State of the Union Address - One little comment about queer folks

[iamkeri1]

In a speech that ran one hour and twenty minutes, President Obama devoted one paragraph +/- to our people. He did not deal with equal rights on jobs and in housing, he did not call for the repeal of DOMA. BUT he did say that discrimination in US military would end for gays by the end of this year. That is a good thing for those who serve in our armed forces, and may result (I hope) in restoration of pension benefits for some who have been denied them due to sexual orientation. However, it saddens me that "we" (and I use this we loosely, because I have not ever served in the military) are allowed to suffer and die to give life and limb for our country, but are not supported as we choose who to love.
Disappointed smooches,
Keri

[Dylan]

It sounded half-hearted after all that great stuff in the beginning.

It sounded like some nice lip-service

"Going to work with the military..." sounds like "Oh, yeah, we're working on it...it's being processed...it's in the mail"


Dylan

[Toughy]

History tells us the military must be integrated before the culture changes. DADT must end first. The military must be the first 'institution' to integrate. Then when will get equality in marriage.

I actually think he will do this........the military brass are shifting..........leadership changes culture.

Originally Posted by iamkeri1

In a speech that ran one hour and twenty minutes, President Obama devoted one paragraph +/- to our people. He did not deal with equal rights on jobs and in housing, he did not call for the repeal of DOMA. BUT he did say that discrimination in US military would end for gays by the end of this year. That is a good thing for those who serve in our armed forces, and may result (I hope) in restoration of pension benefits for some who have been denied them due to sexual orientation. However, it saddens me that "we" (and I use this we loosely, because I have not ever served in the military) are allowed to suffer and die to give life and limb for our country, but are not supported as we choose who to love.
Disappointed smooches,
Keri

[MsDemeanor]

Let's see.....

Record unemployment, record foreclosures, one job opening for every 6 applicants, individuals and small businesses drowning in health care costs, two wars, a crumbling education system, record bonuses on Wall Street a year after government bailouts. I'm sure that I missed a point or two.

One social issue covered in the speech, and it was a gay rights issue.

Yeah, he could have gone on for several minutes about equality and fair employment and DOMA, but it wouldn't be very good strategy to work so hard in that speech to grab the independents and undecideds and waverings, then turn them off with what the right wing would spin in to his wanting to give special hiring privileges to gays when straight folks can't find work. As is it, the Faux Newzers and tea baggers will latch on to his total disregard for the plight of the "average American" simply because he even bothered to mention us queers.

Yeah, it'd be nice to get more, but this was not the appropriate venue for him to offer more.

Personally, I was thrilled to see the repugs sitting on their hands when he suggested that the government should get back every penny from the banks. Any democrat who is not building an election or re-election commercial around that clip is an idiot.

[MsDemeanor]

Originally Posted by Toughy

History tells us the military must be integrated before the culture changes. DADT must end first. The military must be the first 'institution' to integrate.

Yeah, there's that too. Thanks, T.

[ButchBowWow]

While I would have cheered my ass off if he had talked more about us, I was thrilled he called the Supreme Court on their bullshit ruling and the Republicans on their just say no policy. I was really hoping he would tell the Democrats more forcefully to grow a spine.

[Andrew, Jr.]

I feel like Obama was just covering his butt. It was lip service when it came to our community.

I had to reread his speech a couple of times. We lost, by our govts estimate, 7 million jobs in the last 2 years. I think it is more than that. Look at all of those folks who are working underemployed, or who have 3 or 4 part time jobs just to make ends meet.

He beggs Congress not to let the health care reform go. He beggs? What kind of man beggs? Something is wrong with this. Maybe I read it wrong. I think we need this like yesterday.

The one thing Obama said is that "Wall Street is rewarded but hard work on Main Street isn't." Now that is about the one thing that stood out in my mind.

The United States has lost it's luster if you ask me.

[Soon]

Originally Posted by Toughy

History tells us the military must be integrated before the culture changes. DADT must end first. The military must be the first 'institution' to integrate. Then when will get equality in marriage.

I actually think he will do this........the military brass are shifting..........leadership changes culture.

Originally Posted by MsDemeanor

Yeah, there's that too. Thanks, T.

joemygod:
Tony Perkins On DADT: Gay Soldiers Will Rape Your Christian Ass

"Last night in his State of the Union Address, President Obama repeated his call for Congress to repeal the military eligibility law that was passed in 1993, and to allow homosexual conduct within the ranks of the armed forces.

