From the Times, of course

A favorite Monday activity of mine is to go to the New York Times web page and view the "most popular" tab from the front page. I am always surprised by what America blogs about, emails their friends about or recommends to read. It is such a diverse little section, and I always enjoy taking an hour or so to do during lunch, or during some down time.

For example, did you know one Sinatra Song Often Strikes a Deadly Chord in the Philippines?

But that is not what I am blogging today!

I just finished a really interesting op-ed piece by Frank Rich (whom I love) about the blatant bigotry around Don't Ask Don't Tell, and a little bit about gay marriage too. I know it is an opinion article, but it is nice to read.

Sometimes, I think since I am so involved in this topic, and am gay that maybe I'm a scoatch biased. Yes, thank you captain obvious, of course I'm biased! This is my life! But at the same time, it is nice to know that I am not crazy for thinking other people are crazy. I don't understand how people see letting gays and lesbians serve in the military can hurt "troop morale". I think they are f'ing crazy. I think they are just homophobes and nothing else. I try to see both sides of every coin. So maybe these folks think that we are just homosexuals and nothing else. But, clearly, homophobes can openly serve in the military...... so then, after a few minutes of playing devil's advocate, I just start thinking they are close- minded f'ing crazy idiots again. But it is nice to read an article like this affirming that I am NOT crazy, nor am I enacting some sort of weird reverse discrimination--- plain and simple-- these people calling for no repeal, are just loony. I hope that made sense. It is Monday and my brain is not fulling working.

On the the article!!! If you don't want to read it, here are a few of my favorites:

If gay Americans are to be granted full equality, the flimsy rhetorical camouflage must be stripped away to expose the prejudice that lies beneath.

McCain aside, the most common last-ditch argument for preserving “don’t ask” heard last week, largely from Southern senators, is to protect “troop morale and cohesion.” Every known study says this argument is a canard, as do the real-life examples of the many armies with openly gay troops, including those of Canada, Britain and Israel. But the argument does carry a telling historical pedigree. When Harry Truman ordered the racial integration of the American military in 1948, Congressional opponents (then mainly Southern Democrats) embraced an antediluvian Army prediction from 1940 stating that such a change would threaten national defense by producing “situations destructive to morale.” History will sweep this bogus argument away now as it did then.

Happy reading!