Wanda Sykes Gets Her Own Show on the New Gay Network, FOX
October 30th, 2009 | 1:11 pm
Wanda gives a damn good interview to Joy Behar, discussing her coming out, her White House Correspondence Dinner performance and they trade lesbian jokes. Are we sure Joy's straight?
And I do think President Obama is unnecessarily dragging his heels on many LGBT issues; however, it's 485 out of over 11,000 people who have been dismissed since DADT started. Under Bill Clinton's administration. It's ridiculous that nothing's been done by now, but it's equally ridiculous to present the issue as though it's Obama's fault, or to assume that Hillary Clinton would have done away with her husband's legislation any faster. The fact of the matter is, we're an expendable population (or at least not a priority) to nearly every politician who's ever held an office. They're always willing to throw us under the bus to see to it that their agendas take priority. No "fierce advocate" for LGBT Americans had a chance of making it past the Primaries.
What you posted is important information, but it loses some of its impact when it's taken out of context and reduced to yet another critique of Obama. Or at least, that's how it seems to me.
Oh, btw, knowing what a fierce advocate (sorry, couldn't help it for women's rights you are (based on your posts on this site, anyway), I thought you might be interested in this piece from the New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/23/magazine/23Women-t.html?_r=2&hp All joking aside, I think it's something everyone should read. Surprisingly, there's a Nike commercial that's along the same line. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Vq2mfF8puE&feature=channel (It's good if you can get past Nike's sordid past, anyway.)
The problem I have with Obama's handling of DADT is the same one I had under Bush. Bush's reasons I understood, he's a bigot and homophobe, and even in a war his hatred could not be overcome, even if it meant others would lose their lives as a result, through missing intel, a shortage of medics, maybe a support aircraft whose pilot was discharged for being, gasp, gay or lesbian. Those who hate could care less about so-called collateral damage, so long as the target of their hate is taken down as well.
But Obama is different. He claims to oppose DADT, and yet won't stop the discharges he is legally allowed to stop, under DADT itself. He is ignoring the fact that lesbians are three times as likely to be discharged than gay men, and that minorities are more likely to be discharged than whites. DADT has a very specific provision, under which all the conditions have been met, that allows the President to order a halt to prosecutions in time of war, and we are in two wars, at the moment.
With two wars heating up, shouldn't Obama at least consider military needs, and invoke the stop-loss provisions Congress intentionally built into DADT? Commanders in the field do not have the authority, nor do commanders sitting at a desk at the Pentagon. Only the President has that authority, and he refuses to exercise it.
I know there are many here who oppose the wars, and more than a few who oppose war in general. FIne, I get that. But, I'm a former soldier, and by all accounts (including my DD201 File), I was a damned good one. I can tell you that not one of the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines in Iraq and Afghanistan want to be there. Like the rest of us, they want to be home, with their families. But they aren't, they are "in country," in "the shit" or "the suck." Their lives depend on having proper intel, good medics, talented pilots, etc, the best of everything we can give them until the insanity they are in the middle of stops.
They do not deserve to have the best taken away from them over something totally irrelevant to the realities they are now forced to deal with.
Obama has the power and lawful authority to stop the best from being taken away from them just because that best happens to be a human being who loves someone the dominant religion disagrees with. He has chosen to not exercise that authority, for no other reason I can fathom than he doesn't want to "rock the boat."
At least I understood what motivated Bush, as reprehensible as that motivation was.
I can't claim to know Obama's motives for waiting on DADT; however, according to my (military) sources, word on the bases is that gays will be allowed to openly serve in the military before the end of the year. I just hope they're right. My point wasn't to lessen the significance of those 485 soldiers, but to state that it's a mess (one of many) that Obama needs to clean up, not one that he created.
I read bookmarked the article when it was published, but came across it recently alongside the Nike commercial. Check out the other videos on that channel if you didn't. They're great, too.
I don't get the Tennis Channel! I absolutely adore Martina, she's been kind of a role model, especially in my younger and more confusing days.
And cudos to Lieberman, for calling Obama out, literally and figuratively.
Let us hope she doesn't have to wait for Obama to do a study or get bipartisan approval from Congress before Obama accepts (I think I'll email the White House right now, lol). That's one game I would love to watch!
halle berry. yes that was hilarious. the whole special was great. i had just one complaint. her outfit was too shiny, it got distracting. i kept thinking shiny for the jacket and vest? really? but maybe that's just me. i get easily distracted by shiny things. i'm like a raccon. *shiny* oooo what's that!? gimme!
If anyone hasn't seen Wanda's new HBO Special, you really need to do yourself a favor and watch it. I cried with laughter through the whole thing and I don't usually do that.
I won't spoil any jokes, but I will say that Halle Berry was a great choice.
Comments [12]
Important DADT site: 485 discharges
Important DADT site, 485 discharges since Obama took office:
http://www.sldn.org/
True
And I do think President Obama is unnecessarily dragging his heels on many LGBT issues; however, it's 485 out of over 11,000 people who have been dismissed since DADT started. Under Bill Clinton's administration. It's ridiculous that nothing's been done by now, but it's equally ridiculous to present the issue as though it's Obama's fault, or to assume that Hillary Clinton would have done away with her husband's legislation any faster. The fact of the matter is, we're an expendable population (or at least not a priority) to nearly every politician who's ever held an office. They're always willing to throw us under the bus to see to it that their agendas take priority. No "fierce advocate" for LGBT Americans had a chance of making it past the Primaries.
