chaplains performing same-sex unions, saying it would violate the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act.

The Pentagon says a military chaplain may officiate at any private ceremony, but isn’t required if it would conflict with his or her religious or personal beliefs.

Friday, September 30, 2011

HATE QUEEN: Ann Coulter Defends Don't Ask, Don't Tell!

Coulter The Republican Party's true face was revealed at last week's presidential debate when the right wing crowd booed a gay soldier for asking how the GOP candidates would deal with the recently repealed Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

While most rational people, including President Obama and his colleagues, were appalled by the display, conservative darling Ann Coulter apparently thinks such hate is a-okay.

From Coulter's latest column: It is beyond absurd to demand that Republican candidates pledge not to consider altering a recent rule change overturning a military policy that had been in effect from the beginning of warfare until the last few weeks of the 111th Congress.

Of course there was booing for that!

At the time of the vote -- five minutes ago -- only eight Republicans in the entire U.S. Senate supported eliminating Don't Ask, Don't Tell. It's safe to assume that no one on the stage supported this sexualization of the military, except maybe one of the nut candidates polling at 3 percent.

Saturday, September 24, 2011

LIES: 'Santorum Condemn's Boos of Gay Soldier'!

Rick Santorum looked to bring boo-gate to a halt on Fox News yesterday: "I condemn the people who booed that gay soldier," he said, referring to the handful of jeers during a question at the GOP debate about Don't Ask, Don't Tell. The candidate says he didn't speak up at the time because he couldn't hear the boos on stage, reports CNN

"Certainly had I heard them, I would have said, 'Don't do that. This man is serving our country and we are to thank him for his service.' " Weird acoustics, apparently. Gary Johnson said he did hear the boos from stage and thought the other candidates could as well, notes ABC News. "I am representing the Republican Party that is tolerant," he said. "And to me that shows an intolerance that I’m not a part of in any way whatsoever." Will Santorum's condemnation be enough to keep Dan Savage from redefining "Rick" on Google? Only time will tell

Friday, September 23, 2011

HATE: Debate Audience Boos Gay Iraq Vet!

First they cheered letting the uninsured die—then they booed a gay soldier. The audience at last night's GOP candidates debate didn't keep it classy when an Iraq war vet asked Rick Santorum on a YouTube clip where he stands on this week's repeal of the military's Don't Ask Don't Tell policy. The soldier was heartily booed before Santorum said he would call to repeal the repeal—but wouldn't kick out any service member who has already revealed that they're gay, notes The Hill

"Any type of sexual activity has absolutely no place in the military," he said, criticizing the move to "recognize a group of people and give them a special privilege." He added: "Going forward we would re-institute that policy if Rick Santorum was president. Sex is not an issue. It should not be an issue. Leave it alone. Keep it to yourself whether you are heterosexual or homosexual." No candidate mentioned the booing during the debate, but afterward, both Jon Huntsman and Mitt Romney called it "unfortunate."

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