Obama To Fire His First Gay Arabic Linguist

[FreeState]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/aaron-belkin/obama-to-fire-his-first-g_b_199070.html

Dan Choi, a West Point graduate and officer in the Army National Guard who is fluent in Arabic and who returned recently from Iraq, received notice today that the military is about to fire him. Why? Because he came out of the closet as a gay man on national television.

Some readers might think it unfair to blame Obama. After all, the president inherited the "don't ask, don't tell" law when he took office. As Commander-in-Chief, he has to follow the law. If the law says that the military must fire any service member who acknowledges being gay, that is not Obama's fault.

Or is it?

A new study, about to be published by a group of experts in military law, shows that President Obama does, in fact, have stroke-of-the-pen authority to suspend gay discharges. The "don't ask, don't tell" law requires the military to fire anyone found to be gay or lesbian. But there is nothing requiring the military to make such a finding. The president can simply order the military to stop investigating service members' sexuality.

An executive order would not get rid of the "don't ask, don't tell" law, but would take the critical step of suspending its implementation, hence rendering it effectively dead. Once people see gays and lesbians serving openly, legally and without problems, it will be much easier to get rid of the law at a later time.

---

No more fucking excuses, no more lost lives - sign a damn executive order now!

[mitchtv]

1. jobs, jobs , jobs; oh wait

this is a job

[FreeState]

2. Yeah but its one of those jobs were apparently its workers dont matter n/t

[snowdays]

3. Whitehouse.gov Backs Down on Repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell

I have posted this before but just in case some have not seen.



Obama is listening----to his commanders on the ground.

If you go to the link the changed parts are highlighted in different colors and easy to see.

At the bottom of the article, it also explains this Tracker tool. Niffy Toast

http://www.propublica.org/article/whitehouse.gov-backs-down-on-repeal-of-dont-ask-dont-tell-501



Whitehouse.gov Backs Down on Repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t

by Brian Boyer, ProPublica - May 1, 2009 3:47 pm EDT




May 1: This post has been updated <1>.

Update, May 2: Friday night, Whitehouse.gov reinserted language <2> saying President Obama supports the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell. The specific language: "He supports repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell in a sensible way that strengthens our armed forces and national security."



A subtle but substantive change in the president's position on "don't ask don't tell" was noticed today by our watchful eye-on-the-administration tool, ChangeTracker <3>. An edit to the civil rights issues page <4> tells the tale.


<4>

Previously, the message was clear. As of two days ago, whitehouse.gov said, "We need to repeal the 'don't ask, don't tell' policy." The new version of the page says that the president "supports changing Don't Ask Don't Tell in a sensible way that strengthens our armed forces and our national security."

In January, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs was asked, "Is the new administration going to get rid of the 'don't ask don't tell' policy?" Gibbs proudly gave a one-word answer <5>, "Yes.”

In March, Defense Secretary Robert Gates seemed to back away from that stance <6>. When asked by Fox News about "don't ask don't tell," he said, "I feel like we've got a lot on our plates right now."

The latest changes on whitehouse.gov seem to further that hedge -- and make it the White House position...........

[FreeState]

4. Thanks for reminding us of that...

What I find interesting is when the discussion of DADT has been played out on DU many times we are all told Obama's hands are tied - that yes it should be overturned but he can do nothing about it. Which we now have legal military scholars saying that is not the case - he can stop the firing and then work on the overturning of the law. Hopefully this report will make people not use that lame excuse anymore.

[snowdays]

19. Obama uses it so they will.

[condoleeza]

5. Worst abortion of a headline I've seen yet from HuffPo n/t

[FreeState]

7. Well he is the only person in the nation that could stop the firing today with a simple order n/t

[Duncan Grant]

8. Thanks for sharing. Got a comment regarding the content? (nt)

[condoleeza]

17. I truly hope Obama uses an executive order to get rid of the law

I just had a problem with the headline, as it is ridiculously written as a "firing". You don't get fired, you get kicked out of the service. The headline made it sound like he was someone Obama had personally hired and was now betraying via pressure, IMO.

Anyone who has the courage to join the military in this sick country has my respect, they should not be asked to keep their sexual preference a secret, as if it is something they should be ashamed of. The "don't ask, don't tell" compromise that Clinton agreed to was an insult.

[tbyg52]

6. #5 here.

It's crazy that this is still going on. If Obama has a legal remedy (and the OP says that he does), he should use it!

[dsc]

9. We just got rid of one President who decided which laws he did

and didn't enforce. I want to see DADT ended as much as anyone but I want to see it legally ended not by some end run.

[FreeState]

11. I think there is a huge difference between stopping discrimination with executive orders

and using executive orders the way Bush did. I have no problem with any president from either party using all of his or her powers to end discrimination by any means possible (the article notes the law would still have to be changed but the firings could end imediately).

Edit to add: if Obama is concerned about appearing like Bush in this regard he could simply put a provision in his Order that the order is only valid until congress has addressed the issue. That way it forces congress to deal with it.

[Starry Messenger]

10. Maybe the President will write him a nice thank you note, though.

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

Everyone likes thank you notes. :sarcasm:

[Duncan Grant]

12. In Arabic. (nt)

[keepCAblue]

14. With a Smiley face. n/t

[formercia]

13. He should have been a more cunning linguist.

and he might not have been fired.

[Toasterlad]

15. Yeah, That Was Funny.

:eyes:

[formercia]

23. I guess you didn't get my point about a dual standard

for acceptable behavior.

[Creideiki]

24. No double standard

Obama's also kicking out the lesbians:

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

(All I had to do was read the message above this one.)

[formercia]

26. But not the 'straight' people that engage in anything

but the 'missionary position, only for procreation' behavior..

[sui generis]

27. oh come on! it was a funny play on words

Donner party, your table is ready.

[ruggerson]

16. FreeState

I think you should post this in GD-P

[FreeState]

20. Feel free to do so

I'm not comfortable discusing gay rights in that forum currently.

[libnnc]

21. I'm not comfortable discussing them here

in this forum either

[FreeState]

22. Self edit...

If there's anything I can do let's know!

[ruggerson]

30. Gotcha

no problem :)

[Creideiki]

25. Don't go to East Lahunga Beach

The straight world is a scary and dangerous place.

[xchrom]

18. recommend

[Seen the light]

28. Barack Obama is an extremely weak man politically

He shies away from controversy at every turn, don't expect that to change.

[RetiredTrotskyite]

29. I never have...n/t