Sometimes Silver Platters Just Aren't Enough

I was going to write a big rant about the state of Don't Ask, Don't Tell and how it is or isn't still legal, depending on the time of day, the current weather, and whether or not Obama saw his shadow when he woke up this morning. But then I thought about it and there's just not much to talk about.

So instead of a big rant, here's a small one with some interesting links...

Yes, it's confusing. Every day we're hearing something new: one day DADT is dead, the next it's being appealed, then we hear the order won't be stayed and that DADT might be reinstated later, and now we're hearing that some military officials are telling current soldiers to put away their rainbow bootstraps while telling recruiters to accept LGB enlistees.

That's a lot of hullabaloo! Here's the short version: shit's screwed up.

I don't get why the Department of Justice feels the need to appeal the ruling if they agree that DADT should end. Obama seems to think it should end legislatively, yet he hasn't shown the leadership to get it done even when it was introduced. I don't get the wisdom in telling recruiters to enlist gays then turning around and telling said gays to shut up or they could be canned soon-ish.

Can't we just look at this humanely for once? I mean, it's not like LGB folk are these diseased lab rats there for the bidding and entertainment of government officials. We're human beings. It seems like the judge in this case gets it, but the Administration is lost on why LGB folk are unhappy with him on this subject. He promised to repeal it sometime-ish, isn't that good enough?

Or is another one of those things that is "inevitable," like marriage equality? If so, I'm sure we've all seen how that is going, right?

Just end the policy. Let the ruling stand, give an Executive Order, then look at the legislative challenges needed for actual equality in the military (like spousal benefits). Whatever it takes. The President was handed DADT Repeal on a silver platter and he refused it because it didn't have his name all over it. That's just silly.