I know that my opinion is not popular. However, I know a few senators personally and a little of how all of this stuff works. If you go in with guns blazing and make people change their minds, it will only come around to bite you later. You have to make them believe that it was their idea in the first place. Second is that in a group such as this, you never want to be the one that puts something over the top. IF things fall apart later, you are the bad guy and out of a job.
When DADT was started, it stopped the witch hunts that were going on. It was a good thing and a good first step. People are changing. In a world where everyone gets whatever they want right away, we need to remember that true change takes time.
Repeal will happen. It's not that far in the future. Just be patient.
I agree Stew. I am just wondering what the difference was that enabled the Supreme Court in Canada to say/state that the 'Rights and Freedoms' of gays were being violated and said that it was unconstitutional. Each province passed laws after that to accept that court ruling. I am not the brightest bulb on the block and realize that there are differences between our governments, but why hasn't that happened in the U.S.? It will come for sure but why it hasn't already baffles me. Jim
I would agree, broadly, with Stew, but when the issue was blacks serving in the military, President Truman simply issued a presidential order desegregating all branches of the military.
I had hoped that Obama might have had similar courage, but that has proved not to be the case.
The difference between gays and blacks when it comes to this stuff is that many still believe that we choose to be gay. Not thinking for a second that no one in thier right mind would ever choose this life of discimination and hatred. Blacks simply have no choice and can't hide who they are. Yes! we do have a choice.... Live like they want us to or live our own lives. Easy choice for me now, but it took me 30 years to decide that.
Besides, we aren't being segregated in the military, we just can't let anyone know who we truely are. It's a very different issue. I still believe that it will happen soon. Only the details have to be worked out.
You're right, of course, Stew, about the choice aspect. From my current point of view, it seems obvious that one of the main reasons why the cause of gay rights has moved more slowly than that of racial rights is that was can choose to hide. People always knew when they were talking to, or living next-door to or dealing with someone of a different race but, until relatively recently, they could easily spend their lives living or working near gay people and never know.
If more of us came out of the closet, I think it would make a huge difference. Like you, though, it took me a good few years to pluck up the courage. It was a non-event as it happens, but that wasn't obvious to me beforehand.
6 comments:
I know that my opinion is not popular. However, I know a few senators personally and a little of how all of this stuff works. If you go in with guns blazing and make people change their minds, it will only come around to bite you later. You have to make them believe that it was their idea in the first place. Second is that in a group such as this, you never want to be the one that puts something over the top. IF things fall apart later, you are the bad guy and out of a job.
When DADT was started, it stopped the witch hunts that were going on. It was a good thing and a good first step. People are changing. In a world where everyone gets whatever they want right away, we need to remember that true change takes time.
Repeal will happen. It's not that far in the future. Just be patient.
I agree Stew. I am just wondering what the difference was that enabled the Supreme Court in Canada to say/state that the 'Rights and Freedoms' of gays were being violated and said that it was unconstitutional. Each province passed laws after that to accept that court ruling.
I am not the brightest bulb on the block and realize that there are differences between our governments, but why hasn't that happened in the U.S.? It will come for sure but why it hasn't already baffles me.
Jim
Stew makes a lotta sense. He must be older than me.
I especially like: "You have to make them believe that it was their idea in the first place."
I would agree, broadly, with Stew, but when the issue was blacks serving in the military, President Truman simply issued a presidential order desegregating all branches of the military.
I had hoped that Obama might have had similar courage, but that has proved not to be the case.
The difference between gays and blacks when it comes to this stuff is that many still believe that we choose to be gay. Not thinking for a second that no one in thier right mind would ever choose this life of discimination and hatred.
Blacks simply have no choice and can't hide who they are. Yes! we do have a choice.... Live like they want us to or live our own lives. Easy choice for me now, but it took me 30 years to decide that.
Besides, we aren't being segregated in the military, we just can't let anyone know who we truely are. It's a very different issue.
I still believe that it will happen soon. Only the details have to be worked out.
You're right, of course, Stew, about the choice aspect. From my current point of view, it seems obvious that one of the main reasons why the cause of gay rights has moved more slowly than that of racial rights is that was can choose to hide. People always knew when they were talking to, or living next-door to or dealing with someone of a different race but, until relatively recently, they could easily spend their lives living or working near gay people and never know.
If more of us came out of the closet, I think it would make a huge difference. Like you, though, it took me a good few years to pluck up the courage. It was a non-event as it happens, but that wasn't obvious to me beforehand.
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