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GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE May 22, 2009

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www.GayPeoplesChronicle.com

Obama may be backing away from 'don't ask' repeal

by Eric Resnick

Washington, D.C.-The firing of gay Army Lt. Dan Choi on May 5 has revealed a new ambivalence of the Obama administration toward repealing the military's ban on gay servicemembers, and advocates worry that the White House may be trying to craft an unacceptable compromise.

Choi, who announced he is gay March 19 on MSNBC's Rachel Maddow show, is a West Point graduate, a veteran of the Iraq occupation, and a founding member of Knights Out, the organization of gay West Point graduates. He is also an Arabic linguist the 54th gay Arabic Linguist kicked out of the armed services since September 11, 2001.

A bill to repeal "don't ask, don't tell"—itself a compromise from 1993 was introduced in the House by Rep. Ellen Tauscher of California in March, but has not moved since.

There is growing consensus that repealing the ban on openly gay and lesbian servicemembers was never a high priority of Congress nor the administration, despite Barack Obama's call for its repeal as a candidate.

Obama told reporters in August, 2007, that he would enlist the help of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to call for an end to "don't ask don't tell," echoing a pledge he had made during a televised Democratic primary candidate debate that evening.

Registry

Continued from page 1

the rights King won because a gay designed the strategy?"

"If King were here today, he would be standing with you," Frazier said.

Jumping the broom

Before going into city hall to register, Leslye Huff and Mary Ostendorf, partners for 25 years, as well as parents and grandparents, celebrated an African marriage tradition of jumping over a broom.

The tradition dates back to the 1600s, and signifies the entrance into a new life together by sweeping away old single lives. During U.S. slavery, when black slaves were not allowed to marry, the tradition became their proxy for marriage, a symbol of the couple's love and devotion to one another.

"You may not recognize this marriage, but we do," Huff explained, comparing it to the registry.

"The registry is not marriage, just like jumping the broom is not marriage," Huff said, "but it's recognition."

David Caldwell of Ask Cleveland, a group working to save the registry from

"It doesn't make sense when we have lost Arabic linguists, when we need them so desperately," Obama said then. He repeated his pledge to repeal "don't ask don't tell" throughout the campaign.

Polls show overwhelming support for repealing the policy, some as high as three-quarters of Americans.

But Obama now shows signs of backing away from the pledge.

"Why is he [Obama] becoming so conservative now that he's got the job?" House Judiciary Chair John Conyers asked during an interview with the Michigan Messenger at a May 16 gathering of progressive activists. "I think he is getting a lot of pressure put on him from the right, from conservatives. And he is trying to prove to the Republicans that he is bipartisan.”

Conyers' comments were in response to a question about repealing the ban, one day after White House press secretary Robert Gibbs equivocated when asked a similar question by a reporter.

"The president supports 'changing' that," Gibbs said, with hesitation. Gibbs and Obama had previously used absolute terms like “repeal" and "get rid of."

In January, before Obama was inaugurated, Gibbs answered a question from a Michigander who asked, "Is the new administration going to get rid of the "don't ask don't tell" policy? Gibbs replied with confidence, "You don't

repeal should the opponents get a measure to the ballot, admonished those assembled to remain vigilant.

"Today is a day to celebrate,' Caldwell said, "but a few blocks from here, they are gathering signatures."

Caldwell was referring to a National Day of Prayer event on Public Square where repeal petitions were being circulated and speakers were urging people to sign them.

Caldwell pointed out that the day before, Maine's governor signed marriage equality into law. He noted that the journey to that point took years, and began in response to a threatened marriage ban amendment to Maine's constitution.

Equality Maine showed up with more than 33,000 postcards signed by people in favor of marriage equality and rebuffed the religious amendment back-

ers.

Caldwell worked with Equality Maine and Ask Cleveland sent 11 of its members to Maine earlier this month for training.

Caldwell said the next step is to persuade the Cleveland council to add

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hear a politician give a one-word answer much, but it is 'yes.'

The president also seems unwilling to issue an executive order to halt the firings of gay servicemembers until Congress takes action. This is within his right as commander-in-chief.

Asked by the same reporter about this, Gibbs said, "The president has determined that is not the way to seek a lasting or durable solution."

This reporter asked the White House if the president would be willing to issue such an order as a temporary solution.

Spokesperson Shin Inouye answered that Gibbs already addressed that with the first reporter.

As to whether Gibbs misspoke using the word "change," Inouye said, "As has been said many times, the president remains committed to repealing don't ask, don't tell."

John Aravosis, a gay blogger who writes on the subject, said of Gibbs' changes and the lack of clarity from the administration: "I think the senior political people, with the help of the national security folks, have concocted a cute little scheme whereby the president does 'something' on DADT in the next year or so—just enough to claim he didn't break his repeated promises. He will 'change' the policy, not repeal it, in some way that cuts the baby of bigotry in half, and gives half to the gays and half to the bigots. And we'll be told, take it or leave it." A few weeks ago, the civil rights section of the

protection for transgender people to the city's human rights ordinance. Currently, it covers sexual orientation and other classes.

"We want to make it so that when they cast that vote it doesn't require so much bravery," Caldwell said.

Two Ask Cleveland volunteers, Jim Baxter and Jamie McDaniel of Mayfield Heights, were registered couple num-

ber 25.

"We're not going to stay in a place

White House website was changed, including the promise to repeal "don't ask don't tell."

The change led to a number of comments in the community questioning the commitment to repeal the law. The White House immediately called these "false."

"I fear that this is why Robert Gibbs has lost his voice," wrote Aravosis. "Because he secretly knows that we're on the path to getting screwed."

"What other explanation is there for the ongoing weirdness coming out of a once-resolute White House and its senior representatives on this repeated, and clear, promise by our president?"

At a Pentagon news briefing on May 19, spokesperson Geoff Morrell said that the military's top leaders have only had initial discussions with the White House about whether gay troops should be open about their sexuality, and said that the White House has not asked for the law to be repealed.

Morrell said Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs Chair Adm. Mike Mullen both have discussed the issue with Obama.

"They're aware of where the president wants to go on this issue, but I don't think that there is any sense of any immediate developments in the offing on efforts to repeal don't ask-don't tell," Morrell said.

However, Inouye said, "The Joint Chiefs are a major stakeholder and it is entirely appropriate that they should be included in discussions on this topic. ✓

that doesn't recognize our relationship," said McDaniel, a doctoral student at Case Western Reserve University.

Registered couple number 22 is Carol Smith and Sue Clement of Cleveland, who have been together 25 years.

""

Clement said they registered because "it's as close as we're going to get to marriage.' "And we got to say 'I do' added Smith.

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Community property

""

Mark Aldrich walked into Flex a free man, and left as Mr. Flex Leather on May 16, winning the second annual competition.

Johnny Boy, Mr. Flex Leather 2008, noted in his farewell speech that contestants often think that the work is over once the competition is won, but nothing could be farther from the truth. "For the next year, you're the community's bitch," he laughed.

"This year I hope to meet and hear from anyone wanting to express some ideas to help to bring community closer together," Aldrich said. "But to reiterate, thank you everyone at the contest, for without the support of the community and my great friends I never would have this chance."

It was a hard-fought competition, with just a few points from the judges separating the winner from the runners-up.

"Although Mark Aldrich was named Mr. Flex Leather 2009 after a very close tally, they all showed the judges that as individuals bridging all aspects of our communities, will give us a clearer voice as we engage in battle to win equal rights that as American citizens we all rightfully deserve," says head judge James Foster, co-owner of contest organizers R and J Leather Productions.

-Anthony Glassman