More fierce advocating! "'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' feedback sought from spouses"

[Bluebear]

Shame on you, President Obama. Shame on you, Sec. Gates. SHAME.

=====

August 27 - The Fort Gordon Signal

Pentagon officials mailed out 150,000 new "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" surveys, this time seeking input from military spouses about the potential repeal of the law that bars gay men and lesbians from serving openly, officials said.

"We understand the inextricable link between the families, servicemembers and readiness, and this survey is a way to try to better understand that," Gen. Carter F. Ham, U.S. Army Europe commander, said in a recent Pentagon Channel interview.

Ham and Jeh C. Johnson, the Pentagon's top lawyer, were appointed by Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates to head a special review panel that's studying the possible implications on the military should Congress decide to repeal the current "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and allow gays and lesbians to serve openly.

"What we're trying to gauge is an assessment that if this law is repealed, and this 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy is changed, what will that mean to our families?" Ham said. "By better understanding the impacts of possible repeal, we'll be able to craft policies, procedures, education and training to address those issues." ...

The spouse surveys were mailed to 80,000 reserve-component and 70,000 active-duty spouses. The spouses will have a little more than 30 days to complete and return their surveys, Ham said.

http://www.fortgordonsignal.com/news/2010-08-27/Feedback/

[LostinVA]

1. This is really becoming pretty pathetic and obvious

UGH.

[Starry Messenger]

2. OFFS.

What about their goldfish? Will they get a say? :crazy:

[Name removed]

3. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[AndyA]

5. And shame on you for trying to sell this bullsh!t to others.

It takes a leader to make things happen. Obama is not a leader, which is why we have half-assed health care reform, legalized discrimination of gay people, and corporate America still calling the shots.

[Occulus]

6. That's RIGHT! SHAME on us for being hurt!

SHAME on us for having a beating heart in our chests that spasms when people who ARE allowed to get married are asked to weigh in on people who AREN'T allowed to get married! SHAME on us for being insulted by seeing those who are currently allowed to serve openly being asked whether we SHOULD be allowed!

IT'S ONLY ONE SONG!
IT'S ONLY A FIVE MINUTE PRAYER!
SEPARATE BUT EQUAL IS GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU!
PONY! POUTRAGE! YOU HATE OBAMA!

---

I haven't really weighed in on this until now, but honestly- all you people who are denigrating us GLBTs for being pissed off at Obama over this issue really need to take two very large steps back and give a good, long, hard look at what you're telling us.

It's not cool, man. Not by a long shot.

[FreeState]

9. 180000 is over kill on a survey - it useless because the return rate will be so low

just like the one sent out to service members - very large sample and a very low return rate = bad data.

[Brickbat]

11. What process? All I see is foot-dragging and buck-passing.

[frylock]

12. bullfuckingshit..

obama is merely kicking the can down the road because he's too scared to deal with it himself.

[NMMNG]

15. This is not a "process"

This is ignorant, demeaning bullshit designed to delay the actual process.

[terrya]

17. You might want to read a book called "Unfriendly Fire" by Nathaniel Frank

Which examines the history of DADT, plus how other nations manage to lift their own military bans. Without any of this stupid crapola.

DADT has been studied and studied and studied. There have been studies commissioned of DADT throughout the entire, what, 17 years of this policy/law? How many goddamned studies does there need to be?

[AndyA]

4. So this is what we get from a "fierce advocate"?

I'd hate to see what it would be if he were just "mildly supportive." :eyes:

Note to Obama: Your message to gays is: you can ride the bus, but you have to sit in the back and be quiet so no one notices you. Oh, and you aren't eligible for the family discount bus pass, because you aren't a family.

Love all this change, Barack.

[awoke_in_2003]

38. Actually they are under the bus...

Have been since the inauguration (Rick Warren prayer)

[NMMNG]

7. WTF business is it of theirs?

Why is it any of their concern? What is he going to do next, send surveys to whoever the soldiers took to their high school proms?


Does anybody see how fucking degrading that is to us? OMG how will you be impacted by having nasty dirty homos serving next to you, Mr. Soldier? And you Mrs. Soldier's Wife? Kiddies? Household pets? You have an opinion too... After all, this is always about how the existence of Teh Gays affects everyone else.


"Fierce Advocate" my fucking ass. :rant:

[mitchtv]

8. K&R

I'mna steal someone's man

[Brickbat]

10. Well, it's just like when women were allowed on submarines, they surveyed the guys on the submarines

and the wives of the men on submarines. And when they decided women should be in military academies, they surveyed male cadets to see what they thought, and the cadets' spouses and girlfriends too. And when they integrated the army, they checked with soldiers' families to make sure it was OK with them that their loved ones would be serving with black people.

So, you know, it makes sense to do it for gay people, too.

[Ignis]

13. K&R. It's time to end this charade, and DADT as well.

:kick:

[terrya]

14. My hope for DADT repeal is fading by the day.

And if it doesn't happen, the blame will solely reside at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. That may incur the wrath of a lot of people here, but had there been leadership from the very top of the military chain of command, we wouldn't have to read about surveys to being sent to the SPOUSES of military members, which no other nation that has lifted their own bans never had to do.

[LostinVA]

19. A Supermajority of Americans were for DADT repeal

Over 70%.

