Best Gay Blogs » politics

Just One Line….

Jason Shaw — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 11:33:57 +0000

Wednesday night US President Barack Obama gave the 221st State Of The Union speech live to America, it was also carried by rolling news channels all over Europe and beyond.

Being at least 5 hours ahead of US Eastern time, it was the middle of the night for us British folk, but, it was worth staying up for.

Obama has always been a great orator, a true man of words, and last night was no exception. His address was exciting, information, reassuring, it was also inspiring, moving and appeared beyond much doubt, heartfelt.

As an outsider, looking in on the world of American politics, I feel nothing but admiration for Obama and his regime. He’s already gone further in one year than most politicians do in four, and without doubt, raised if not the world’s, then certainly Europe’s opinion of America. Which, can honestly only be a good thing. His address touched on many subjects, however, it’s just one line that springs to mind, that could, would, and hopefully will change the lives of many people, desperate to show the country they love what they can do. That line was “This year I will work with congress and our military to finally repeal the law that denies gay Americans the right to serve the country they love because of who they are”

It’s just one line, but it’s been a long time coming, 17 years in fact, yep, if my memory is right it’s been 17 years since Bill Clinton, another democrat, first promised to lift the ban on gays serving in the military. Of course, that didn’t happen, congress saw to that and the rather silly compromise of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was introduced. Which as an outsider, seem pretty odd, discriminative and absurd. To me it basically said, it’s OK to be gay and in the military as long as you don’t tell anyone, don’t have feelings for anyone, don’t fall in love with anyone, don’t have a personal life, don’t even breathe in a pink way, but do lie, do be dishonest, do live with the constant danger of being outed, of saying or doing the wrong thing.

In the UK, openly gay men and women have been allowed to serve in the armed forces since the start of the decade and since 2008 have been allowed to attend gay pride events and marches in uniform. Indeed, there are even army, navy and air force recruiters at some pride events up and down the country! There are at least 30 other countries that don’t have any bans on gays serving in the forces, including Spain, France, Germany, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Whilst the list for those countries that don’t allow gays in the military is much smaller, at last count, 17 I think, including the USA!

In 2008, 100 retired generals and admirals urged the US congress to over turn Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, it’s estimated there are some 65,000 gays already serving in the forces and also 600 people each year are discharged for coming out and revealing their sexuality. So, yes, it may only be one line in his first State Of The Union speech, but it’s going to have far reaching implications for a great many people, a change for the better is coming! It’s been a long time coming!

Jason Shaw, Brighton, England.

Elliott, he’s a fan! “Jason Shaw – writes my socks off!”

Obama’s Birth Certificate

James — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 11:00:43 +0000

The right-wing obsession about the authenticity of President Obama’s birth certificate still hasn’t died down. The nation may have 45 million people without health insurance and continues to watch its soldiers come home dead and maimed from Iraq and Afghanistan, but to some this is still a major issue worthy of sucking up the national conversation —- as you can see by California’s own GOP Rep. John Campbell’s appearance Tuesday on “Hardball.” Campbell, who has co-sponsored a bill requiring future presidential candidates to produce their birth certificates, gets a beat-down from Chris Matthews: “What you’re doing is appeasing the nutcases” Matthews tells him, and later, “You are feeding the wacko wing of your party.” Ouch.

Cronkite’s Unintended Legacy

James — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 11:00:22 +0000

Meanwhile, the Right continues to consolidate its media dominance, either through direct ownership of outlets or from the residual impact of three decades of successfully intimidating mainstream journalists.

While Fox News delivers its usual right-wing fare, similar viewpoints are common at outlets like CNBC and CNN. While the Rev. Moon’s Washington Times still publishes its right-wing diatribes, the Washington Post, the flagship of the Watergate coverage in the 1970s, has evolved into a neoconservative newspaper, especially its opinion pages.

The media asymmetry is also not without real-life consequences.

Intoducing Social Median dot Com

James — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 11:15:26 +0000

Socialmedian is excited to launch a first-of-its kind site where people can track election news, tweets, photos, videos, blog posts, and more all in one place.

The site, launched in partnership with The Washington Post, enables anyone anywhere to follow along and participate by adding their feeds from Twitter, Flickr, YouTube, their blog, and more.

