Lake County Stonewall Democratic Club: News

Welcome to the Lake County Stonewall Democratic Club!

The Lake County Stonewall Democratic Club is a local Democratic Club serving
the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered) community of
Lake County, California

The Alamo

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Jobs

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Club Meeting Schedule For 2010

Redbud Public Library

Conference Room

14785 Burns Valley Road

Clearlake, CA 95422

January 18, 2010 (3rd Monday)

February 22, 2010 (4th Monday)
March 29, 2010 (5th Monday)
April 26, 2010 (4th Monday)
May, 2010 (Not yet scheduled)
June 28, 2010 (4th Monday)
July 19, 2010 (3rd Monday)
August 23, 2010 (4th Monday)
September 20, 2010 (3rd Monday)
October 25, 2010 (4th Monday)
November 29, 2010 (5th Monday)

December 27, 2010 (4th Monday)

Our Stories - Our Lives

- Listen to KPFZ 88.1 FM on Lake County Community Radio. "Our Stories - Our Lives" broading casting to the LGBT our allies and friends of the Community - news and events concerning the gay community with your Rainbow Reporter Harold Riley.

Live broadcast on Wednesdays at 1 P.M. and rebroadcast on Thursdays at 2 P.M.

The New Obama Is the Old Obama

by David A. Love, LA Progressive

(AP Photo/Tim Sloan, Pool)

The President’s oratorical performances this past week provided us with a refreshing glimpse of the new Barack Obama — and the old one as well. I am referring to the bold and brilliant Obama of the 2008 presidential campaign, the leader who spoke with confidence and decisiveness, who clearly defined the enemy, and played the political game on his own terms. This was the Obama who showed up at the State of the Union address, and served up the Republican Party for dinner at the GOP’s Baltimore retreat.

This is the Obama that people voted for, the one who has the potential to emerge as one of the great American presidents.

Perhaps it was the return of David Plouffe, the president’s rainmaking campaign manager. After a year of missteps and bungling on health care, maybe the White House finally saw the writing on the wall — they were losing the support of the base, and had to make some changes. The stunning, humbling loss in the Massachusetts Senate race could have played a role as well. Whatever precipitated President Obama’s comeback, I hope he stays around for awhile.

Rest rest
3/8

Smoke the Bigots Out of the Closet

By FRANK RICH, New York Times

A funny thing happened after Adm. Mike Mullen called for gay men and lesbians to serve openly in the military: A curious silence befell much of the right. If this were a Sherlock Holmes story, it would be the case of the attack dogs that did not bark.

Barry Blitt

John McCain, commandeering the spotlight as usual, did fulminate against the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell.” But the press focus on McCain, the crazy man in Washington’s attic, was misleading. His yapping was an exception, not the rule. any of his Republican colleagues said little or nothing. The right’s noise machine was on mute. The Fox News report on Mullen’s testimony was fair and balanced — and brief. The network dropped the subject entirely in the Hannity-O’Reilly hothouse of prime time that night. Only ratings-desperate CNN gave a fleeting platform to the old homophobic clichés. Michael O’Hanlon, an “expert” from the Brookings Institution, speculated that “18-year-old, old-fashioned, testosterone-laden” soldiers who are “tough guys” might object to those practicing “alternative forms of lifestyle,” which he apparently views as weak and testosterone-deficient. His only prominent ally was the Family Research Council, which issued an inevitable “action alert” demanding a stop to “the sexualization of our military.”

The occasional outliers notwithstanding, why did such a hush greet Mullen on Capitol Hill? The answer begins with the simple fact that a large majority of voters — between 61 percent and 75 percent depending on the poll — now share his point of view. Most Americans recognize that being gay is not a “lifestyle” but an immutable identity, and that outlawing discrimination against gay people who want to serve their country is, as the admiral said, “the right thing to do.”

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3/8

Reversing a Wrong -- Repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

Democratic Congressman from Massachusetts

Over the past two weeks, President Obama and leading members of his administration have earned the gratitude of all of us who oppose unfair discrimination in their repudiation of the policy that has refused to allow many patriotic gay and lesbian Americans to serve in our country's military, and which has denigrated and degraded the service of many others.

For some time, it has been acknowledged by military leaders that the policy of denying gay and lesbian military personnel the ability to be honest about who they are was in no way based on any deficiency in their service. Twenty years ago, then-Defense Secretary Dick Cheney and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Colin Powell acknowledged that the ban did not reflect any problem with the dedication or ability of those servicemembers who had been so highly motivated to serve their country that they did so in the face of a discriminatory policy aimed specifically at them. Unfortunately, at that time, neither man was prepared to repudiate this form of discrimination, even while effectively acknowledging that there were no fair reasons for it.

