OREGON S LESBIAN/GAY/BI/TRANS/QUEER NEWSMAGAZINE
DECEMBER 17 2010 ||
THE YEAR IN
POLITICS
Politics being what they are, it’s impossible
to tie up an entire year o f GOP-led filibus
tering, Bush tax cut-extending and W ikiLe-
aking in one pretty little bow. Certainly, for
every encouraging step forward in 2010 (the
Proposition 8 ruling, top military brass advo
cating for repeal o f “Don’t ask, don’t tell”),
there followed the proverbial two steps back
(the Prop. 8 case in appeals court, D A D T re
peal uncertain despite overwhelming sup
port). That said, you’ve got to try, and the
landmark legal battle for same-sex marriage
in California is a good place to start.
U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker failed
in making the case, high-profile from the
beginning, an even bigger spectacle when
his requests for the Prop. 8 trial to be tele
vised were denied. During the interim o f
when final arguments in Perry v. Schwar
zenegger ended, the sensationalism o f the
case took on a new dimension when it was
revealed (though not actually confirmed)
that Walker was gay. He insisted his sexual
orientation, or any other mitigating circum
stances, would not deter him from trying
the case justly.
After several months o f deliberation, a
major victory for marriage equality occurred
when Walker ruled on August 4 that Prop. 8
violated the constitutional rights o f gays and
lesbians to equal protection and due process.
The case is currently being heard in the U.S.
D on ' t A sk D on ’ t T ell
W hat began as a presidential pledge to re
peal “Don’t ask, don’t tell” during a speech at
the Human Rights Campaign dinner in O c
tober 2009 turned into a political and military
seesaw in 2010, as repeal for the military’s ban
on gay servicemembers serving openly con
sumed headlines and incited heated debate.
While President Obama reiterated his desire
to end the Clinton-era policy in January during
his State o f the Union address, military leaders
and conservative Republicans in the House and
Senate expressed concern over how repeal
would affect military readiness, morale and unit
cohesion. U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates
then ordered a comprehensive review by the
Pentagon in February—a process that took
most o f the year to complete.
In the meantime—while gay rights activists
criticized the delay in legislation that would
overturn the policy—both Gates and Chair
man o f the Joint Chiefs o f Staff Admiral Mike
Mullen expressed their full support for repeal
to a hearing o f the Senate Armed Services
Committee in February. High-profile protests
against the military ban reached a fever pitch
when Lt. Dan Choi— an openly gay veteran o f
the Iraq War—was arrested after chaining
himself to the White House gates in an act of
civil disobedience in March. Choi’s November
arrest for the exact same offense came in re
sponse to one o f the most highly charged Re
publican filibusters in U.S. Senate history.
After passing the House in May, the 2011
National Defense Authorization Act— a his
torically must-pass piece o f military spending
legislation— reached the U.S. Senate on Sep
tember 21. The bill included both a provision
to repeal D A D T and a provision that would
have implemented the D R EA M Act to allow
children o f illegal immigrants to serve in the
U.S. Armed Forces. But Republican senators,
including gay rights ally and D A D T repeal
proponent Senator Olympia Snowe (R-
Maine),joined to force a filibuster that blocked
the bill from moving forward. The blocking o f
a vote even for debate drew the ire o f repeal
proponents across the board, including Sena
tor Jeff Me rkley (D-Ore.).
Merkley voted in favor o f pushing the bill
to debate that day and said despite the com
plexities inherent in a bill as vital to the 2011
defense spending budget, the issue came down
to its hot-button provisions.
“Regardless o f the fact that the majority o f
Americans support both the D R EA M Act
and the repeal o f ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell,’ the mi
poptu anx > C LIM
Ninth Circuit Court o f Appeals.
local politicians and L G B T Q . community
Closer to home, John Kitzhaber defeated members voiced frustrations with a pending
political rookie and budding Republican bill in Uganda that would punish gay people
Chris Dudley in what was both a very close by life imprisonment or even death for en
election and a close call for the advancement gaging in “homosexual acts.”
o f LGBTQ_equality in Oregon. The com
News o f the rally reached all the way to
munity’s numbers likewise rallied behind the blogger behind “Gay Uganda.”
being included in the 2010 United States
“A high school in the U.S. has brought me
Census, the first in history to report counts to tears ... the unsought for kindness of
o f same-sex partners and spouses.
strangers is one o f the many blessings, silver
But in terms o f rallies, none were as em linings that I am seeing in this fracas and
powering or inspiring as the Respect H u debate about my life and liberty. My heart,
manity March and Rally organized by my thanks are with you people.”
Southridge High School’s Gay-Straight A l
Here’s to a 2011 with many more silver
liance in January. Drawing hundreds of pro linings.
testors o f all ages to Beaverton City Library,
—Ryan J. Prado
nority chose to play politics and prevent the an overall positive support for repeal. With
Senate from having an up-or-down vote on repeal proponents still reeling from the Sep
these proposals,” Merkley told Just Out fol tember roadblock, along with growing concern
lowing the Senate block. “This is perhaps the that another vote may not take place before
most absurd and destructive stance one can the end o f the lame duck sessions o f Congress
and the Senate, Senate M a
take in the Senate when it is
jority Leader Harry Reid (D-
our responsibility to debate,”
Ariz.) fast-tracked another
said Merkley. “The Republi
vote December 9 on the Sen
cans put election-year grand-
ate floor. An equally disheart
standing over the importance
ening filibuster ensued, and
of providing for our soldiers
the 60 votes needed to pass
and national security.”
the spending bill again failed.
Just prior to the filibuster,
he e p u b l ic a n s
The up-and-down repeal
on September 9, U.S. District
process continues to develop,
Judge Virginia A. Phillips
however. On the very same
ruled that D A D T was uncon
day as the second Senate fili
stitutional in the c£se o f Log
buster, Senators Joseph Li-
Cabin Republicans v. United
eberman (I-Conn.) and Susan
States o f America. On Octo
Collins (R-Maine) introduced
ber 12, Phillips issued a per
SB 4023— a stand-alone re
manent worldwide injunction
peal bill, which passed the
ordering the military to im
House December 15 and
mediately “suspend and dis
awaited a vote in the Senate.
continue any investigation, or
discharge, separation or other
-SEN. JEFF MERKLEY As Just Out went to print, re
ports trickled in that at least
proceeding, that may have
been commenced” under DADT, but the four Senate Republicans had made firm com
Ninth Circuit stayed the injunction pending mitments to vote “yes” if a stand-alone repeal
came to the floor.
appeal.
Will the final weeks of 2010 bring a happy
The Pentagon’s review— which included
surveys of military personnel and families— ending to this debate? Stay tuned.
—Ryan J. Prado
was finally released November 30, espousing
T R
PUT ELECTION-YEAR
GRANDSTANDING
OVER THE
IMPORTANCE OF
PROVIDING FOR
OUR SOLDIERS AND
NATIONAL SECURITY "
ATE
ACTION NOW!
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