You can also grab our socialmedian Election Talk widget and add it to your own website and blog to enable your readers to follow user-driven coverage of the election. The Washington Post and The Guardian are two the first sites who will be featuring the Election Talk widget.

On election day, we will be featuring user-submitted reports from the election … so make sure to tweet your experiences, send in your photos and videos, and join in the coverage

Find it at election.socialmedian.com.

Why the Right is Always Wrong

James — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 11:35:22 +0000

When you begin to add up the history of slavery, racism, sexism, homophobia, environmental destruction, the murdering of indigenous peoples and the countless millions of wild animals slaughtered. What you are left with is a crystal clear view of issues where right-wing principles have always without question been wrong. But the question again begs why are people on the right always on the wrong side? It’s not that liberals have not participated in wars, violence, scandals or building terrible parade balloons. Its just that conservatives throughout history never seem willing to take the balloons down when the parade is actually over and there appears enough evidence to show that the huge 3 story inflated Ronald McDonald zeppelin has scared all the children, proved to be dangerous and also denied onlookers their civil rights. And those are just the balloons.

A Case FOR Gay Marriage

James — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 11:04:45 +0000

A longtime reader of the conservative press (and now the web), I have long been familiar with research showing that married people are healthier and live longer. I’d always wondered if that held true for same-sex couples–and if there were any research to that effect.

Well, it turns out it does and there is. At his blog Queertown, Patrick Range McDonald alerts us to just such a study, a recent report by the “the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association . . . that didn’t get much play in the press.” Wonder why that is, given that its results show that gay marriage promotes physical and mental wellbeing.

I’m delighted this report cites some social conservative defenders of traditional marriage, including Linda Waite and Maggie Gallagher’s The Case for Marriage: Why Married People Are Happier, Healthier, and Better Off Financially. Looks like I’m not the only one who thinks gay marriage advocates can learn from social conservatives.

Reasons Not to Vote for McCain

James — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:36:51 +0000

A lot of people think that this is just another presidential race, with the winner getting to bring their own particular ideas and policies to the table, but that little else will change. But that’s not true. At least, not for one of the two big-party candidates running.

If John McCain is elected president, he will directly or indirectly subvert or dismantle key elements of this country that have made it great, and we’ll come out of his presidency even worse off than we are now. Here are several reasons why, and hopefully at least one of them will convince you to vote for someone else.

Read the reasons at dubiositysite.blogspot.com.

The Rain In Spain Falls on McCain?

James — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 14:57:07 +0000

McCain just did an interview with the paper El Pais. The reporter kept asking him about Spain specifically and the idiot kept responding with talking about “the hemisphere” and places like Mexico and Latin America. Great way to isolate those Mexican voters. Does he not know that we do not like all being lumped into one third world? Spanish people get very offended when you call them Mexican. I’ve experienced this first hand.

Kiss and Make Up?

James — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 12:24:03 +0000

Barack Obama and Bill Clinton have ended their mutual silent treatment, with the Democratic presidential candidate reaching out and asking his former Democratic nemesis to help him win the White House. In their first conversation since the end of the heated primary, former President Clinton agreed to campaign for the candidate he portrayed as inexperienced for a presidential run. Obama had said Bill Clinton’s harsh criticisms led him to wonder which Clinton he was running against sometimes. Find out more at 365gay.com.

Govenor’s Gay Daughter

admin — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 17:07:40 +0000

For the first time, Katherine Patrick has spoken to the media about being an out lesbian and the support she has received from her parents, Gov. Deval Patrick and First Lady Diane Patrick of Massachusetts.On June 14, 2007, the day that lawmakers finally voted down an anti-gay marriage amendment to the state constitution, Katherine Patrick stood outside the State House and looked up at her father. Gov. Deval Patrick was standing on the front steps, surrounded by a jubilant crowd of hundreds that mobbed the brick sidewalk and spilled halfway across Beacon Street. As they cheered the defeat of the amendment – an effort led by the governor, Senate President Therese Murray and House Speaker Sal DiMasi – Katherine had never before felt more proud of her father.

Please continue reading this great article at Bay Windows.