Posted under Christianity & Conservatism & Election 2008 & Iraq & John McCain & Obama
It appears McCain has finally given conservatives an excuse to vote for him: he defends the military’s “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy. Obama wishes to overturn it (thus allowing those openly homo to serve).
According to Time magazine,
A recent poll by the Military Times newspapers showed that only 30 percent of respondents think openly gay people should be allowed to serve, compared to 59 percent who are opposed.
However, this ABC video says 3 quarters of Americans support overturning it.
A prominent supporter of overturning the policy is Retired Staff Sgt. Eric Fidelis Alva. From the Time article:
Three weeks ago, the first Marine seriously injured in Iraq declared he was gay and called for “don’t ask, don’t tell†to be tossed out. Retired Staff Sgt. Eric Fidelis Alva, 36, of San Antonio, lost his right leg to a land mine in the war’s opening days. His wound got him a Purple Heart from President Bush, as well as a profile in People magazine and an appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show.
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This could become much ado about nothing, and there’s little conservatives enjoy more than heated debate over minor issues, for it allows them to avoid dealing with the real issues of the day.
While it’d be grand for the country to view sodomy as unnatural and perverse, and same sex couples unfit for adopting children, this little issue will have little positive impact. If anything, this will likely be made into a rallying point for gay rights, and so actually move the country in the opposite direction. What’s the core principle behind “Don’t Ask Don’t Tellâ€? Homos still serve, as do women (both create sexual tensions). And the underlying principle for the rest of our laws is that sodomites are fully equal to normal people, and that any discrimination against them is unjust. From this principle of New America’s, expelling the openly homo is unjust. Those who defend it have no foundation to stand upon. (A sound foundation would be: no women and no homos should be allowed in, and the military should ask. However, few would support such a position.)
So, in conclusion: this issue is both minor and a loser, just the type Beautiful Losers like to take up. Let’s pray they don’t back McCain over it…
Andrew T. on 21 Jul 2008 at 12:58 am #
McCain is a complete phony and he will lose the race. Obama, also a complete phony, will win. Why? Because Obama actually has some oratory ability and a superb speechwriter, and some kind of approachability. His phoniness can at least be “inspiring”.
Weaver on 21 Jul 2008 at 1:21 am #
What I want is for conservatives to back Baldwin rather than McCain.
Baldwin must do better than Peroutka.
I also want conservatives to focus on the big issues of today: immigration, trade, government centralisation and size (esp with regard to education), war, affirmative action.
Weaver on 21 Jul 2008 at 1:28 am #
But yea Obama is more charismatic. What hurts Obama is he’s seen as more radical. Even though polls show Obama to be ahead, I think those actually vote (especially older voters) are more conservative than the average polled voter.
It’s McCain’s to lose, and if he doesn’t focus on his base he’ll sure lose it.
I keep being told that McCain would cause a lock up between the Democratic Congress and the Republican executive, but I think on immigration McCain would be as far left as any would be willing to go. The executive needs to be perceived as left wing in order to react against it. And Americans are going to be reacting against whatever’s in power.
roho on 21 Jul 2008 at 2:43 am #
Both policies are a disaster. A U.S. Aircraft Carrier is a city with over 4000 U.S. citizens living there. Google the statistics regarding how many women sailors end their 6 month sea duty tour pregnant by another sailor?…………….It’s scary………And regarding terrorism, my idea of terror would be a homosexual with a fully automatic weapon, and hand grenades in a combat zone where heterosexual rape is already an issue!
Weaver on 21 Jul 2008 at 9:13 pm #
Haha, wow… and you know war brings out the worst in man…
levotb on 23 Jul 2008 at 2:10 am #
Obama is like “a prince of the city”–he can walk on water, women faint, and Republicans, particularly the RINOs who backed old sourpuss, can see victory slipping away by the hour. Obama can flip-flop, and it doesn’t hurt him. Putting up an old man who is hated by his own party (he’s really a pro-war Democrat, not a true Repulican) up against a rock star was the grandest idiocy. They can’t blame this one on conservatives! The party RINOs did it all themselves.
The McCain Campaign will try to bring the attention back with his selecting Mitt Romney as his VP mate sometime in the next 7 days. Romney will bring back some conservatives. I don’t think it will make the difference on Election Day. however.
Baldwin’s Campaign will not divulge how many state ballots they are on. That is a bad sign. He’s probably out of or close to being out of money. He’s not getting the press he needs. Bob Barr is beating him out.