Watch as gay Navy couple torpedo the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" with 'First Kiss' (video)

reportingsandiegoetc, video (00:49):

Video courtesy The Virginian-Pilot. As she stepped off the ship and onto the dock at Virginia Beach, she kissed her partner, and it was all captured in a beautiful, loving photograph with a cheering crowd watching the whole scene. What makes this unique is that Officer 2nd Class Marissa Gaeta of Placerville (California) and her partner, Petty Officer 3rd Class Citlalic Snell of Los Angeles, are the first gay couple in Navy history to share the "first kiss" moment. Read the full story at http://local.sandiego.com/news/gay-navy-couple-torpedo-don-t-ask-don-t-tell-w...

Howie P.S.:

"What you may not be aware of is that capturing this tradition is a long-held military tradition, especially in the Navy. When a ship is returning from a long deployment, officials may hold a raffle to give someone the privilege of exiting their ship (or airplane) before anyone else, so they can be the first to greet those waiting at home. Hey, someone has to be first!"

Guess who won!?!

Obama on DADT Ending: "This is a good day!'

Photo from The Maddow Blog.

DADT "could still be in effect for another six months to a year" (video)

MSNBC-Andrea Mitchell, video (03:40):

Howie P.S.: Joe Solmonese, President of the Human Rights Campaign, talks with Andrea Mitchell.

Maddow: "DADT Revealed, Now What?" (video)

MSNBC-Maddow, video (14:56).

"Kai Wright, Political Humor, and Coming Out Against War" (video)

GRITtv, with video (28:00):

This weekend saw critical votes on Don't Ask Don't Tell and the DREAM Act--one victory and one defeat for progressives. Kai Wright of ColorLines notes that it was grassroots organizing and militant activism that brought both these bills to the point of passage. "In the end it's the outside that moves people. Literally outside the White House, chained to the fence, or DREAM act students hunger striking," he notes.

Kai joins Laura in studio to talk about what can be learned from the movement around the DREAM Act and Don't Ask Don't Tell, moving beyond "inside/outside" strategy, and why the military is traditionally a first step toward wider equality and rights for all Americans.

"I think a comic's job is always to question authority and question the status quo," says Kelly Carlin, daughter of famous political comedian George Carlin. Now, with more Americans trusting Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert to provide not only information, but even political rallies, it seems that political comedy is more relevant than ever.

Kelly joins GRITtv contributor John Fugelsang and comic Lee Camp for a discussion on the place of political comedy--when your guy is in the White House, when the subject is popular and when it's not, parody and satire and the difference between, and much, much more.

Finally, militant action moved Don't Ask Don't Tell, and now it's time to come out against war--and for Bradley Manning.

"LGBT Groups Warn Gay Servicemembers: Don't Come Out, Re-enlist Quite Yet"

Amanda Terkel:

Although both chambers of Congress have now passed a repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT) and the President is expected to sign the legislation into law this week, LGBT advocacy organizations are warning gay and lesbian soldiers not to reveal their sexuality or re-enlist in the military quite yet.

"While the immediate impact of this bill may inspire folks from across the nation, it is important to note that full implementation has yet to take place, and that it is not yet safe for service members to disclose their sexual orientation," wrote the Human Rights Campaign on its blog Saturday afternoon. MORE...

"Fate of DADT and DREAM Act decided today" (with live streaming video)

Barbara Morrill (Kos front page):

The final debates before holding cloture votes on the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" and the DREAM Act are happening in the Senate right now. Both bills will require 60 votes to end debate and move on to final passage.

And while the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" is widely expected to get the needed 60 votes, sadly it appears that the DREAM Act will not.

The first cloture vote will be on the DREAM Act, and is scheduled for approximately 10:30 (EST).

You can watch the action on CSPAN here.

Howie P.S.: Alex Pareene (Salon-The War Room) argues "It's still OK to hate Joe Lieberman":

Sure, he's fighting to repeal "don't ask, don't tell." He's also still a sanctimonious troll.

"How Dems can still eke out a bitter but significant victory"

Adam Serwer:

There are significant downsides, but having fumbled the ball at every stage in the game, a deal that allows an extension of unemployment benefits, passage of DADT repeal and START may be the best possible outcome. For the president in particular, repealing DADT will give him an important symbolic victory to tout in 2012, the kind of historic win that will make disillusioned liberals go to the polls and remember why they put Obama in office in the first place. MORE...

"Why Dems MUST repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell"

Greg Sargent:

Now that Republicans have successfully filibustered Obama's plan to continue tax cuts for everyone but the wealthiest Americans, the only way Dems can walk out of the lame duck session with a genuine victory is to repeal don't Ask Don't Tell. So it's good to see that White House officials are still privately signaling that a vote is likely to happen. MORE...

