Obama responds to lesbian soldier's letter

[jefferson_dem]

Obama responds to lesbian soldier's letter
by TRACY BAIM



President Barack Obama sent a hand-written note in response to a Chicago-area lesbian's plea for him to change the military's ban on openly gay and lesbian servicemembers. She sent her letter to Obama just six days after his inauguration, and it was published in the Feb. 11 Windy City Times as a cover story. 2nd Lt. Sandy Tsao photo by Donna

Tsao said she is “very hopeful” after receiving the letter May 5. “I believe he is a man of his word. … My heart is bounding with joy.” The timing is bittersweet: Tsao's last day in the service will be May 19, 2009.

Obama's note reads: “Thanks for your wonderful and thoughtful letter. It is because of outstanding Americans like you that I committed to changing our current policy. Although it will take some time to complete ( partly because it needs Congressional action ) I intend to fulfill my commitment!” It is signed Barack Obama. Windy City Times has contacted the White House but has not had word back confirming the letter's veracity.

In her Jan. 26 letter to President Barack Obama, 2nd Lt. Sandy Tsao, 24, came out as a lesbian in the U.S. Army. The former resident of Chicago's Bridgeport neighborhood wrote a fellow former South Sider in his new White House home to tell him she could no longer serve her country because she is a lesbian.

Sunday, Feb. 8, marked the one-year anniversary of Tsao's active duty, full-time service to her country. On May 19, Tsao expects to receive an Article 15 honorable discharge because of homosexual conduct.

Tsao was told by her chain of command that her letter was received by Obama's White House. It was her own choice to come out. In early February, she wrote to Windy City Times that she had "finished my full medical examination and have finished my last session with my counselor. My counselor has signed an evaluation form that confirms that I am in a healthy mental state."

<SNIP>

http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=21121

[HopeOverFear]

1. Very nice.

[Politicub]

2. President Obama makes me proud

I'm glad he takes the time to respond to people.

[JayMusgrove]

3. I love to see personal notes like this.

It renews my hope and commitment to Obama's leadership.

Thanks for sharing this.

[jefferson_dem]

6. This man makes me proud every day.

He'll do the right thing on this.

[JayMusgrove]

13. I am not worried about Obama doing the right thing, I'm worried about

Congress. Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, and all the Congress weaklings who fear not being re-elected.......cowards.

[Cha]

4. Good for Sandy Tsao writing such an

eloquent letter to the president. You never know what will happen if you stand up for yourself and what you believe to be true no matter what the consequences.

This is the kind of "letter" Prez Obama was talking about when he said he read them to keep in touch with the people outside the bubble.

What an interesting life she's had..I think she graduated from the same high school as Michelle?

[Sequoia]

5. A hand-written note?!! That's fabulous !

[Soylent Brice]

7. i needed to see that.

NOW MOVE IT CONGRESS!!!

[SemiCharmedQuark]

8. Is she still being discharged?

[MadMaddie]

20. Yes

[crikkett]

23. Am I wrong for feeling relieved that she's not going to be at war?

I want all our soldiers home.

[Dappleganger]

26. No, and so do I.

But she deserves to serve her country and we need people like her!

[crikkett]

37. She deserves to be able to serve her country, I agree.

(...a lot of people don't realize what one signs away when one signs up, and then decide that they in fact, don't deserve it. But that's nitpicking.)

[ZombieHorde]

9. Awesome! K&R

[SemiCharmedQuark]

12. It would be awesome, but if she is being discharged anyway, I feel that the words will be of little

comfort.

[blueclown]

10. What is Congress waiting for?

What is the fucking hold up?

Come on Nancy, get the fucking bill to the President's desk!

[JayMusgrove]

15. Nancy is a coward, so is Harry Reid.

IMO

[AtomicKitten]

11. Beautiful. Succinct and to the point. No more need for speculation as to his intentions. n/t

[vaberella]

14. There never should have been.

Most who understood the process knew that it was Congress fucking up O's position and not O himself. If he doesn't have congress on it...it can't get done. Most decided to ignore this fact. ~sigh~

[AtomicKitten]

16. You just need to listen to the guy himself and filter out all the white noise. n/t

[HopeOverFear]

22. People believe what they want to believe, and they wanted to believe

that Obama wasn't against DADT so they could have a reason to b****.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

25. I was going to say that some people will really be pissed over this...

and Obama's commitment to ending DADT.

I figured their absence was just sour grapes. But it turns out it's really warm pizza.

[Uzybone]

17. are those bus skidmarks on the letter?

Just kidding!

I know DADT is a dead injustice walking.

[Clio the Leo]

18. NOW it makes sense....

... to me anyway.

The reason for the back and forth on the language was because he knows it takes more authority than he has alone. He didn't want to make a "promise" that he wasn't sure he could get Congress to let him keep. Hope Rachel sees this!

And is there anyway we could send Congress on an 8 year vacation? :)

[QC]

19. So is she still getting kicked out or not? n/t

[MadMaddie]

21. Yes, she is still being discharged.

[Bluenorthwest]

24. So, she IS still being punished for her sexuality

She's still being dischraged.

[LostinVA]

27. Yes, een though a supermajority of Americans thinks she should serve

[sakabatou]

28. Now to make sure that DADT gets stricken down

and our GLBTQ soldiers are reinstated.

[Divine Discontent]

29. okay then Mr. President - push Congress, they're a bunch of cowards mostly on this anyhow

they should buckle on this if you go speak with the biggies... and great letter!

[bertman]

30. I'm immensely proud to have this man as our Commander-In-Chief.

Too late to rec, so Kick.

[JI7]

31. nice letter, i like how he didn't go into some long excuse making

or anything like that. he knows what it will take to change it and he intends to get it done.

[mix]

32. that is very kind and thoughtful, what a contrast to his predecessor n/t

[polichick]

33. Cool to see the actual note in his handwriting!

[jenmito]

34. "Error: you can only recommend threads which were started in the past 24 hours"

Kick and R in thought. :D That's great to see! I hope it happens sooner rather than later.

[Clio the Leo]

35. I just emailed Rachel's show about this....

.... after they covered this topic two nights in a row. I thought tonight they would have seen in and mentioned it, so I'm assuming they weren't aware of this story.

[Clio the Leo]

36. KICK! KICK! KICK KICK!!!!!

... because some of us are either missing it or IGNORING it, I'm not sure which. ;)