On DADT, it gets worse.
The anti-gay rhetoric coming from Pentagon leaders just keeps getting uglier. The biggest offender is Obama’s pick to lead the Marines, General James Amos. Yesterday, John posted Amos’ latest public attack on repealing the DADT law.
AP printed the full DADT-related quotes from Amos, which basically accuse gay Marines of being sexual predators:
“There’s risk involved,” he said. “I’m trying to determine how to measure that risk.”The corps is exempt from a Defense Department rule for troops to have private living quarters except at basic training or officer candidate schools. The Marines puts two people in each room to promote a sense of unity.
“There is nothing more intimate than young men and young women — and when you talk of infantry, we’re talking our young men — and sharing death, fear and loss of brothers,” General Amos said. “I don’t know what the effect of that will be on cohesion. I mean, that’s what we’re looking at. It’s unit cohesion, it’s combat effectiveness.”
Intimate? What an insult to the gay men and women who have served in the Marines since its inception. And, there are many. What an absolute denigration of their professionalism and their service to this country.
Not like anyone warned us about this. Oh, wait. GetEQUAL did. Via Brad Luna:
On June 17th, the day of the “closed press”, Oval Office meeting between President Obama and General James Amos, GetEQUAL issued a press release demanding the President discuss DADT during the meeting and then explain directly to the LGBT community where his reported choice for Commandant stood on DADT repeal. In GetEQUAL’s release, Robin McGehee stated, “Following today’s meeting, we will be looking toward the White House for open and honest communication with the LGBT community regarding what the General told President Obama his beliefs were on the issue of repeal. We are at too critical of a moment for us to accept a wink and a nod, telling us ‘not to worry,’ as replacement for a transparent, public record of General Amos’ stance.” [AMERICAblog Gay posted that entire GetEQUAL press release from June 17th here.]GetEQUAL was the lone voice that day demanding the President address the issue with Gen. Amos — and then openly and honestly communicate to DADT repeal advocates and the LGBT community Amos’ beliefs on the issue of repeal. Without a unified front holding the Administration’s feet to the fire, the White House said nothing and moved forward with publicly announcing Amos’ selection. Either they never asked him about DADT repeal; they knew where he stood and chose to not tell the LGBT community — selecting him anyway; or Amos’ lied about his views.
Whatever happened behind those closed doors…we may never know. However, what we do know is that Amos went on to be nominated, approved — and yesterday did his best to close the last remaining legislative door to DADT repeal in 2010.
Oh, and President Obama – well, exactly five days after his Oval Office meeting with Amos, he invited a group of LGBT folks large enough to fill up the East Room of the White House over to have cocktails and celebrate Pride month.
And people still wonder why so many in our community are angry and disheartened.
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