What you posted is important information, but it loses some of its impact when it's taken out of context and reduced to yet another critique of Obama. Or at least, that's how it seems to me.
Oh, btw, knowing what a fierce advocate (sorry, couldn't help it
for women's rights you are (based on your posts on this site, anyway), I thought you might be interested in this piece from the New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/23/magazine/23Women-t.html?_r=2&hp All joking aside, I think it's something everyone should read. Surprisingly, there's a Nike commercial that's along the same line. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Vq2mfF8puE&feature=channel (It's good if you can get past Nike's sordid past, anyway.)
DADT
The problem I have with Obama's handling of DADT is the same one I had under Bush. Bush's reasons I understood, he's a bigot and homophobe, and even in a war his hatred could not be overcome, even if it meant others would lose their lives as a result, through missing intel, a shortage of medics, maybe a support aircraft whose pilot was discharged for being, gasp, gay or lesbian. Those who hate could care less about so-called collateral damage, so long as the target of their hate is taken down as well.
But Obama is different. He claims to oppose DADT, and yet won't stop the discharges he is legally allowed to stop, under DADT itself. He is ignoring the fact that lesbians are three times as likely to be discharged than gay men, and that minorities are more likely to be discharged than whites. DADT has a very specific provision, under which all the conditions have been met, that allows the President to order a halt to prosecutions in time of war, and we are in two wars, at the moment.
With two wars heating up, shouldn't Obama at least consider military needs, and invoke the stop-loss provisions Congress intentionally built into DADT? Commanders in the field do not have the authority, nor do commanders sitting at a desk at the Pentagon. Only the President has that authority, and he refuses to exercise it.
I know there are many here who oppose the wars, and more than a few who oppose war in general. FIne, I get that. But, I'm a former soldier, and by all accounts (including my DD201 File), I was a damned good one. I can tell you that not one of the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines in Iraq and Afghanistan want to be there. Like the rest of us, they want to be home, with their families. But they aren't, they are "in country," in "the shit" or "the suck." Their lives depend on having proper intel, good medics, talented pilots, etc, the best of everything we can give them until the insanity they are in the middle of stops.
They do not deserve to have the best taken away from them over something totally irrelevant to the realities they are now forced to deal with.
Obama has the power and lawful authority to stop the best from being taken away from them just because that best happens to be a human being who loves someone the dominant religion disagrees with. He has chosen to not exercise that authority, for no other reason I can fathom than he doesn't want to "rock the boat."
At least I understood what motivated Bush, as reprehensible as that motivation was.
485 lives/Nike spot
it's 485 lives...
That's huge and O promised to end DADT so that's 485 lives damaged just cuz Mr. Won't-Take-a-Stand won't take a stand.
Thank you very much for the links! I read the Kristof article when it was first published. Kristof is great and so is his wife!
But the Nike spot – AWESOME!!! Just great. I'm gonna pass that around everywhere!!
Well
I can't claim to know Obama's motives for waiting on DADT; however, according to my (military) sources, word on the bases is that gays will be allowed to openly serve in the military before the end of the year. I just hope they're right. My point wasn't to lessen the significance of those 485 soldiers, but to state that it's a mess (one of many) that Obama needs to clean up, not one that he created.
I read bookmarked the article when it was published, but came across it recently alongside the Nike commercial. Check out the other videos on that channel if you didn't. They're great, too.
Nancy Lieberman wants ta whip O's lil' behind!
O/T but I do want to make sure everyone reads this CHALLENGE TO OUR MALE-FIXATED PRES from a female-fixated CHAMPION!
http://www.more.com/2027/9521-president-obama-should-play-basketball
And if this reminds you of one gorgeous hunk of tennis player, here's a beauteous photo of her & some news:
http://www.afterellen.com/blog/thelinster/martina-tells-all-in-her-new-t...
Crap!
I don't get the Tennis Channel! I absolutely adore Martina, she's been kind of a role model, especially in my younger and more confusing days.
And cudos to Lieberman, for calling Obama out, literally and figuratively.
Let us hope she doesn't have to wait for Obama to do a study or get bipartisan approval from Congress before Obama accepts (I think I'll email the White House right now, lol). That's one game I would love to watch!
Very cool...
Thanks for the Nancy Lieberman link. She rocks.
I hope Obama takes her up on her challenge...
what disturbs Lieberman, myself & other self-respecting women
another link for ya'. Unfortunately, it has the pathetic Mao-admirer Anita Dunn at the bottom, defending the sexism at the White House:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/25/us/politics/25vibe.html
and this is where I got the link above:
http://www.hillaryis44.org/2009/10/29/obama-hates-women/
Wanda is
brilliant!!! Can't wait to see the new show!!
Lake
hahaha
halle berry. yes that was hilarious. the whole special was great. i had just one complaint. her outfit was too shiny, it got distracting. i kept thinking shiny for the jacket and vest? really? but maybe that's just me. i get easily distracted by shiny things. i'm like a raccon. *shiny* oooo what's that!? gimme!
HBO Special
If anyone hasn't seen Wanda's new HBO Special, you really need to do yourself a favor and watch it. I cried with laughter through the whole thing and I don't usually do that.
I won't spoil any jokes, but I will say that Halle Berry was a great choice.
Won't you be my neighbor? @theKELword