As he promised in his campaign, President Obama has led the way in reversing this shameful pattern of condoning the mistreatment of gay and lesbian Americans who wish to serve our country. And his strong words in the State of the Union Speech were supported admirably by the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Read rest
3/5

Equality in the Military

EDITORIAL - New York Times
History was made on Capitol Hill on Tuesday. More than 16 years after their predecessors helped impose the odious “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, the nation’s two top defense officials called on Congress to repeal the law that bans gay men and lesbians from serving openly in the military. The principled courage of the defense secretary and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is a major step forward for civil rights.

Their action leaves no further excuse for Republican lawmakers to go on supporting this discrimination. President Obama must not let the opponents of repeal, who are already mobilizing, keep this terribly unjust law on the books.

“Don’t ask, don’t tell” was passed by Congress in 1993, with the support of Les Aspin, who then was the secretary of defense, and Gen. Colin Powell, who was the chairman of the Joint Chiefs. It compelled gay men and lesbians to hide who they are and to live in fear of being reported. Many thousands of men and women have been drummed out of the armed forces under this law.
Read rest
3/3

Military scaling back 'don't ask, don't tell'

By Craig Whitlock and Michael D. Shear, Washington Post

President Obama's top defense officials will tell the Senate on Tuesday that the military will no longer aggressively pursue disciplinary action against gay service members whose orientation is revealed against their will by third parties, sources say.

In testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Michael Mullen also are expected to announce the creation of a group to assess how to carry out a full repeal of the decades-old "don't ask, don't tell" policy, which requires gay soldiers to keep their sexual orientation secret.

But Gates and Mullen are also expected to tell senators that it could take years to integrate gay men and lesbians fully into the military, defense officials said. Two appointees will be named to oversee a group that will draw up plans for integrating the armed forces, according to sources familiar with the Pentagon's deliberations on the subject. The planning effort is expected to take up to a year.

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3/2

I have a message for President Obama: Don't wait, don't delay.

Dan Choi, a native of California and an Army Lieutenant fighting a discharge under the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy," would like to share this message with the Courage Campaign community.

We agree with Lt. Choi. Though we appreciate President Obama's remarks about DADT, the time for talk is over. The time for action is now.

Rick Jacobs
Chair, Courage Campaign

Dear William --

I have a message for President Obama: Don't wait, don't delay.

Last night, the President repeated his campaign commitment to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" as part of his State of the Union address. While the President promised that DADT would come to an end "this year," he did not provide specifics -- and the White House still has not released a plan to kill it. That's unacceptable.

I served in the Army for a decade under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" -- an immoral policy that forces American soldiers to lie about their sexual orientation. Worse, it forces others to tolerate deception. As I learned at West Point, deception and lies poison a unit and cripple a fighting force.

That's why I feel strongly that America can't afford to allow this policy to continue one day longer.

The time for talk is over. The time for action is now. If you agree, please join the Courage Campaign and sign my message to President Obama. Tell him "Don't wait. Don't delay. End DADT now!" DEADLINE: MONDAY.

http://www.couragecampaign.org/DontDelay

Last March, I went on Rachel Maddow's show and spoke three truthful words: "I am gay." For that, instead of being able to do my duty keeping America safe, I face discharge from the Army for who I love. I face being fired from my job, not for what I do, but for who I am.

As an infantry officer, an Iraq combat veteran and a West Point graduate with a degree in Arabic, I refuse to lie to my commanders. I refuse to lie to my peers. I refuse to lie to my subordinates.

Last year, 424,343 letters were sent by Courage Campaign community members supporting my fight to stay in the military. We've moved the president but now we need to finish the job.

That's why I'm asking for your help again to end DADT so other soldiers who want to serve their country don't face the same fate. Please sign my message to President Obama. Tell him "Don't wait. Don't delay. End DADT now!" DEADLINE: MONDAY.

http://www.couragecampaign.org/DontDelay

I've said it before and I'll say it again. National security means many things, but the thing that makes us secure in our nation and homes is love. As I was reminded again when I attended the historic Prop 8 trial, what makes me a better soldier, leader, Christian and human being is love.

And I'm not going to hide my love. Love is worth it.

Thank you for your support.

Daniel W. Choi
1LT, IN
New York Army National Guard

The Courage Campaign is an online organizing network that empowers more than 700,000 grassroots and netroots supporters to push for progressive change and full equality in California and across the country.

To power our campaign for full equality, please chip in what you can today:

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	Welcome to the Lake County Stonewall Democratic Club! Our next meeting is February 22, 2010. Pot luck at 6:30 P.M. and meeting starts at 7 P.M. in the Rebud Library community room located at 14785 Burns Valley Road in Clearlake.