"This would put our military in the strange position of actively recruiting personnel who have an expressed intention to violate the Uniform Code of Military Justice (which still prohibits certain forms of sexual conduct, including homosexuality). Forcing soldiers to cohabit with people who view them as sexual objects would inevitably lead to increased sexual tension, sexual harassment, and even sexual assault. America's military exists to fight and win wars --not to engage in radical social engineering." - Family Research Council president Tony Perkins, who asks that you fill out the petition he's sending to every member of Congress.
----

[Toughy]

Originally Posted by HowSoonIsNow

joemygod:
Tony Perkins On DADT: Gay Soldiers Will Rape Your Christian Ass

"Last night in his State of the Union Address, President Obama repeated his call for Congress to repeal the military eligibility law that was passed in 1993, and to allow homosexual conduct within the ranks of the armed forces.

"This would put our military in the strange position of actively recruiting personnel who have an expressed intention to violate the Uniform Code of Military Justice (which still prohibits certain forms of sexual conduct, including homosexuality). Forcing soldiers to cohabit with people who view them as sexual objects would inevitably lead to increased sexual tension, sexual harassment, and even sexual assault. America's military exists to fight and win wars --not to engage in radical social engineering." - Family Research Council president Tony Perkins, who asks that you fill out the petition he's sending to every member of Congress.
----

he better not forget his

the UCMJ says the only way you can have sex (if you are a soldier) is in the missionary position (man on top of woman) and vaginal penetration only........no 'mouth on genitals' or 'butt fucking' allowed..............

[key]

Please don't gloss over the fact that one of the first bills to get passed by the New Congress with New President is the hate crimes bill that has been sitting unvoted on since Mathew Freaking Sheppard's brutal murder!!! President Obama invited Mathew's mother to the signing ceremony.

I am not Obama's biggest cheerleader, have much to criticize him about. But he did re-iterate the hate crimes Bill passage in the SOTU. He didn't have to.

I wish he would have simply given the number of Arabic Linguists that have been discharged due to DADT. Give the Tough on Terror (sic) GOPers some reality.

[Selenay]

Originally Posted by Toughy

he better not forget his

the UCMJ says the only way you can have sex (if you are a soldier) is in the missionary position (man on top of woman) and vaginal penetration only........no 'mouth on genitals' or 'butt fucking' allowed..............

Welllll this is not technically true. The UCMJ Article 125 states that

(a) Any person subject to this chapter who engages in unnatural carnal copulation with another person of the same or opposite sex or with an animal is guilty of sodomy. Penetration , however slight, is sufficient to complete the offense.
(b) Any person found guilty of sodomy shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.

with the MCM elaborating to state

c. Explanation. It is unnatural carnal copulation for a person to take into that person’s mouth or anus the sexual organ of another person or of an animal; or to place that person’s sexual organ in the mouth or anus of another person or of an animal; or to have carnal copulation in any opening of the body, except the sexual parts, with another person; or to have carnal copulation with an animal.

It makes no reference to the penis-in-vagina positions that are barred or permitted; just that anything not PiV is forbidden. Go on, fuck cowgirl, cowboy or doggy, just make sure it's not in the butt.

As for mouth/anus or penis/anus, yes, that is forbidden.

[iamkeri1]

This post continues the derail of this thread, but heck it's my thread, so I'll just go with it.!

"Lah de dah" (she says in her best southern accent, while twirling her parasol), I just truly do not understnad why the gentlemen who wrote these silly laws would want to spend their times thinking about such things. I just truly do not."

For my entire adult life, It has been beyond my ability to understand why people care about these things. More times than you would believe, in my hippy days, I was approached by people (usually red neck guys or elderly women) who wanted ask me a question about a young man standing in my vicinity who was sporting long beautiful hair. (Note: I have always had a thing for masculine people with clean shiny long hair.) The question was "Is that a boy or a girl? Invariably I would say something along the lines of "Are you interested in having sex with them? Often people would just walk away after that question, but sometimes if they stayed, I got to say ... " because if you're not interested in having sex with them, I don't see that it matters. And isn't their hair beautiful?"

