Obama thanks supporters for repeal of military gay ban

[jefferson_dem]

Obama thanks supporters for repeal of military gay ban
09:32 AM

President Obama is thanking his political supporters for congressional repeal of the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy against gays.

"This victory belongs to you," Obama said in an e-mail to members of Organizing For America, the pro-Obama political arm of the Democratic National Committee. "Without your commitment, the promise I made as a candidate would have remained just that."

Obama also credited Democratic congressional leaders Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, and urged Organizing For America members to sign thank-you letters to them and other lawmakers.

OFA lobbying against "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" proved that "no one should underestimate this movement," Obama wrote. "Every phone call to a senator on the fence, every letter to the editor in a local paper, and every message in a congressional inbox makes it clear to those who would stand in the way of justice: We will not quit."

In pledging to sign the repeal of the military's gay ban, Obama also wrote that, "I will never know what it feels like to be discriminated against because of my sexual orientation."

But the nation's first African-American president added that "I know my story would not be possible without the sacrifice and struggle of those who came before me -- many I will never meet, and can never thank."

Obama's e-mail in full:

Moments ago, the Senate voted to end "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

When that bill reaches my desk, I will sign it, and this discriminatory law will be repealed.

Gay and lesbian service members -- brave Americans who enable our freedoms -- will no longer have to hide who they are.

The fight for civil rights, a struggle that continues, will no longer include this one.

This victory belongs to you. Without your commitment, the promise I made as a candidate would have remained just that.

Instead, you helped prove again that no one should underestimate this movement. Every phone call to a senator on the fence, every letter to the editor in a local paper, and every message in a congressional inbox makes it clear to those who would stand in the way of justice: We will not quit.

This victory also belongs to Senator Harry Reid, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and our many allies in Congress who refused to let politics get in the way of what was right.

Like you, they never gave up, and I want them to know how grateful we are for that commitment.

Will you join me in thanking them by adding your name to Organizing for America's letter?

I will make sure these messages are delivered -- you can also add a comment about what the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" means to you.

As Commander in Chief, I fought to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" because it weakens our national security and military readiness. It violates the fundamental American principles of equality and fairness.

But this victory is also personal.

I will never know what it feels like to be discriminated against because of my sexual orientation.

But I know my story would not be possible without the sacrifice and struggle of those who came before me -- many I will never meet, and can never thank.

I know this repeal is a crucial step for civil rights, and that it strengthens our military and national security. I know it is the right thing to do.

But the rightness of our cause does not guarantee success, and today, celebration of this historic step forward is tempered by the defeat of another -- the DREAM Act. I am incredibly disappointed that a minority of senators refused to move forward on this important, commonsense reform that most Americans understand is the right thing for our country. On this issue, our work must continue.

Today, I'm proud that we took these fights on.

Please join me in thanking those in Congress who helped make "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal possible:

http://my.barackobama.com/Repealed

Thank you,

Barack

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2010/12/obama-thanks-supporters-for-repeal-of-military-gay-ban/1?csp=34

[kirby]

1. Takes real courage...

to 'get something passed' that has almost 80% public support across both parties.

[vaberella]

2. Even more when it could have failed for the upteenth time. n/t

[Swede]

3. Yes,this was so easy.

Idjit.

[jefferson_dem]

7. Right.

Rather small potatoes ending DADT was. After all, polls show that was supported by a majority of the public. Nothing to see here...

[treestar]

11. this kind of remark is just dumb

We do not have a directly proportional system.

It took a lot of work.

[CakeGrrl]

22. Let's just let the American public make the laws. Why didn't we think of that before?

:eyes:

[vaberella]

4. I got this email. Thanks JD. Most on DU didn't get it, since they were proud to unsubscribe.

I'm glad I stayed.

[Bluenorthwest]

5. So he thanks everyone who raised hell about this.

Where is the part where he whines about 'bashing' and 'over the top criticism'? He seems to be saying he liked the uproar, that the noise was support. I sure don't see the part where he says we should have just shut up and chilled because he had this, I see him saying thanks for the pressure, the context, the set and setting in which this victory was possible.
After all those months of DUers whining about the dust being kicked up, here is the President saying thanks for kicking up the dust. Funny, that.

