I apologize to my GLBT friends here at DU. Again.

[Robb]

Back in February, I http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x167301">apologized. It went like this:

Goddamn it. I was wrong. I apologize to my GLBT friends here at DU

...and everywhere else, for that matter.

All weekend I've been telling you to shut up. Well, not in so many words, but that was the gist of it.

I kept saying, no, no, the rumors are just that, wait until Gates opens his mouth. Great things will fly out of it. The spotlight is ON, people are WATCHING, this will be IT.

Goddamn it.

I'm sitting in 2010 looking at a television that tells me they need a FUCKING YEARLONG STUDY to coddle bigots with regard to DADT. Because in a year *what* exactly will change?

Oh, and no policy announcements, either. Lots of hemming and hawing. Oh, and Mullen tweeted something.

Goddamn it.

I'm sorry. It's not fucking fair, and it's not right.

Today, with the repeal of DADT signed, I want to apologize again.

I'm sorry I stopped helping and gave up on seeing this happen in this presidency. My meager energies went elsewhere, because frankly it looked like there was no goddamn reason to expect this before 2012, or probably even later. It looked dark, and I didn't want to deal. So I threw up my hands and focused elsewhere.

You didn't.

And of course you didn't. Because, unlike me, you couldn't.

I'm glad you had stalwart allies in bringing this to pass -- I'm glad you had people like Choi, Reid, Pelosi, and frankly even Obama, because I didn't do a damn thing to help this. To help you.

I'm ashamed I didn't knock on a single door for this. Didn't make a single phone call, didn't write one letter since February. I wasn't on any line, or any wall, or any streetcorner.

I should've been. I'm sorry.

Glad you didn't need me for this fight. There's more to come, of course. This is big, but there's more to come. For the next fight, I'm making a promise, instead of an apology. You won't have to wonder where I am again.

[lamp_shade]

1. That was heartfelt, Robb and choked me up a little. Bravo.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. That was amazing, my dear Robb...

Beautifully, beautifully said.

Recommended.

[Uben]

3. No one is right all the time......

.....even I was wrong once, back in '64.

[vaberella]

4. A little HOPE and faith goes a long way. I'm surprised Obama got an "even."

He was the one pushing this from the get go and had a plan to repeal this since two years ago. This was stated countless times. However, people here are quick to dismiss him. And in doing so you dismissed many others---who were doing their own fair share of dismissal.

I may have been annoyed by the long process but I had faith and definitely lots of hope that shit would get done. I trusted Obama on this and with the help and support of others who pushed Congress---because there was really nothing much more Obama could do---history was made.

While you're part in the fight was minimal to little. Obama's part in the fight was fundamental and made this happen. No one could deny that, no matter how many ways people marginalize his role. In any event, your apology should instead put towards updating ENDA and supporting the repeal of DOMA which Obama plans on doing as well. Saying is one thing, actions are another.

[Uzybone]

6. +1

without Obama we would not have this day.

[Uzybone]

5. the eeyores want folks to lose hope

thats why they trash every piece of progress and make up things to depress the heart.

Hope we all learn that giving up and being negative never gets anything accomplished.