This Is What No More DADT Looks Like, Thankfully

Meet my favorite gay Marine, Russ, and his boyfriend, Matt, Russ' favorite gay Marine.  Before the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, neither Russ nor Matt could acknowledge they are gay, let alone make a video such as the following.  I have been watching Russ for awhile now and have enjoyed his vlogs immensely.  I hope you will follow him as well.

Marriage Equality: A Winning Plank

In 1996 I was still in Iowa and Chairman of the Platform Committee of the 2^nd District Democrats.  Just a few years before President Clinton attempted, via presidential order, to remove the ban on gays serving openly in the United States military.  His attempt was thwarted by those believed the age old ban should stand, including old guard Democrats such as Senator Sam Nunn.  Thus the atrocious “compromise” known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was born.

As Chairman, I was able to place a plank in the 2^nd District’s Platform calling for a repeal of DADT and to allow gays to serve openly in the military.  It was a plank I was proud of as only nine years before, I was denied entry into the Army because I was gay.  Oh sure, I could have dishonored myself by signing the contract which specifically required that I swear that I was not gay.  Why serve my nation in dishonor?  So I didn’t enter the Army and I didn’t dishonor myself.

At the state convention, I fought to place the same plank that was in the 2^nd District’s Platform in the Iowa Democratic Party’s Platform.  Those of us who supported the ability of gays to serve openly in our nation’s armed forces were rebuffed by the old guard of the party.  I was mad at the old guard as the proposed plank was defeated.  I was ashamed, but not mad.

16 years later DADT has been repealed and gays are allowed to serve openly alongside their fellow Americans in our armed forces.  But a new battle wages on within the Democratic Party.  A battle to decide if the party will be on the side of equality for all or bow down to the will of the old guard and our milquetoast president.  The current battle is over whether or not the Democratic Party will have as a national plank in its platform the cause of marriage equality.

I understand why the question of having a marriage equality plank within the platform is even an issue of contention.  I understand that elements of the old guard would rather marriage equality play itself out in court rooms, ballot boxes and legislatures.  I also understand the old guard’s fear that support of marriage equality will be used against them by Republicans in this election cycle.  I also understand that the old guard would support such a plank if the leader of the Democratic Party, President Obama, wasn’t still “evolving” in regards to marriage equality.

But why is President Obama’s view on marriage equality still “evolving”?  Does he believe that gays and lesbians are somehow less than other Americans?  Does he view us as second class citizens who should not enjoy the same rights and privileges that he and “straight” Americans enjoy?  Why doesn’t he unequivocally support “equality for all”?

Does President Obama fear an electoral defeat if a marriage equality plank is included in the platform of the Democratic Party?  Does he fear he will lose the support of the moderates and conservatives he has kowtowed to all these years?  Does he fear that if marriage equality does become a plank that liberals will become too powerful within the party?  If President Obama doesn’t support marriage equality, should he still expect the support of liberals?

The Democratic Party is at a crossroads.   One wonders which path it will follow: The path of equality for all or the path of least political resistance?  I know which path I vote for.  What about you?

Senator Cindy McCain: Update

Yesterday I made a post in regards to Cindy McCain's political aspirations.  In that post I made reference to her repeated appearances in the NOH8 videos.  It appears that Mrs. McCain has made a tweet stating the following:

"I fully support the NOH8 campaign and all it stands for and am proud to be a part of it. But I stand by my husband's stance on DADT."

Now, my friends over at AMERICAblog Gay have decided to claim that Mrs. McCain is a liar.  I respect my friend's opinion, but they need to see it in the correct light.  Mrs. McCain didn't "backtrack" or "reverse" her position regarding the reprehensible Don't Ask Don't Tell, she was standing by her husband to have to the opinion that he does, no matter if its the wrong opinion.


We all know that Senator John McCain is an angry old curmudgeon and Mrs. McCain probably knows better than the rest of us in that regards.  That doesn't mean that he is not allowed his opinions, nor does it mean that his wife, Cindy McCain, can't say that she supports him as only a wife could.


As mentioned in my previous post, I don't know Cindy McCain's true motives for appearing in the NOH8 videos, but I am rather glad she has, for good or bad.  This "incident" is another reason you will never find me tweeting.  My views are too damn long winded to be tweeted and as Cindy McCain found out, even simple views should never be tweeted as well.

By the way, doesn't calling Cindy McCain a liar negate what NOH8 is trying to do?

Cindy McCain: Soon to be Senator Cindy McCain?

I wonder if Cindy McCain is setting herself up as the "moderate" choice for Republicans when her husband passes away with her continued appearances in the NOH8 campaign.  I know, I know.  I am a ghoul for even thinking that Senator John McCain (R - Arizona) will die, but we have to look at the realities.

1. Senator McCain is 74 years old.
2. There is the possibility that Senator McCain will die while in office and before his term expires in 2016.
3. If Senator McCain does die while in office, under state law, a Republican must be chosen as his replacement, from three names provided by the Arizona Republican Party.
4. Arizona is a very red state and if Cindy McCain has political aspirations, as a moderate she would have a snow balls chance in Phoenix of winning at the ballot box on her own, but she could persuade the Arizona Republican Party to place her name in nomination.
5. By being appointed to her late husbands vacant seat to serve out the rest of his term, she would become an automatic incumbent, one wealthy enough to be able to fund her own campaign if necessary.
6. Governor Brewer would have political cover for appointing Cindy McCain as the next Senator since it is really the state Republican Party's choice.

Of course, this is all speculation and I could be very wrong.  But one has to wonder, why is Cindy McCain being so visible in being a moderate when she could just as easily be whispering into Senator McCain's ear to knock off the rhetoric and do what's right.

Only time will tell.