DavidDust Salutes The Military

As I do this post, the military's Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy is two hours away from becoming a footnote in the history books. Thank you President Obama for keeping your promise.

A note to homophobes and bigots out there: You cannot stop the slow march towards equality, because equality is what's right and what this great nation is all about.

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No More Pretending

As of tomorrow, Don't Ask Don't Tell will no longer exist and Gays & Lesbians will be allowed to serve openly in the military.

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The Wingnuts Were Right...

OMG - the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell HAS led to the moral unraveling of the military! When the Wingnuts asked "What's next - soldiers dating their donkeys?!?" - I thought they were just being gasbags. But it looks like they might have been right.

Attention Commanders: If you hear groups of soldiers talking about "going out and getting some A$$", please monitor them closely.

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Ask, Tell

Source

Thoughts on the DADT Cloture Vote

As many of you know, today the Senate voted 63-33 to invoke cloture (stop debate) on the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell. The final vote, in which only a simple majority is required, is scheduled for later this afternoon and should pass easily.

Some random thoughts:

• It pains me to say this, but Joe Lieberman (I-CT) gets a gold star on his forehead for tirelessly championing the repeal effort. Lieberman wasn't going to let anyone - including his good friend, ancient bigot John McCain - get in the way of repeal.
• I am so glad that Kirsten Gillibrand is the junior Senator from New York - and not that Conservadem Harold Ford. I called it back in January - Gillibrand was/is the right person to represent my state.
• Six Republicans voted in favor of cloture: Snowe and Collins (ME), Voinovich (OH), Brown (MA) and Kirk (IL) and Murkowski (AK). Snowe, Collins and Brown are understandable - they come from liberal Northeast states. Voinovich is retiring, so he was free to do the right thing. Kirk (who holds President Obama's old Senate seat) is a pleasant surprise. But perhaps the most delicious is Lisa Murkowski - who won in a write-in candidacy over Sarah Palin's hand-picked crony Joe Miller. I hope Ms. Murkowski spends the next six years in the Senate doing things to piss off Mama Grossly.
• Joe Manchin, the newly-elected DEMOCRATIC Senator from West Virginia, did not vote. Just become a Republican already, will ya?!?

UPDATE: The bill passes easily - 65-31. Two Republicans switched their previous cloture vote and voted for repeal - Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) and Sen. John Ensign (R-NV). I guess even some Republicans didn't want to end up on the wrong side of history with John McCain and the other homophobes.

Now it's off to the President's desk for his signature.

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URGENT: DADT Action Alert

Call Your Senators Now! (via Joe.My.God)

Servicemembers Legal Defense Network has issued an "all hands on deck" alert, asking you to call your Senators and demand their support of the repeal of DADT.

If you live in the following states, call the Capitol switchboard number below: Maine, Indiana, Massachusetts, Ohio, Missouri, West Virginia, Arkansas and Illinois.

202-224-3121

KEY SENATORS WHO NEED TO HEAR FROM REPEAL SUPPORTERS NOW:

--Susan Collins (R-ME)

--Olympia Snowe (R-ME)

--Richard Lugar (R-IN)

--Judd Gregg (R-NH)

--Scott Brown (R-MA)

--George Voinovich (R-OH)

--Kit Bond (R-MO)

--Joe Manchin (D-WV)

--Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)

--Mark Kirk (R-IL)

Sample script: "Hello, my name is ______ and I’m a constituent from __________ (city, state). I’m calling to tell Senator _______ to stay in Washington and not break for holiday vacation until "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal is passed this year. Fight back against Senators John McCain and Mitch McConnell's obstructionism and pass repeal this year. Thank you.”

Sad But True

Source: Joe.My.God

Lady Gaga Will Rally Against McCain DADT Filibuster in Maine Tomorrow

Lady Gaga will rally in Portland Maine tomorrow against John McCain's filibuster of the Defense Authorization. It is a push to force Maine's relatively moderate Republican Senators - Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins - to join Democrats and end the Senate filibuster, bringing the bill (which contains a provision to end Don't Ask Don't Tell) to the floor of the Senate for a vote.

According to the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN), the 60 votes to end the filibuster are NOT in place - so support fromSnowe and Collins  is crucial.  Via AmericaBlog

The votes to break McCain’s filibuster are not there. We need Sens. Snowe and Collins on board; they’re key to us breaking the filibuster. With the vote less than 48 hours away, we need everyone supporting repeal to call the Senate. We’re bringing gay and straight service members to Portland to help make the case. And we’re proud to have the support of Lady Gaga to bring grassroots attention to repeal at a critical hour. Like Lady Gaga, all New England senators, indeed all 100 senators, Democrats and Republicans, need to engage in a real debate on this issue, and not just posture and spin this week over procedure and Senate rules.

... SLDN member (and veteran) Aubrey Sarvis

The rally, called “For the 14,000”: A Rally for the 14,000+ Discharged" is tomorrow at 4:00 PM Eastern in Deering Oaks Park (near the University of Southern Maine). For those on Twitter, the hashtag is #4the14k.

Also, if you haven't called your Senators yet, tomorrow (Monday) is the day to do it.

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BunnyNation Action Alert - DADT!

Dearest DustBunnies,

I don't ask you for much - just reading my blog and maybe leave a comment or two is usually enough.  But today I really need you to do me (and your country) a favor.  TODAY you need to call your Senators (both of them), and ask them to vote to repeal the Don't Ask Don't Tell (DADT) policy.

From the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN):

SENATE VOTE VERY TIGHT: For repeal to happen advocates need more senators on board to break John McCain’s filibuster. All supporters must call their senators now.

KEY SENATORS UNCOMMITTED ON BREAKING THE FILIBUSTER:

--Susan Collins (R-ME)

--Olympia Snowe (R-ME)

--Mark Pryor (D-Ark.);

--Richard Lugar (R-IN);

--Judd Gregg (R-NH);

--Jim Webb (D-VA)

--George Voinovich (R-OH);

All you have to do is call the Capital Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be transferred to your Senator's office. If you don't know who your Senators are, go HERE and find out.

It's really easy to do. Watch Lauren and Ellie from Boulder, Colorado call their Senator - and then encourage their friends to do the same...

I called both my Senators this afternoon - Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer - even though they are both strongly committed to repealing DADT.  I called the Switchboard, asked to be transferred to Senator _______ 's office, and when the receptionist answered I asked to leave a message for the Senator.  Both of my Senators' offices took actual messages (as opposed to voicemail) - so I courteously said:

"I am asking Senator _________ to vote in favor of repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell".

That was it - easy as pie. Senator Gillibrand's office asked me my name and zip code (to make sure I was a consituent), Schumer's did not.

So, again, I am asking all of you to take 3 minutes out of your day - RIGHT NOW - and call your Senators at (202) 224-3121.  This is especially important if you are a resident of Maine, Arkansas, Indiana, Virginia and Ohio (see above), but EVERYONE needs to do this. Even if you live in a state with two conservative Republican Senators, call their offices and let your voice be heard.

Darlings, again - I don't ask you for much - but today I'm asking you to make two quick and easy phone calls.  The BunnyNation, much like Glen Close in Fatal Attraction, will NOT BE IGNORED!! ...

For more ways to get involved, go to SLDN HERE.  And please let us know (in the Comments) how your phone calls went.

I Certainly Hope It's Not of the "Gay" Variety...

... you know, because of "Don't Ask Don't Tell" and all.

Another Hero Affected By DADT

Don't Ask, Don't Tell is just plain WRONG. The only thing DADT does is end the careers of badly-needed, hard-working military personnel - for no other reason than they happen to be gay or lesbian.

Lt. Col. Victor Fehrenbach played by the rules. He DID NOT tell - and kept his mouth shut about being gay. And he did so while collecting medal after medal in his exemplary 18-year Air Force career. But SOMEONE ELSE told his superiors that he was gay - and therefore LTC Ferhrenbach is being forced out of a job he loves, and is extremely good at.


Furthermore, it is estimated that the United States Air Force invested about $25 million dollars into his training and career - an investment that gets flushed down the toilet because of this hero's sexuality. That is insanity.

Thanks to Kanani for keeping me in the loop about LTC Ferhenbach. See her initial blog post HERE and find out what you can do to assist LTC Ferhenbach HERE.


Don't Ask, Don't Tell must end ... now.