Those words can’t even BEGIN to describe how I feel right now. Should I be crying? Should I be screaming? Should I just throw my hands up in submission?
The truth is, reading articles on our government and their decisions lately just make me speechless. Literally, I think if someone were here in my room with me, I wouldn’t be able utter a word…which is why I’ve taken it upon myself to type the words and feelings I cannot say aloud.
Actually, I really don’t know if I can even type them. So I’m not going to try till I’m a little more level-headed than I am at the moment.
I will, however, share this with you:
How much longer do you think we can continue inequality and injustice?! How much longer do you think we can keep THIS up?! How much longer can we continue to endorse the massive chasm that divides our party lines before our country implodes on itself?! How much longer can we have people like THIS and THIS gaining momentum and ranking in our country before we see things going to hell in a handbasket?!
I’m not saying I have all the answers…actually, I’m not saying I have any at all!!!!! But SURELY you can’t watch the news in the morning and get a warm and fuzzy feeling about the direction our country is headed. And I’m talkin’ Fox OR CNN, I don’t give a f&#@ what station you watch – they may both report biases beyond belief, but surely there is NO way you can feed into it so much that you believe it’s a good thing.
I’m a social liberal, fiscal conservative. So I’m personally pissed at both sides right now. So don’t think I’m sitting here saying “gah, the Republicans suck” or “the Democrats are gonna ruin our nation,” because I’m not. I’m saying both at the same time, which makes my emotions even harder to handle right now. Because not only do I not have a side – I’ve got two sides working against me.
Tomorrow, September 21, 2010, will mark a significant date in American History.
The opportunity to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT) will come before the Senate and will undoubtedly result in a landmark decision. I say landmark, because no matter whether it is approved or denied, it will send an impressive message to the entire world. It is up to us to make sure that the “impressive” nature of the results reflect positively on our society and our amazing country.
DADT, formally known by the title “Military Personnel Eligibility Act of 1993,” prevents gays and lesbians from openly serving in the military. It also prohibits the military from asking sexual orientation on recruitment forms; however, it DOES NOT prevent the military from investigating whether a service member is homosexual. In the United States, more than 12,000 individuals, willing to serve the US with dignity and die for freedom (a luxury that is ironically not even allotted to themselves), have been discharged from the military due to their sexual orientation.
There are many countries (25 to be pretty exact) around the world already allowing gays and lesbians to openly serve in the military. Canada and England are two such countries. Canada began allowing gays to openly serve in the armed forces in 1992 – talk about way ahead of their time!!!! – amid claims from 45% of currently serving military members that they would refuse to work with gay peers. Canada has since reported “no effect” since the ban was lifted. England allowed gays to openly serve in 2000 amid numerous claims that their military would be adversely affected as well. England has also since reported “a marked lack of reaction.” Canada not only accepts gays into the military but also actually allows gay marriages on their military bases, and Israel (gays openly allowed in military since 1993) provides benefits to same-sex partners of its military forces. (SOURCE, SOURCE)
I understand some people’s arguments against the repeal of DADT, but for the dispelling of the most common myths regarding Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, please visit THIS site.
I leave you with an interesting fact:
“A lot of recruits would be more leery of bunking next to an ex-con than a homosexual, but the military admits hundreds of felons each year, including some violent ones.” (SOURCE)
“Data released by a congressional committee shows the numbers of soldiers admitted to the Army with felony records jumped from 249 in 2006 to 511 in 2007. And the number of Marines with felonies rose from 208 to 350. A bit more than half of the Army’s 511 convictions in 2007 were for various types of thefts…130 for drug offenses…two for manslaughter…five for sexual crimes…three for negligent or vehicular homicide…[and] two received waivers for terrorist threats including bomb threats. At least 235 of the Marine Corps’ 350 waivers were various types of thefts…another 63 were for assaults or robberies that included the use of a weapon…1 for manslaughter…4 four sex crimes…and 5 for terror threats, including bomb threats.” (SOURCE)
So…
“On the one hand, the Pentagon is discharging highly-qualified, honest, law-abiding men and women because they are gay, while on the other hand granting waivers to rapists, killers, kidnappers and terrorists. Repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” will reduce the need to grant felony waivers.” (SOURCE)
SO WHAT CAN YOU DO?!
Watch the video below, provided by Lady Gaga, and call your senator NOW!!!!
I am unfortunately not able to call my senators due to my geographic location and absurd international calling rates, but I HAVE enlisted a friend to call on my behalf. I have also emailed my senators, David Vitter and Mary Landrieu, and posted on Facebook and Twitter (reaching approximately 1,500 people) to call or email in support of the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.
I’m attempting to do my part the best way I know, and your help would be much appreciated by myself and millions around our country!
Click HERE to see how you can contact your senators and help end this inequality!!!
You can also call the Congressional switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask for your senator’s office. If they are not available, please ask to talk to one of their staff members or leave them a message in the hopes they listen to their constituents.
I would like to dedicate the following song and this post to my best friend in the world: Hannah. I know I’ve mentioned her before, but I’d like to take a moment to tell you just how awesome she really is. (Click below to see the entire post)
So I’ve been doing a ton of cooking today, and I thought I’d share with you what I’ve been making! Don’t judge me on the photography, trying to cook and take pictures of everything proved to be quite difficult…but for you, I did my best ;)
I'm Ross - a son, a brother, an uncle, a grandson, a friend, a photographer, a student, a blogger (among other things ;), and this is my attempt at a WebLog! I'll be updating on things such as: family, trips, school, friends, and life in general. I apologize now for any philosophical or political posts you may not agree with...but after all, this is my blog, so that's my prerogative ;)