"Psst: DADT repeal is still not quite dead"

Greg Sargent:

So that's where we are. Repeal isn't quite dead yet. But if it's going to happen, it will only be because the Senate leadership tries to make it happen. MORE...

Stephanie Miller and The Rude Pundit Help Us Laugh to Keep From Crying (audio)

The Rude Pundit, audio (11:42).

Howie P.S.: G.W. Bush, DADT and other harsh realities washed down with wit and wisdom.

Maddow: "What's the deal with DADT now?" (with video)

Maddow blog, with video (01:20):

Sometimes you just need to understand what in the heck is going on. The Obama administration says it wants to end Don't Ask, Don't Tell, and yet yesterday it began the process of appealing a federal district court ruling that it's unconstitutional. One reading of this is that the Obama administration lacks the courage of its convictions -- that it keeps saying it will end the ban on out gays in the military but won't do anything about it.

Last night Walter Dellinger, former solicitor general under President Clinton, provided another take on why President Obama would appeal a ruling that you'd expect him to like. It's about the big picture, Dellinger said:

I think the government really has no choice but to appeal the case because we don't want a system where a single federal judge can invalidate an act of Congress and the president simply say, well, that's it, we're not going to seek to appeal that. MORE...

The Rude Pundit Rants on the DADT Vote (as he should)

The Rude One:

What the Hell Was That DADT Vote Yesterday? That was some kind of kabuki shit yesterday in the Senate on the defense budget authorization bill with the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell in it. Honestly, the Rude Pundit's having a hard time wrapping his head around this one. Sure, sure, it's easy to say, "Those GOP cocksuckers filibustered it because they hate the gays." And that's part of it. But this shit was just weird. We're left with a whole lotta fuck-you's and not a lot of sense.

Let's see: Fuck Susan Collins and her whiny ass voice and flat fucking koala bear face. She went to the floor of the Senate to take a mighty stand for the process over civil rights. Sure, she said, gays should be allowed to serve openly in the military because it's only fair. But, she added, "I cannot vote to proceed to this bill under a situation that is going to shut down debate and preclude Republican amendments. That too is not fair." You got that? Collins believes there's a moral equivalence between the persecution of gays in the military and Republican senators not being allowed to toss shit at the bill. When's it get to be compared to kristallnacht?

Fuck John McCain and anyone who said "Let's wait for the Pentagon study." The DADT provision said outright that there would be no implementation until after the magical questionnaire o' justice is done being tabulated by unbiased military people. (Seriously, has anyone else's civil rights been subject to the results of a poll?)

Fuck Harry Reid for hastily bringing this up in order to get progressives vaguely excited about something for the midterms. Sure, now he can say, "See? Those bastards block everything," but so fucking what? (And fuck the White House for doing nothing to help passage beyond a little press release. Hey, howzabout ending those discharges, your Commander-in-Chiefiness?)

Fuck anyone who says this is "playing politics." It's the Congress. Politics are always at play. You either support something or you don't, especially when it comes to fundamental rights. And, by the way, filibustering a defense bill used to be akin to treason. Now it's just part and parcel of the political landscape. MORE...

"Sen. Franken's Floor Speech Franken on the Don't Ask Don't Tell Policy and the DREAM Act" (video)

SenatorFranken (20:53):

Today, Sen. Franken went to the floor of the Senate to speak in favor of repealing the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy, and in favor of the Dream Act.

"A message from Lady Gaga to the Senate Sept 16 2010" (video)

ladygagaofficial, video (07:29).

Maddow to Obama: "Do the right thing" (video)

MSNBC-Rachel Maddow, video (04:15).

Howie P.S.: Rachel interviews Captain Jonathan Hopkins, video (07:36) who appeared on the air from Seattle. The segment title: "Fired from the Army for being gay."

"Hitler Was Not Gay!" Dan Savage on Countdown (video)

MoxNewsDotCom, video (07:22).

H/t to Darryl.

"Former DNC chair Howard Dean joins 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' protest in front of White House, speaks" (video)

John Aravosis (AMERICAblog) with video (02:50):

Shortly after Dean spoke, several activists handcuffed themselves to the White House gates. Dean was not a scheduled speaker at the protest, but rather, found out about the protest that morning, and said he'd like to attend.

Jon Stewart on "Don't ask don't tell" and Obama (video)

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
The Gay After Tomorrow
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Ron Paul Interview

Comedy Central, video (05:40).

Howie P.S.: Stewart suggests that if Obama "has a lot on his plate" he should get a bigger plate.