About Damn Time
December 23rd, 2010 | 
Author: I’ve been away on a grueling, albeit rewarding, business trip for the last handful of days and therefore involuntarily blacked out from news and all things political.
I first got wind in an airport bar late the other night. I welled up a little while reading the crawl at the bottom of the screen as I nursed my double Hendrick’s on ice. I smiled to myself.
What I had begun to regard as nearly impossible actually happened.
The opportunity for reason to take pride in my country has been fleeting of late.
On December 18 2010, the senate voted 65 to 31 to repeal the efficaciously ludicrous policy of ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’.
Wow.
LBGT equality is the defining civil rights issue of contemporary American society. The obstreperously obstinate opposition to them by Senators John McCain and Kyl will forever define them as archaic, absurd and obsolete at least in my mind. Poster codgers if you will, for what’s wrong with this country and it’s most esteemed deliberative body. Further proof that bigotry and intolerance are and will inevitably be mitigated and forever eroded by social and emotionally intellectual evolution. If you’re a frequent reader here, you’re familiar with this theme.
Then there’s this asshole in Virginia:
“It’s a distraction when I’m on the battlefield and have to concentrate on the enemy 600 yards away and I’m worried about this guy whose got eyes on me,” the lawmaker, Delegate Bob Marshall (R), told WUSA9. “If I needed a blood transfusion and the guy next to me had committed sodomy 14 times in the last month I’d be worried.” -TPM
Yeah dude, you know how fags and dykes want, can and do ass rape or molest every other human being, regardless of sexual orientation, age or degree of consent, godless heathens that they are. As opposed to good Christians who never even entertain the notion of fucking anyone or anything they are forbade by their god to fuck or fondle. As an unapologetic heterosexual, I say to you Mr. Marshall, blow me. You ridiculous self righteous goofcock.
Yes, racism is still breathing giant lungfuls of air in America. Not just racism, but nationalism, chauvinism, jingoism, discrimination, misogyny and an abject systemic sclerosis still enjoy way too much gravity and far too many headlines but it is all in a state of atrophy. Dinosaurs like McCain, Kyl and Marshall are just that. Soon to be political fossils for us to study and learn what went wrong and why they didn’t evolve and subsequently survive.
They push as hard as they do, they insist so adamantly and vehemently, because they see the writing on the wall. They refuse to own their own their mutually assured extinction even though their reptilian oblongatas recognize it and instinctually scream for the cortex to do some goddamn thing. Anything. And that is why as a group, they so often appear to be such complete fucking idiots.
Jeff Sessions’ opinion on the 111th congress:
“I think it was a disaster” -Countdown With Keith Olbermann
Idiot.
A reporter for CNS News had the temerity to ask Barney Frank about military personnel showering with homosexuals:
“Showering with homosexuals! What do you think happens in gyms all over America? What do you think happens in the House of Representatives?” “What, what, what do you think goes wrong when people shower with homosexuals? Do you think it’s the spray makes it catching?” “………..I mean, uh, we don’t get ourselves dry-cleaned.” -examiner.com
Loves me some Barney Frank.
I adored Obama’s pride and elation upon signing it today. “This is done”, he said, pounding his hand on the desk. Change we can believe in indeed.
“For we are not a nation that says, ‘don’t ask, don’t tell,’ ” Obama told 500 guests at a signing ceremony at the Interior Department. “We are a nation that says, ‘Out of many, we are one.’ ” -politico44
The repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell is an authentic manifest. Significant like nobody’s business.
Wow.
It gives me hope I honestly didn’t anticipate. It appears that the rush of profound legislative accomplishments (START and funding for 911 first responders and repeal of DADT), occurring over the last few “lame duck” days may have been the intended brass ring I among many saw as a sellout tax deal. Maybe he does have long game after all. He’s managed to hand the Republicans an embarrassingly onerous lunch buffet. Fuckin’ A.
From nonplussed to pleased.
