CNN's Anderson Cooper hosted a great debate "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" last night, featuring discharged former Lt. Dan Choi and gay-obsessed Elaine Donnelly of the Center for Military Readiness.
Donnelly makes a rather bizarre claim—"The law says that homosexuals are not eligible to serve in the military"—and moves on to the usual talking points about about showers, sleeping quarters and "forced intimacy."
Choi responds: "Well, I think the harm is you really hurt the soldiers that are having to get deployed now without effective, capable soldiers. It's a matter of capabilities. Now I'm an Arabic linguist. And when I get kicked out, it's not that I'm the victim. It's the soldiers in my unit that aren't able to communicate. So the question is to you, Elaine, I have to ask you, (SPEAKING ARABIC) If you can't answer that question, that's not a problem. If the soldiers can't answer that, it's very devastating."
And why is this woman who has never worn the uniform debating a West Point graduate on military readiness ... ?
Watch the clip, AFTER THE JUMP ...
I love Dan Choi! What a smart, articulate guy. He's cute too! Is he married?
Posted by: Matt | 07 October 2009 at 10:08
"and gay-obsessed Elaine Donnelly of the Center for Military Readiness."
Rod I couldn't have put it any better myself. Obsessed is what she is, and she isn't even in the military?
Posted by: Mr. FAMU | 07 October 2009 at 10:16
FAMU: Dan really smacked her down, didn't he? Oh and welcome back, btw.
Choi has emerged as an effective spokesman, I like this guy. -RM
Posted by: Rod Mc | 07 October 2009 at 10:28
It's good to see a LGBT man of Asian descent stand up. In a world were the Yellow man is going to top the White man in many aspects, we need more men like Dan Choi!
There was a time where White folks thought they were at the top of the world back in the 1950s. Now who's on top?
BTW, conservatives have more gay sex than we do. It seems something that they have a fascination with.
Posted by: Kevin Perez | 07 October 2009 at 10:35
I love this man. I'm so glad that you posted this. He is the voice of reason. I hate, hate, hate this smug,horrible woman. Everytime I see her on tv, I think, she represents everything that's bad about this country. Dan Choi is her polar opposite.
Posted by: mjolnir202 | 07 October 2009 at 11:42
Just a heads up. Not sure why but some comments are being automatically held. I'm trying to work on this ... -RM
Posted by: Rod Mc | 07 October 2009 at 12:04
The utterance of the question in Arabic is the SINGLE MOST IMPACTFUL and EFFECTIVE PLEA FOR THE REPEAL OF DADT!
In one sentence, Lt. Choi silenced doubters, opened eyes and illustrated to our country that it is WILLFUL IGNORANCE that is putting our OVERWORKED, OVEREXERTED, UNDERPROTECTED soldiers in harm's way!
I am in love with his style of politics and that's a life WELL LIVED and SKILLS THAT SPEAK FOR YOU! The Bible says that YOUR GIFTS WILL MAKE ROOM FOR YOU, so he wants to be in the military and serve this country and I believe that HE is the one who will smash this door down once and for all!
GO!!!!!!!
Posted by: TheRevKev | 07 October 2009 at 12:09
Last night, I watched this live on CNN and laughing. Anderson was slipping (out of journalist/moderator mode) and helping Dan Choi double-team her on her stupidity/ignorance. Elaine Donnelly is a trip because at times she was getting flustered at how 2 gay men were double-teaming her baseless argument.
I must admit I catch myself watching AC360 for Anderson and him revealing to world that he isn't a hetero.
Posted by: kayman | 07 October 2009 at 13:51
I really enjoyed Choi's retort about the hag's polling data. He said that here homophobe veteran's data on DATA came from generals in senior citizen's homes. Priceless.
Posted by: Seven | 07 October 2009 at 20:14
Oh, and Anderson is getting closer and closer to opening that closet door wide and full.
Posted by: Seven | 07 October 2009 at 20:15
Thanks for the feedback. That comment in Arabic and Dan's remark about the senior citizens center were pitch perfect!
@Kayman Are we ... agreeing? ;)
@RevKev Muah! -RM
Posted by: Rod Mc | 08 October 2009 at 01:47
He better do it. His response was tasteful, professional, but it was sharp & took home his point. Cheers!-QH
Posted by: QH | 08 October 2009 at 09:37
I'm very proud of Dan Choi.
Elaine Donnelly was basically making the argument that prejudiced people would leave the military if the ban were lifted.
The same empty claims were made when the services were racially integrated. Even if these arguments were true, they would be a wicked, small and shameful basis for policy.
Should we bow to the lowest nature of humanity or, as Lincoln implored, to our better angels?
Posted by: Tim | 10 October 2009 at 22:08
I'm sure the service members in the military that don't want openly gay service members working with them are the same that oppose having a black man as their commander in chief.
Posted by: apres moi | 11 October 2009 at 04:54