Can you just picture the dudes with the powdered wigs, wearing the hats with the big plumes in them, sitting around the conference table when the revolutionary army was forming and discussing what sex acts they were going to throw men out of the army for? Or Teddy Roosevelt, while taking the picture of the eight foot tall grizzly bear, looking over his shoulder at his military companions and saying .. "Now generals, I just want to make sure, you do have it in the universal code of military conduct that the men can't have sex with bears, don't you?

It's not that I have never given a thought to other people having sex - of course I have. But to CARE about what they are doing (unless they are doing it with my partner.) enough to actually write a law about it - supporting or damning - either way, I just don't get it. It confounds me. I also can't imagine the scene in the court martial where these act are described as criminal. I mean seriously, these generals are not getting their dicks sucked? Maybe that is why they want to start all those wars. Hey maybe that is the way to bring peace to the world - to ensure that all the generals are getting a daily blow job, so they are relaxed and happy and not stressed and aggressive.

Smooches, (avoiding all illegal smooching areas.)
Keri

[Greyson]

Originally Posted by HowSoonIsNow

joemygod:
Tony Perkins On DADT: Gay Soldiers Will Rape Your Christian Ass

"Last night in his State of the Union Address, President Obama repeated his call for Congress to repeal the military eligibility law that was passed in 1993, and to allow homosexual conduct within the ranks of the armed forces.

"This would put our military in the strange position of actively recruiting personnel who have an expressed intention to violate the Uniform Code of Military Justice (which still prohibits certain forms of sexual conduct, including homosexuality). Forcing soldiers to cohabit with people who view them as sexual objects would inevitably lead to increased sexual tension, sexual harassment, and even sexual assault. America's military exists to fight and win wars --not to engage in radical social engineering." - Family Research Council president Tony Perkins, who asks that you fill out the petition he's sending to every member of Congress.
----

What Mr. Perkins fails to admit is that many wars are fought entirely or in part due to various movements of "radical social changes." The term "radical" is relative. One persons radical is anothers intellectual pap.

[suebee]

Originally Posted by HowSoonIsNow

joemygod:
Tony Perkins On DADT: Gay Soldiers Will Rape Your Christian Ass

"Last night in his State of the Union Address, President Obama repeated his call for Congress to repeal the military eligibility law that was passed in 1993, and to allow homosexual conduct within the ranks of the armed forces.

"This would put our military in the strange position of actively recruiting personnel who have an expressed intention to violate the Uniform Code of Military Justice (which still prohibits certain forms of sexual conduct, including homosexuality). Forcing soldiers to cohabit with people who view them as sexual objects would inevitably lead to increased sexual tension, sexual harassment, and even sexual assault. America's military exists to fight and win wars --not to engage in radical social engineering." - Family Research Council president Tony Perkins, who asks that you fill out the petition he's sending to every member of Congress.
----

Once again we are reduced to sexually driven beings ONLY. We don't know how to look at another without thinking about sex. Hell! It's a wonder we get anything done at ALL other than oogling our same-sex colleagues and.....having sex!


I think Obama has a helluva juggling act to accomplish. I want to believe that he's got some sort of a plan as to what actions he can take immediately that he can use as a lead-in to more overt action in regards to enacting legislation to recognize and protect GLBGT rights.

Always the optimist

[Linus]

Originally Posted by HowSoonIsNow

joemygod:
Tony Perkins On DADT: Gay Soldiers Will Rape Your Christian Ass

"Last night in his State of the Union Address, President Obama repeated his call for Congress to repeal the military eligibility law that was passed in 1993, and to allow homosexual conduct within the ranks of the armed forces.

"This would put our military in the strange position of actively recruiting personnel who have an expressed intention to violate the Uniform Code of Military Justice (which still prohibits certain forms of sexual conduct, including homosexuality). Forcing soldiers to cohabit with people who view them as sexual objects would inevitably lead to increased sexual tension, sexual harassment, and even sexual assault. America's military exists to fight and win wars --not to engage in radical social engineering." - Family Research Council president Tony Perkins, who asks that you fill out the petition he's sending to every member of Congress.
----

Hrmm.. and no mention of the present rape and sexual assault of many women by straight men?? So the 1 in 3 women who are sexually assaulted are no seen as "sexual objects" and none of these abuses result in "increased sexual tension, sexual harassment, and even sexual assault"???

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/07/31/mil...use/index.html
http://makkah.wordpress.com/2009/11/...at-least-once/