[jefferson_dem]

6. Mornin' Bluenorthwest.

Wonderful accomplishment yesterday, eh. :toast: ... :)

[Bluenorthwest]

13. Yes indeedy! And long time coming too.

I also by the way loved the President's letter. I hope those who get nervous over intense politics will take note of the victory, how it was won, and the fact that the job of those of us who are supernumiaries in the scene is to make the context in which change is possible. The repeal got done. Which was the entire point. The President, if you ask me, cares about the victory, not about the days before it and who says what about him, just as I really don't care what gets said along the way by Gibbs or anyone else, as long as we get the victory. The President never, ever said 'chill I got this'. He said make me.
I come from a complex and negotiated line of work. It has often been the case for me that the path to getting what I want begins with me saying I do not really want it. When I want to shout 'yes' the smart thing to do at times is to indicate a more mixed view, to suggest that it does not really matter to me so much as it does to others. To get the others to say yes the way I want them to, sometimes I have to say no. Or maybe. And let others make the noise, 'persuade' me to do exactly what I always intended.
So I do not always expect the point people on my side to sound exactly like me. I expect them to do their part. Which the President did and did well. The journey is just a show, the victory is all.
This repeal will bring much change of hearts and minds. It corrects a true injustice, and that is a beautiful thing to see.
And McCain that old bigot, he managed to deliver an election 08 flashback, providing a stark contrast between himself and the President who pointed all credit to the others who did the work, and signed that letter of celebration with his unadorned first name. Obama might be many things, but he remains clearly and decidedly not John McCain, and that is nothing to sneeze at, this is an 'elections have consequences' moment the size of a bill board.

[jefferson_dem]

15. Good post.

I appreciate your perspective.

[Bluenorthwest]

18. Thank you much

I want to add one group of people who I have yet to thank, the men and women currently in service who responded to questions on repeal with some very strong words of support which I know persuded many in Congress more than anyone could. When the survey results came out, the framing was that they had said 'who cares' but many of them said much more, and did a bit of advocating for repeal.
I have been really proud of our volunteer forces as they have been a large factor in the repeal. They got asked, and they sure told 'em.

[MadMaddie]

19. See you are talking about "Strategery" and apparantly some

people just don't get it.

They act like President Obama works in a vacuuam and he can just write the law up and pass it himself. They completely overlook that there are two bodies the House and the Senate that have to get the laws passed before he can sign them into law.

Life is complicated, politics is complicated and the world is complicated. I think many don't want to acknowledge it or they are just assholes...because they have an entirely different agenda and it has nothing to do with the way he is trying to lead the country. Let's call it the "Black Bar of Expectations"!

[political_Dem]

20. Yep. I agree.

Although there will always be naysayers, people need to stop their bellyaching and simply give credit where credit is due. Do people understand how hard it is to get any bill passed in Congress? Sometimes, it takes many years to get a number of Congresspersons committed to even write one. Then, many years might pass until there is a consensus to pass such legislation and make it into law.

This is not an act to take lightly--especially when the burden fell on the POTUS to keep the wheels despite all the ire thrown at him. To understand the degree Mr. Obama withstood to pass groundbreaking legislation such as this is to be thankful that we didn't have the likes of a Palin, McCain or even a Bush in office.

Yet, there are still some who think that the POTUS didn't do good enough. Such is the burden of people of color, most namely Black folks. :(

[jberryhill]

9. Well then... He is certainly taking this defeat graciously, yes?

[ClarkUSA]

10. To be accurate, he's thanking those of us who supported his DADT repeal efforts via OFA.

If you read closely, it is clear he's not thanking the whiners who bashed him 24/7 (and will continue to do so, no doubt) and issued over-the-top criticism (e.g., accusing him of being an homophobe).

[treestar]

12. No he's not thanking the mindless bashers

Many of whom just continue to find things wrong.

[Bluenorthwest]

14. Part of the point I am making in this thread is that the President

speaks for himself, and those who snark on his behalf do so from their own desires and needs, not the desires and needs of the President. You see him as being in need of clarification. I do not. I think he said exactly what he meant.

[ClarkUSA]

16. LOL! Your opinion is clearly contradicted by the OP content.

President Obama delivered a message to sympatico members of OFA who are his strong supporters who have worked hard for his agenda and policy aims, not those who continue to whine 24/7 about him and will likely never stop.

[TheWraith]

17. Not being able to see the difference between whining and activism is what's hurting us.

Activism is calling Senators, pushing for votes, raising public awareness, and getting the support of people on the other side.

Whining is having temper tantrums on internet echo chambers that the President hasn't just singlehandedly taken care of it yet, and how he must be a bigot and a homophobe because he hasn't completely ignored the law in order to do what we want.

[political_Dem]

21. [phone].

I might add that whining is all about being fair-weathered in one's support as well. These are the times when loyalty is highly important.

[CakeGrrl]

23. Somehow I don't think "weak", "small" and "pathetic" count.

Nice reach to disparage people objecting to that kind of bashing being passed off as "support".

[txlibdem]

8. MLK said it best

Free at last, free at last. Great GOD almighty, we're free at last. (I may be paraphrasing)

As a straight male who doesn't care who you want to be with I applaud this victory for equal rights. It is a small step but an important one nonetheless.

[Scurrilous]

24. K & R

:thumbsup: