Pentagon surveys troops on DADT (again)

[Big Sarge]

I think it is politically motivated. I watched the videos & they are no worse than what you see on Comedy Central.

[xoxoxoBruce]

But a US warship is not comedy central, at least I hope not. Location, location, location.

[classicman]

but I predict this will be a major turning point
for the entire country....on a par with other Civil Rights laws.

I appreciate your passion, its the right thing and long overdue, but I think it pales when compared to Civil Rights Laws.

[Lamplighter]

Originally Posted by classicman

I appreciate your passion, its the right thing and long overdue, but I think it pales when compared to Civil Rights Laws.

... which came about from Truman's courage to change the military,
ultimately leading to the repeal of de jure segregation.


As a landlord, as an employer, and as a citizen,
I'm aware of laws that are so unfair they will be repealed,
just as has happened today with DADT.

There will always be bigots among us, but they won't have the Law to shield them.
Society will gradually weed them out and the discriminatory laws will be repealed.

For example, I think it is no coincidence this is being published, today (9/19/11):

HUD PROPOSES NEW RULE TO ENSURE EQUAL ACCESS TO HOUSING
REGARDLESS OF SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR GENDER IDENTITY)

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today
proposed new regulations intended to ensure that its core housing programs are open
to all eligible persons, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
View the proposed rule announced today.

“This is a fundamental issue of fairness,” said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan.
“We have a responsibility to make certain that public programs are open to all Americans.
With this proposed rule, we will make clear that a person’s eligibility for federal housing programs is,
and should be, based on their need and not on their sexual orientation or gender identity.”

It just takes time and a bit of leadership to take that "first step"...

[Lamplighter]

We need to be witness to progress...

By Corinne Reilly
The Virginian-Pilot
© December 21, 2011

VIRGINIA BEACH

It’s a time-honored tradition at Navy homecomings – one lucky sailor is chosen
to be first off the ship for the long-awaited kiss with a loved one.

Today, for the first time, the happily reunited couple was gay.

The dock landing ship Oak Hill has been gone for nearly three months,
training with military allies in Central America.
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, 23,
bought 50 - which is actually fewer than many people buy,
she said, so she was surprised Monday to find out she'd won.
Her girlfriend of two years, Petty Officer 3rd Class Citlalic Snell, 22, was waiting when she crossed the brow

They kissed. The crowd cheered. And with that, another vestige of the policy
that forced gays to serve in secrecy vanished.
"It's something new, that's for sure," Gaeta told reporters after the kiss.
"It's nice to be able to be myself. It's been a long time coming.

[Clodfobble]

Petty Officer 2nd Class Marissa Gaeta, 23... Petty Officer 3rd Class Citlalic Snell, 22

Wouldn't this come under a different no-no heading of dating a superior officer? I mean, setting aside for a moment the grotesque offense of naming your daughter Citlalic...

[classicman]

Clitawhat?

[ZenGum]

Citlalic ... wtf? ... is an anagram of lic a clit. Just saying.

[glatt]

Women kissing and there's no picture? Do I have to do everything around here?

[Lamplighter]

Sec Leon Panetta followed up today with yet another step towards equal treatment in the military.

The full memo is available through the link to this article...

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
By Joseph Straw /
Monday, February 11, 2013, 7:42 PM

New benefits for soldiers' same sex partners: Pentagon

The order provides perks like subsidized base shopping and dining
but also includes key family benefits like child care and leave when
a partner is ill or dies.

WASHINGTON — Soldiers’ same-sex partners will gain benefits ranging
from use of the PX to emergency leave under a Pentagon order issued Monday.

The government is set to offer full coverage should the Supreme Court allow it.

The order provides perks like subsidized base shopping and dining
but also includes key family benefits like child care and leave when a partner is ill or dies.

In a memo, outgoing Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said he went as far as he could
under the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, which bars Uncle Sam from honoring gay marriage.
The high court is considering DOMA’s legality.

Here is just one paragraph from his memo today:

[Lamplighter]

When Obama ended DADT in the military, it set off a flood of changes
in the de jure and de facto discriminations against sexual orientation.

But such discrimination in jobs continues to be legal in small and large US companies.

The time has come to legally prohibit job discrimination based on sexual orientation.


NY Times
JAMES B. STEWART
5/25/13

Exxon Defies Calls to Add Gays to Anti-Bias Policy

For millions of gay and lesbian employees, much has changed since 1999,
when no states recognized gay marriage, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” effectively barred people
who were openly gay from serving in the military, Matthew Shepard’s murderer was convicted
— and Exxon Mobil shareholders were first asked to protect gay and lesbian employees from discrimination.

One thing hasn’t: Exxon Mobil’s implacable opposition to adding sexual orientation
to its official equal employment opportunity statement.

The proposal, backed this year, as it has been since 2010, by New York State Comptroller
Thomas P. DiNapoli on behalf of the New York State Employees Retirement System,
has never gained majority support.
That’s not unusual for so-called social, political and environmental shareholder initiatives,
since most institutional money managers usually decline as a matter of policy
to vote against management recommendations on such issues.
Still, the measure has gained as much as 38 percent of the vote,
considered resounding support by the feeble standards of shareholder democracy.
<snip>
Twenty-one states, the District of Columbia and more than 160 cities and counties
have laws prohibiting employment discrimination based on sexual orientation.
But Exxon Mobil maintains it isn’t bound by these because of the federal Defense of Marriage Act,
which pre-empts state law.
A constitutional challenge to DOMA is awaiting a decision by the Supreme Court,
and two federal appeals courts have ruled DOMA unconstitutional.

[Lamplighter]

Today, the USSC handed down it's decision on DOMA and Prop 8.

California can/will re-start same-sex marriages on a technicality
of "standing"
and across the U.S. all federal laws and benefits will apply equally
to all legal marriages.
But in some states, laws that discriminate against same-sex marriages will still prevail.

Ironically, "separate but equal" is un-constitutional for race and education,
but this USSC says it is constitutional when it comes to same-sex marriages.

Go figure...

[Lamplighter]

Here is another consequence of D.O.M.A. that may eventually alleviated by the USSC decision...

NY Times
ERICA GOODE
July 2, 2013

Ruling on Same-Sex Marriage May Help Resolve Status of Divorce

Adam Cardinal’s wedded life began happily
in New Hampshire, where same-sex marriages are legal.
It went sour three years later in Florida, where they are not.

Mr. Cardinal, who lives in Fort Lauderdale, separated from his husband several months ago.
But the couple cannot get a divorce because, in the eyes of Florida officials, their marriage does not exist.

Returning to New Hampshire to sever the bond is not an option either.
Although marrying can be accomplished with a brief visit there,
a divorce requires residency in the state for at least a year.

Mr. Cardinal cannot remarry — to do so would make him a bigamist in states
like Massachusetts or New York that recognize his previous nuptials.
And although he and his husband did not combine their assets,
the lack of an official document certifying the end of their marriage carries financial risks.

“I didn’t realize this could potentially be an issue, that we couldn’t divorce
when we wanted to,” Mr. Cardinal said. “That was really upsetting.”

<snip>

The article goes on to point out other issues and problems caused
by differences in State laws, and which will be hard to resolve as
long as the USSC tries to proclaim their "separate but equal" ruling.

.

[sexobon]

Looks like "separate but equal" has been replaced by "all animals marriages are equal; but, some animals marriages are more equal than others."

[regular.joe]

I really don't care how you have sex. If you can shoot and carry a ruck, you're good in my book.