Obama heckled by 'don't ask don't tell' opponents

[Kadie]

Obama heckled by 'don't ask don't tell' opponents
11 mins ago

LOS ANGELES – Opponents of the 'don't ask don't tell' policy on gays in the military interrupted President Barack Obama with heckling at a Los Angeles fundraiser for Sen. Barbara Boxer.

The protesters shouted to ask Obama what he is going to do about the policy, which prohibits gays from serving openly in the military. The shouts grew so insistent that Obama responded.

The president said that he supports overturning "don't ask don't tell" and suggested the protesters should be yelling at the people who don't.

Obama has called on Congress to lift the ban, and military officials are examining how to do that.

Obama also told the crowd that Boxer opposed "don't ask don't tell" in the first place.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100420/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_obama_hecklers_1




A protester (C) in the crowd heckles U.S. President Barack Obama, demanding that he repeal the U.S. military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, during a Democratic Party Fundraiser for Senator Barbara Boxer in Los Angeles April 19, 2010.


A man, second from right, yells as President Barack Obama speaks at a fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee and Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif. , at the California Science Center in Los Angeles, Monday, April 19, 2010.



Protesters, in favour of repealing the U.S. military's "Dont Ask, Don't Tell" policy, line the motorcade route of U.S. President Barack Obama as he passes by en route to a Democratic Party Fundraiser for Senator Barbara Boxer in Los Angeles April 19, 2010.

[bullwinkle428]

1. I wonder if he's getting the message that, perhaps the "GayTM"

will not be quite so generous this time around...

[Captain Hilts]

2. His enemies are doing him credit here. nt

[Ian David]

3. "Gays too precious to waste in combat", says general

http://www.theonion.com/video/gays-too-precious-to-risk-in-combat-says-general,14158/

[KonaKane]

4. He needs to do what Truman did.

He, as CiC, can eliminate DADT with the stroke of a pen. It's not up to him to figure out "how it cane be done". That's up to the military to deal with once they can a direct order from the CiC.

Truman integrated the military in the proper way. He sat down and signed an executive order declaring it. A few days later one of the Joint Chiefs came to his office and said he had a problem with this integration order. Truman said "I understand. If this is hard for you, I will expect your resignation on my desk in the morning. Any other questions?" The guy turned on a heel and left, never saying another word about it.

THATS what Obama needs to do and stop pussyfooting with the issue.

[TheWraith]

6. NO, HE, CAN'T. Please do some research.

DADT is statute law, unlike segregation of the military. It cannot be overridden or eliminated with an order from the CIC, not even an Executive Order. It requires an act of Congress to repeal the law and set a new policy. Period. Nothing else gets rid of it.

[riderinthestorm]

9. He can suspend enforcement until it's repealed.

If repeal doesn't happen in 3 years, the military will have had at least 3 years of gays serving in the military without any significant problems (which we already know since every other army with openly serving gays has no significant problems).

Obama needs to suspend DADT enforcement NOW. It imposes a gradual transition time to full repeal for the military. It appeases those of us who are mad-as-hell over his LGBT snubs. It's the right thing to do.

Those on the right who rail about the 'effect" on "military readiness" will find their argument shitcanned if there's 3 years of service under DADT suspension without major issues.

Obama is never going to repeal DADT in his first term. And he may never get (or seek) a second. This is the right first step and will illuminate the path imho.

[ruggerson]

10. You're wrong. You KNOW you're wrong and yet you repeat this everytime this subject appears

The CIC can issue broad stop loss orders that would effectively end this policy until Congress and Obama get their act together to repeal it.

And I would remind you that the President has NOT YET formally endorsed either the bill in the House or the one in the Senate which would repeal the statute.

[TheWraith]

14. I'm sorry if actual knowledge of the law is inconvenient in this situation.

The President does not have singlehanded authority to change the law. That is a simple fact that most people don't want to acknowledge. Any other potential options, whether they pass legal muster or not--a fact that hasn't been established--don't change the essential point that the law would still be in place. And even if a temporary solution WERE to be found, it would only negate any motivation for Congress to get it done sooner rather than later, guaranteeing that it wouldn't be prioritized and leaving it open that the next time we have a Republican president, the policy is back in force.

And considering the fact that most likely it will pass as an amendment to a military appropriations bill, and not on it's own, why endorse one particular bill at this point when he's clearly and publicly endorsed ending the policy?

The only real solution is passing a bill through Congress. Anything else is mostly just venting, looking to place the blame on Obama for Congress not moving faster.

[KonaKane]

11. UH, YES, HE CAN. Do your own research.

He has a few different options at his command, one being the broad stop loss order. In principle this is no different than the situation faced by Truman. I support Obama, but he's dragging ass on this one and it's been going on too long as it is.

Time to shit or get off the pot.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

5. That's not really heckling.

Although he would deserve it if he WAS actually heckled on this.

Obama said he would end DADT and they are asking him when that is going to happen.

[tavalon]

7. I think it's great

Sure he was my candidate and now he's our President and the public is allowed to protest for redress. Obama is an adult, unlike the asswipe who was there before him, he can handle it.

[laughingliberal]

8. K & R nt

[LeftyMom]

12. Good.

[Bluebear]

13. 'at a fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee' - the GayTM is CLOSED.

Don't ask, don't give.