[terrya]

28. Colin Powell is for DADT repeal.

And he had as much to do with this horrible, dreadful bigotry as anyone.

Enough.

[LostinVA]

30. Excellent point

[Behind the Aegis]

16. Will this be the end of it?

Or will they survey "people who have seen military movies," or possibly hold seances to make contact with service members who have passed on?

[Bluebear]

22. Next they will survey the reserve member's clergy for their opinion. nt

[QC]

27. And barbers. "Are you willing to cut and/or style the hair of a known homosexual? n/t

[myrna minx]

53. Why not poll the farmers that grow the food for potential "that way" service people.

While were at it, poll the postal service to see if they're comfortable with delivering 'gay' letters to and from bases and war zones to family members. Finally - will Kevin Bacon be consulted!?

:D

[Hassin Bin Sober]

33. I hear the Tom Clancy fan club will get to weigh in.

[Bluebear]

56. lol

[donco6]

18. Widening the net to ensure unfavorable responses.

Super.

[LostinVA]

20. EXACTLY!

[Bluebear]

23. It's becoming so transparent that is the case. nt

[readmoreoften]

24. +1

[racaulk]

49. Yep.

[LAGC]

21. Why don't we poll all the right-wing churches and see what they think about it while we're at it?

Maybe they will generate the results Obama is looking for.

[readmoreoften]

25. I'm sure Neo-Nazi groups have a strong opinion. Let's make sure they're included.

Gosh, every American's voice deserves to be heard!!!1!!!

Next up: let's vote on rape laws. Do the vast majority of Americans think rape should be illegal? And what do the rapists think?

[NMMNG]

26. Of course

And since there are Neo-Nazis in the military now (they're deemed acceptable while LGBTs are not) it's only natural that their comrades would be polled. :sarcasm:

[LostinVA]

31. Fred Phelps can be on the steering committee!

[amborin]

29. knr

[LostinVA]

32. CONVICTED FELONS ARE ALLOWED IN THE MILITARY

GLBT Americans, however, are not.

Neo Nazis -- okay.

Convicted Felons -- check.

Homosexuals -- hahahahahahaha!

[ThomCat]

34. Next they will survey all living vets to get their opinions.

Think of how many vets there are out there! Allowing LGBT folks to serve openly in the military might totally tarnish the prior military service of all those distinguished straight vets, so there is no way this administration can move forward without surveying all of THEM too!

:wow:

And that will also give this administration a hell of a lot more time to stall, and give them so many more people to get negative responses from. They can't turn down an opportunity like that.

[Safetykitten]

35. Just in from DOD..third cousins, estranged uncles, and divorced wives of military to get forms....

The Commander in Chief, head of the Military, letting them play and plaaaaaaaaaay.

[Bunny]

36. Because I'd be damned scared if my soldier boy husband had to shower with a gay guy.

That gay might steal my husband away and then where would I be? Where would my children be? :sarcasm:


Shame on you, Barack Obama. Shame. You could stop all of this today if it really mattered to you. This is pathetic and sickening and far below a man of your caliber. What could you possibly be thinking? It's inexplicable.

[JerseygirlCT]

42. Great minds

I didn't read the responses before posting below, lol.

[libnnc]

37. So sick of this

Sick of this fucking shit! :nuke:

[Jamastiene]

39. I just hope they don't survey Al Qaeda next, then I'll really be pissed.

:sarcasm:

I hope they don't require notes from mommy and daddy to serve with gay people next either. I am beginning to wonder.

This is not looking promising at all.

[NMMNG]

40. Don't give them any ideas

"We have to find out what Al Qaeda thinks. If they know we have Openly Gay Soldiers they might become more of a threat to us!1!1" :scared:

[Jamastiene]

44. Or become harder to capture, because they'll hide from roving gay soldiers...

out to capture them.

:scared:

[JerseygirlCT]

41. Because if her hunky hubby shares a shower with a gay man

he'll "turn gay"?

WTH is this stuff?

[awoke_in_2003]

43. Just imagine if LBJ...

Decided to poll Alabama and Mississippi about Civil Rights issues. To those who think this is not the same thing, you are wrong. Equal marriage rights are a civil rights issue

[TheKentuckian]

45. Simply absurd

[depakid]

46. This doesn't make a lick of either rational or political sense

[Touchdown]

47. I give up!

Why bother? Really?

[Touchdown]

48. Did I kill your thread?

I'm a jinx!:cry:

[Bluebear]

50. Never.

:hug:

[Withywindle]

51. Will they include the spouses of GLBT service members too?

Oh wait. They CAN'T.

[Bluebear]

54. Gays don't have real families.

You know that. :silly:

[Withywindle]

55. Silly me.

I'm getting more and more angry every day and I guess it just made my brain fall out. Splat.

[AuntPatsy]

52. K & R

[Name removed]

57. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Kat45]

58. Trying to get the spouses to fear teh gay in the military will 'turn' their spouse

Since when does the military give a rat's ass about the grunts opinions before implementing anything? Hasn't it always been a top-down, 'this is the way we do it,' tough shit?

[pecwae]

59. Someone else upthread

mentioned stalling. Damn sure sounds like it. How many more surveys, how many more opinions, how many more consultations are needed? And why?

Recced.

[Bluebear]

60. Just to keep this fresh.