Pentagon Steps Up Talks on Ending ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’

By GottaLaff

Step up the stepping up, okay Pentagon?

The Pentagon is stepping up internal discussions on how gay men and lesbians might be able to serve openly in the armed services, military officials said on Thursday, in anticipation of fulfilling President Obama’s campaign pledge to repeal the “don’t ask, don’t tell” law.

The discussions, centered in a small group assembled by Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, are in preparation for a possible Senate hearing on the 1993 law this month.

"Possible" hearing? Why must it be only "possible"? Why can't it finally be a "probable" hearing, or an "impending" hearing? That was semi-rhetorical.

Now for the part that never fails to induce an eye roll:

Despite the uncertainty of timing, another military official said that the Department of Defense was beginning to look at the practical implications of a repeal — for example, whether it would be necessary to change shower facilities and locker rooms because of privacy concerns, whether to ban public displays of affection on military bases and what to do about troops who are stationed or make port calls in nations that outlaw homosexuality.

My eyes roll because of the antiquated mind sets and concerns of people, groups, and entire nations.

If straight men and women can (supposedly) resist giving in to impulses, why wouldn't gay men and women have the same ability? Why do homophobes and others continue to perceive Teh Gay as impetuous, licentious horndogs who apparently can't control themselves long enough to refrain from jumping anyone and everyone of their own gender?

The reality is, we need skilled men and women in the military, and DADT is impeding enlistments.

The reality is, there have been hetero sexual assaults galore in the military-- including contractors, as Al Franken pointed out-- but for whatever reason, the Pentagon has trivialized those, and instead has their night-visioned eagle eye focused on on man-on-man/woman-on-woman lust.

The reality is, it's 2010.

Time to grow up, wise up, man/woman up, and put an end to discrimination and discharges based on who somebody is attracted to.

Live Streaming Video- Senate Committee Votes On Sotomayor

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The Senate Judiciary Committee meets this morning to consider the nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to join the Supreme Court.

With Democrats holding a 12-7 majority on the committee -- and at least one Republican senator, Lindsey Graham (R-SC), expected to vote in favor -- she should easily move past this hurdle.

Assuming it's a 13-6 vote in favor of Sotomayor, it's interesting to note that John Roberts passed through the Judiciary committee on a 13-5 vote.

Video- Leahy: 'Stop the racial politics' on Sotomayor

SMACK. What I hear from the PR's in my family, that is exactly how they are coming off.

Sen. Pat Leahy (D-Vt.) accused the Republicans of playing the race card on Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor.

"You have one leader of the Republican party call her the equivalent of the head of the Ku Klux Klan. Another leader of the Republican party called her a bigot," said Leahy, appearing on CNN's "State of the Union," and citing Republican attacks on Sotomayor's advocacy for a Hispanic legal group. "The leadership of the Republican party came out against her long before we had the hearings, long before they looked at her record. I think that's unfair."

"I hope we don't go back to the day when we used to African-Americans up for confirmation and say yes, but you belong to the NAACP so we're really suspicious of you," said Leahy. "Come on, stop the racial politics--"

Sen. Jeff Sessions, the ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary committee tried to jump in, saying, "Come on Pat, I want to disagree--" but Leahy continued:

"That's what comes across. It comes across that if you belong to a group that tries to help Hispanics... somehow you're suspicious. The same arguments were used against Thurgood Marshall and I think it's wrong."

Cartoon of the Day

Click to enlarge, via.

Live Streaming Video- Sotomayor Senate Hearings

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I just heard from one of my PR relatives this am, and the consensus is that these proceedings are not going over well with Hispanics, Latinos and especially Puerto Ricans. Hate to see the Republicans do this to themselves.

Live Streaming Video- Senate Hearings of Sonia Sotomayor

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Cartoon of the Day

Click to enlarge, via.

Video- Senator Sessions on judicial "empathy"

FreeTortureReport.com

From WaterTiger and friends.

Olbermann interviews Sen. Whitehouse on torture hearings

Russ Feingold- The memos Cheney wants declassified say nothing

From Jessalyn Radack's live blog of the hearings on Kos-

10:31 Senator Russ Feingold: the former vice president is misleading the American people. Feingold says he has seen the memos Cheney is talking about and much besides, and nothing suggests any gain from the torture. Feingold wants our country to "return to the rule of law." He supports an "independent commission of inquiry as Senator Leahy has proposed."

Video via Think Progress.

Top FBI Agent Will Detail Failures Of Enhanced Interrogation, Contradict Claim That It Worked

Greg has alot more, including an outline of Soufan's testimony. Wonder how much time this will get on the cablers? You can stream the hearing here.

A top FBI interrogator who witnessed CIA enhanced interrogations firsthand will offer a detailed explanation at a Senate hearing today of the ways the techniques were ineffective and even counterproductive — and will directly contradict claims that they extracted high-value information, according to an advance copy of his testimony.

(snip)

The use of the techniques “taints sources, risks outcomes, ignores the end game, and diminishes our moral high ground in a battle that is impossible to win without first capturing the hearts and minds around the world,” he will say. “It was one of the worst and most harmful decisions made in our efforts against al Qaeda.”

Soufan, an F.B.I. supervisory special agent from 1997 to 2005, is set to testify today before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Senate Hearing On Big Three Bridge Loans Live

Expect lots of posturing from Republicans wanting to bolster up their "fiscal conservative" bona fides. Live streaming here.