Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Compromise

President Obama wants a compromise on ending “Don’t Ask, Don’t” tell. I didn’t read the article. (If you're a Facebook friend, I posted a link to it yesterday.)

But I don’t need to read the article.

You’re one of the Israelites in ancient Egypt. Want a compromise on your slave status? It took a plague, a few first born sons and a parting of the sea.

You’re a Jew in Europe in the Thirties or Forties? Thinking a compromise with the Nazi’s is going to set you free?

Black person from 1600 something until say sometime in the 1990’s in America? What got you to where you are wasn’t compromise, it was the judicial system dragging reluctant politicians, dragging violently opposed people….

The man is doing nothing to live up to the socially liberal cred he pushed when running for office.

Guantanamo? We’re working on that, there’s a compromise with the GOP in the works.

He never did “come out” for gay marriage, probably due to the Black conservative Christian block he didn’t want to alienate. He’s kind of OK with civil unions.

You need to reach a consensus and compromise on some things. Health care, financial reform, OK. Foreign policy, less OK, but I understand it.

Human rights? It seems to me to be a binary choice. You’re “fur it or agin it.” Obama is a fence sitter, waiting for the people on both sides of the fence to tear it down and join hands. Sometimes you just have to tear it down.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I read one of the articles. The "compromise" is that they would repeal DADT, but the Armed Forces wouldn't have to act on it.

That's kind of like telling plantation owners that they can free their slaves anytime they want to.

Dave said...

Thomas, then there's at least an historical basis for the "compromise." The 13th and 14th Amendments weren't enforced for a long time after their enactment.

Annie K said...

Blek. Study the effects of extending basic civil rights? We should study the effects of letting white men vote, and see all the harmful crap that came from that.