Oh yeah — the military doesn’t give a c**p either.

Faithful (and brilliant) co-admin scrahan posted this comment in response to my article on the DADT-foot dragging.  It’s a very good point, and one I failed to address yesterday. 

Tomate, I think I can make a stab at the (presumably rhetorical) question you posed at the end of this, “Why drag feet on DADT, when the majority of American’s accept the idea of openly gay servicemen and women?” In this case, it’s not whether the majority of American’s are comfortable with it; the question is, are the majority of military, or likely military personnel comfortable.

 I don’t have those numbers, but the conventional thinking (trans. pulling this from my ass and/or heard some homeless guy ranting about it on the sidewalk) is that those are the people who feel strongly about this issue, and would be offended to serve with openly gay servicemen. Is it a good argument? No, soldiers didn’t like blacks or women serving, and both are now integral (if not always, in the case of women, well-integrated. The DOD’s recent study on rape in the military is a pretty harrowing read) members of the military.

 But at least it is an argument, one I would love to see you shred to pieces. At your convenience, my good sir.

Gladly, my good sir.  Gladly.

The Albatross of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell

Lt. Dan Choi has been in the news for a few weeks, and yet he still manages to serve as a human face for the thousands of servicemen and women discharged under DADT since said policy’s inception.  Why might this be?  Is it possible that progressives of all stripes, rather than LGBT Americans exclusively, are beginning to wonder whether gay rights issues aren’t just on the back burner, but have been stuffed in the pantry behind a dusty can of sardines and a six-pack of Tab?  And, moreover, actually care?  Boring statistics below the fold, Choi’s latest conversation with NPR here.