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Rachel Maddow again examines "Don't Ask Don't Tell" by talking to the people directly affected
Last night Rachel Maddow started her show with the story of Lt. Col. Victor Fehrenbach, whose 18-year career as an Air Force fighter pilot is about to end due to the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. Maddow has been giving "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" a good amount of coverage recently. Instead of following this issue as a political story -- e.g. talking about which politicians made the most dramatic argument on the issue or discussing how the issue will affect the next election -- she's been focusing on people facing a discharge under DADT, people like Lt. Dan Choi, a West Point graduate and an Arabic-translator, or 2nd Lt. Sandy Tsao, who received a personal letter from President Obama after Tsao wrote to Obama about repealing DADT.
By talking to people facing a discharge under the policy, Rachel is making the issue about individuals who are seeing their careers end and talent being taken away from our military due to DADT. Beyond making viewers see the consequences of this policy, these servicemembers' stories give the issue a sense of urgency since these officers will likely be discharged from the military soon, unless something is done to change DADT. Check out Maddow's interview with Fehrenbach below. What the clip is missing, however, is the "One More Thing" segment that followed the interview with Fehrenbach, which looked at how Megan McCain voiced her support for repealing DADT to Stephen Colbert Monday night. Noting how McCain tried to use DADT as an example of how Democrats in Washington haven't done any more to help LGBT rights than the Republicans, Maddow commented, "When a Republican says that the Republican Party is as vigilant on justice and equal rights as the Democratic Party -- and you can't immediately laugh that Republican out of the room -- Democrats have a problem. Mr. President, you have a problem." Submitted by on Wed, 2009-05-20 12:47. |
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DADT
ah man....
god, only two years away from retiring....that was the part that got me fired up.
i love the "oh they're gay and the unit can't function anymore" arguement. can they prove that? have they EVER proved it? if so, i would love to see that report. that report needs to be public so we can all truly understand how it ruins these units ability to function.
I just don't get the double standard. in most work settings, you can't be fired for being gay...but of all the places to work, a war zone- and when we need these professionals more than ever.....it's "SEE YA!"
Why was DADT made in the first place? i don't think i truly know that answer. i am assuming it was to protect gay service members from harassment/being fired...?
Megan McCain is making us look like idiots....at least, i am starting to feel that way.
Many Gay Employees at Risk
Unfortunately, people can still be fired for being gay in 30 states, especially in the South and parts of the MidWest. A lot of these are so-called right to work states where the employer can fire you for any reason, just as you can choose to leave for any reason. These laws are mostly meant to fight off labor unions, but are often used to justify lots of other employment decisions. Certain cities and counties in those states have updated their laws to prevent this, but there are still major gaps out there.
That's why Congress is trying to pass the Employee Non-Discrimination Act. The sticking point has been over including transgender citizens in bill now or adding them later after a trimmed down version of the legislation passes with wider support. Pelosi's said this is one of her key LGBT priorities to pass first, along with the Hate Crimes bill
That's why we need federal protections for gay employees in the private sector along with the repeal of DADT.
BTW, check out this scoop on the administration's supposed plan to address any repeal efforts.
http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/05/the_administrations_dont_ask_dont_tell_strategy.php
It's pretty longwinded strategic course and as a political junkie I understand the logic behind it (partially political self-preservation) but it makes me sick to think of all the soldiers who will be victims of the delay in the meantime. I'm sure they won't receive any back compensation for their losses if a repeal ever passes. Just like his approach to the war and Gitmo, Obama will likely just want to move forward and forget about DADT once it's defeated.
Ask not what your country can do for you instead what you can do
Brave soldier forgotten
GO Maddow
Thank god for Rachel Maddow. DADT gets barely any coverage. She is the only person doing a good job on it.
For any other issue the first thing any newscast does is get a person personally affected by it to connect the story to a face. Yet for DADT nothing. I can't remember a single other anchor bringing people personally affected by DADT on air. I hope Rachel Maddow keeps up the good work, because no one else will.
yes, Rachel...
Rachel sure is doing a superb job on covering DADT.
I don't get why CNN always has the opposing side to these situations, whether it's DADT or the marriage debate. I understand wanting to be 'fair' or whatever, but knowing what the opposing side is going to say is......well....predictable and not really getting anywhere. I like that Rachel gets the actual people who are gay and know firsthand about the whole experience.
DADT
As someone who was fortunate enough to retire from the USAF in 1993 with 18 years ( they were asking for people to retire early then due to a draw down ) I feel sorry for those that have had to relinquish all they have worked for. My retirement check is all that's kept me from being homeless during this recession. I havn't worked since June of 08. DADT is at it's base a truly unamerican policy.
America has always had this split personality when it comes to those in the military that started from the very beginning. Randy Shilts in Conduct Unbecomming ( it should be a must read for every person considering military service) showed that Benjamin Franklin got Baron Frederich Wilhelm Ludolf Gerhard Augustin von Steuben to help General George Washington organize the rag tag group of individuals into an actual military unit. Steuben was a well known homosexual in the European circles though not probably by Franklin til later.
Steuben didn't exactly hide his nature but was not a flaming queen about it either. Washington accepted Steubens military advice and brought discipline and structure to the first military members of America.
There are cases during each of our wars when those in the know, knew that members of the military were gay but accepted them as they were needed in times of war. Once the war was over so were those careers.
It's a circle that continues to this day. As the man who's gravestone adorns these words said "They gave me a medal for killing a man, and a discharge for loving one." It has been and continues to be the ultimate in hypocracy from this country.
wishing for change.
as an active duty military member, i have to deal with the thought of losing my job, my way of life, daily. All because of a sexual preference. I joined the military for the benefits; paying for college, seeing the world, getting paid to do something i love and to get out of my small home town =). And also because i come from a large military family, with service back as far as the first world war. i am proud to do my duty to my country. i was deployed when Obama was elected and was excited at the thought that he would bring change. the policy is ridiculous. it kicks out quality military members who excel at there jobs. i have seen first hand members who are screw ups, for lack of a better term, be allowed to proceed and further their careers when they have multiple times shown that they don't deserve the second chance. And because i am gay and live my life in quiet, i could lose my job. i am out to a few close friends and they see no problem with me. yet when you look at blogs on military sites and see the viewers comments, all they have to say is how the gay community does nothing except tear the military apart. we ruin unit morale. over and over they say awful things about how gays should just disappear, die off. it hurts to know that i am out there fighting for and defending the rights that allow them to say all that they do, and i can't say anything about it. it helps to know that i have people on my side, on the side of the gays in the military.
thank you.