On a historic victory for equal rights, and some other thoughts

[DaveinJapan]

I can't really say why exactly I'm so moved by the repeal of DADT, but I am.

I dislike the fact that it's tied to militaristic stuff. I'd much rather see a repeal of the ridiculous DOMA and for gay Americans to have equal rights pertaining to marriage and to enjoy the same benefits everyone else is entitled to already! But this occasion IS a punch right in the gut of every bigot out there and for that reason I am very, very proud of America, and our Government, AND our President who promised to make it happen THIS YEAR (promise, kept!) on this historic occasion.

I suppose some of the vitriol filled reaction to it makes me feel as though this is important, much like how the bigots in the South bitched about "integration over my dead body!" only to be ridiculed for it and eventually tossed into the ash heap of history, I think these angry voices of decent (yeah, McCain, looking at YOU pal...you've trashed your own legacy for the sake of your prejudice and THAT'S how you'll be remembered, aside from your big loss and your stupid choice of VP! The whole "maverick" image was tossed aside in your vitriolic rage, so enjoy your legacy you angry bigot you!) will be looked upon the same way in future. I also believe that some Republicans actually figured this out, which is why the final vote came down in a VERY bipartisan way considering the fact that for two years no Republican endorsed, well, ANYTHING, but somehow the Senate came up with 65 to 31 preceded by the House vote of 250 to 175 (that puts 206 jerks in the ash heap by my rough calculation).

Anyway, I wonder if this isn't the biggest step towards our eventual goal of making truly equal rights for all Americans a possibility that I've seen in my lifetime. Certainly in my adult lifetime, it is. I was born in the 1970's, after the civil rights movement, so I can only look back on that with genuine admiration. But this is fresh and new, and feels very very right to me (if only Clinton and the military and the Congress had just done it right the FIRST time, instead of the ridiculous DADT notion. Colon Powell played a big role, and he was a coward for not fighting for something better at THAT time rather than advise the President "it would never work, because the troops will reject it" or something along those lines...nice line of thinking for a man who, born 50 years earlier, would've been subjected to much of the same prejudice and lack of fairness only to be championed by Harry Truman and his fearless approach to the issue...that's a BIG historical irony if you ask me! Powell helped set things back about 20 years thanks to HIS prejudice, or at least his acceptance of prejudice as some sort of excuse not to act.

[RandomThoughts]

1. Yea I posted a song that could be thought to be about Dadt.

Although that was not about my comments, my comments were on a situation of difficulties in life that can occur for anyone.

But fighting is not fighting, in my perspective, however if a soldier thinks that fighting is fighting and he does it for compassion of other people, that would be education issue, and he would be doing right by intent. And much of military is defense and enforcement if open and transparent to avoid wars for profit, or other reasons.


Interestingly this song could be seen to be about Dadt, and I support repealing Dadt, and civil rights, in part because the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Also it is simple to see that asking people to be quiet or lie is not correct for better concepts of society.

It is also about the regrets of some that thought they should have fought in parts of history, a difficult thing, but it can be shown it was a better decision with better intents with information and ways of thought.

So it can be explained that by not fighting you fight the toughest battle, and that is fighting.


I agree it being about the military totally misses the point. But shrug, seems people see things differently.



For instance in ww2 many people believed that what was happening could not happen, and trusted in compassion of basic humanity, and concepts of justice, and even stuck with family. By not fighting, and by most intents, they made the better choice. If they all would have fought, then the truth of the evil of the systems would not have been known. Instead it would have been a prison for terrorist, or called a civil war. If it was not for their innocence, and mostly nonviolence, then many people would not have seen the evil that killed Jews, Communist, and Gays for no reason but to try and create a 'entity' or group without regard or dignity for the people.

They also trusted in faith, and although I don't think it was seen in life by all, I believe God was faithful to them in the after, that is my belief. Really hard to explain, without hundreds of pages.

People that believe in community, actually believe in individuality, since it is dignity for all people that lets you think about entire communities.

The bad side evil was treating people as resources for a 'entity' not of people for dignity and respect of all people, but that uses people as property for the 'goal' of that entity. In that case they said the entity was the state, but it can happen anytime empathy and dignity of the individual breaks down.

I think Moses got the better part by heading to the holy mountain, and what I think that song is about. And Gandhi did not resort to violence, and neither did MLK. And of coarse Jesus did not either.

My point is DADT is not about military.

Sarah McLachlan - Answer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jKHIxBBfWU


Here is the really interesting part. I posted the thought on Moses choosing the better part and the Holy mountain, before ever hearing that song. Then I find that song a few days later. I Wonder about that stuff sometimes.