Dear Senator Byrd: Repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell

We shouldn't get our hopes up (4.00 / 2)

From President Bill Clinton's book "My Life" (pg. 484):

Senator Byrd took a harder line than Nunn. He believed homosexuality was a sin; said he would never let his grandson, whom he adored, join a military that admitted gays; and asserted that one reason the Roman Empire fell was the acceptance of pervasive homosexual conduct in the Roman legions from Julius Caesar on down.

From Senator Ted Kennedy's book "True Compass: A Memoir" (pg. 451-452):

The last senator to speak was Robert Byrd, and he came up with a new one on all of us.....He informed us, with many ornate flourishes, that there had been a terrible problem in ancient Rome with young military boys turned into sex slaves. I don't remember the exact details, but I think the story involved Tiberius Julius Caesar being captured and abused and used as a sex slave. He escaped and then years later he sought vengeance and killed his captors. Anyway, it was something like that. The room fell silent. The senator continued.

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by: WV26003 @ Wed May 26, 2010 at 18:55:29 PM UTC

WV26003 (4.00 / 1)

Thanks for posting that.

I'd rather try and fail than not try at all though.


When a man embarks upon a crime, he is morally guilty of any other crime which may spring from it. Sherlock Holmes.

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by: Carnacki @ Wed May 26, 2010 at 19:19:12 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

It was a friendly reminder (4.00 / 1)

It was a friendly reminder of what we're up against. I called the DC office today and reminded them that Senator Byrd was once against adding sexual orientation into hate crimes laws. But, he changed.

I reminded them of his original opposition to various civil rights bills in the 1960s. But, he changed.

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by: WV26003 @ Wed May 26, 2010 at 21:10:07 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Breaking: Byrd to vote YES to repeal! (4.00 / 2)

http://wonkroom.thinkprogress....

Therefore, I worked with the Senate and House Leadership, Senators Lieberman and
Levin, Congressman Murphy, the Administration and the Department of Defense to
include a provision in the proposed compromise amendment that would delay the repeal
of the 'Don't Ask - Don't Tell' policy for 60 days after receipt of the findings of the
Pentagon Review and the determination of the proposed policy and regulation changes.

With these changes, I will support the amendment expected to be offered by Senator
Lieberman to the Department of Defense Authorization bill.

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by: WV26003 @ Thu May 27, 2010 at 00:19:33 AM UTC