"Change" You Can’t Count On
When campaigning to the LGBT community, President-Elect Obama made the repeal of the military’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy a component of his platform. The official policy statement still found on Obama’s web site contains some fairly firm language regarding prohibiting discrimination and in general, a sense of urgency:
“Repeal Don’t Ask-Don’t Tell:
Barack Obama agrees with former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff John Shalikashvili and other military experts that we need to repeal the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. The key test for military service should be patriotism, a sense of duty, and a willingness to serve. Discrimination should be prohibited. The U.S. government has spent millions of dollars replacing troops kicked out of the military because of their sexual orientation. Additionally, more than 300 language experts have been fired under this policy, including more than 50 who are fluent in Arabic. Obama will work with military leaders to repeal the current policy and ensure it helps accomplish our national defense goals.”
But in an exclusive report from the Washington Post, Obama and his transition team have indicated that the issue will likely not be dealt with “for months, and perhaps not until 2010” so that the administration can take time to discuss the issue with military leaders, build a consensus and then take a formal request to congress.
While it’s true, of course, this could be part of a larger plan touching multiple facets of the military, it could also be that the issues facing our community aren’t as important to Obama as his campaign promised. Couple this delay with his lack of commenting on the national protests for marriage equality, and we’re left a little bit wanting.
When it comes down to it, should issues of civil rights really require months for building a consensus? Would the civil rights movement of the ‘60s have progressed if time was taken for a majority of the population to support equal rights for people of all colors? No. What was required then and is required today are leaders willing to stand behind “change” and take immediate steps to jump start moving our society to the next phase.
What do you think? Should Obama be taking a stronger and more vocal stance on LGBT issues?
(Photo: Getty Images)