Excellent chess Mr. President. Good for you.
Happy holidays to you and your lovely family.
The same to all of you who read this.
Drinks for my friends.
Posted in Uncategorized
Great op-ed Michael. Thanks.
President Obama- king of the rope-a-dope. Gotta love it.
Have a merry Christmas and wonderful New Year !
Janet
King of the rope-a-dope indeed. He fooled me and I’m grateful for it. Same to you.
As a former military officer, an Army nurse, it’s wonderful to finally see DADT a thing of the past. I served with many wonderful gay and lesbian soldiers. It’s great to know that they will no longer have to live a lie in order to serve their country. And if Delegate Bob Marshall is too worried about some guy having his eye on him that he can’t concentrate on the enemy 600 yards away, he deserves to let natural selection do it’s part and let the enemy finish him off. He’ll probably even win that year’s Darwin Award.
Natural selection. It chaps my ass people like this are contributing to the gene pool. Thanks for reading.
Michael,
Thanks for the add on FB and the post. The repeal of Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell is not only a victory for President Obama but also redemption for Bill Clinton. This policy was forced on Clinton in responce to his willingness to allow gay and lesbians to serve without fear of reprisals. To enact a policy well-intentioned but having the opposite effect was both overtly and subversivly counter-intuitive at the same time. Reminds me of the scene in “Stripes” where the Army recruiter is asking Bill Murray and Harrold Ramis if they are homosexuals…”No, only on the weekends,” replies Murray. “But we are willing to learn,” chimes in Ramis.
Although I am still upset at Obama for kicking the can on the Bush Tax Cuts and seemingly continuing the economic policies of the past 30 years (save Clinton), I will admit that he finally showed the Whig Party who’s boss in Washington. Now, while it will be fun watching the republicans tear each other up over the next two years we have to also get more done before the election in 2012. I hope Boehner and the others in Congress realize this. There are several ways to do that, but I think Obama, given the circumstances and his ability to seeming rise above the muck, can do that even with the House in the hands of the nutjobs.
We shall see, but I am hopeful. We may yet witness brilliant acumen on his part and an intellectual implosion on the part of the overly zealous and dogmatic Republicans. That would be great fun to witness precisely because they and we deserve such a show.
Thank you in at least a small part for keeping my battered liberal spirit afloat in 2010. My year was rough, but I’m still here. I won’t make any pretentious efforts to say that you were the reason why I survived the year. You are just a mere blogger, after all. I’ve said it before, and much to your chagrin, I’ve said it again.
But your words have the power to move me, you write with a furious conscience that has its roots in an era when words like blogger and internet, computer and television, heck, when even electricity and indoor plumbing had no meaning. You speak to truth immemorial. You always write with you face in the light. Modern civilization owes its place to all those who for better or worse chose to keep their face in the light.
I wish you a very merry christmas, and I hope you’re face remains bathed in light for all of 2011 and beyond. The truth rocks, and so do you. Keep up the good work.
I’m aware that you have been reading for some time and I sincerely appreciate it. I don’t think it’s necessarily a big deal for me to call it like I see it, particularly in light of the attendant catharsis.
I enjoy it. It’s my zen.
I’m humbled by your description of my “furious conscience”. Thank you. My best friend in life marveled some 25 years ago at my willingness to engage in confrontation. I guess I’ve always been this way; to put my “face in the light” as you say.
I hope your holidays were all you needed. Mine were for the first time in a few years. Thank you so much for reading and even more for participating.
Michael, thanks for the add and for the passion…you gave me a chuckle and I gave you a “Bravo!”
I am curious to know what you have to say about Speaker Boner and his soggy hanky, and the need for him to have an over sized gavel.
Thanks for reading.
Boehner is most likely sincere with his waterworks but it’s going to get old fast and will cost him. He’s a man who’s clearly full of himself and he won’t be able to conceal that for much longer. He is extraordinarily intellectually dishonest.