The Hollywood Liberal

Late Late Night FDL: I’m Not Feeling It Any More
Van Morrison — I’m Not Feeling It Any More.

Van Morrison — I’m Not Feeling It Any More.

What’s on your mind?

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A very rough balancing out of American History.
It may not be the best way, but not appealing the decision on DADT is just a just way to overturn a wrong-headed discriminatory policy.

pic via House of Sims at Flickr.com

Like many, I occasionally re-visit the great reads of my past. At present I’m reading, Robert Remini’s trilogy on Andrew Jackson, the latter surely one of the most important, complex yet cartoonish, revolutionary, alternately heroic and repugnant characters in American History. There are things I’m learning anew about Jackson that have application to today’s FoxNews driven falsehoods. For example, Jackson and virtually all political leaders of pre-statehood Tennessee were more than willing to contemplate becoming Spanish if it helped them kill as many Native Americans as possible since the Washington Administration was reluctant to do so.

It is that most repugnant topic, Jackson’s facilitation of crimes against Native Americans (he had lots of support on the issue sadly), that comes to mind now. Specifically his refusal to enforce the decision of the Supreme Court in Worcester v. Georgia, holding that the Cherokee Nation in Georgia was entitled to Federal Protection from the State’s efforts to remove them from their land. Not only did Jackson not enforce the law, he encouraged the flouting of the decision and the removal of the Cherokees (and other tribes) from their land. One of the most flagrant violations of the Constitution in American History, though certainly not the only one.

Now here we are, 178 years later, and a Federal Judge, Virginia Phillips, has ruled DADT violates the Constitution and it should be banned. Under the circumstances of the case, did she go beyond what was necessary? Perhaps.

But here’s the thing, it may not be how the Obama Administration would have liked to have had DADT overturned, but it is a way that it can be overturned nonetheless. It is the right thing, and unlike with the Jackson Administration, it is perfectly legal to do sit on your hands and let the policy you say you oppose die.

It may be too late for the Cherokees, Mr. President, but here’s a chance to at least somewhat balance out history. At this point, it doesn’t appear you’ll do so.

It is time to end this ‘Trail of Tears’, don’t appeal.

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Early Morning Swim: Rachel Maddow’s Report on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Injunction
One step forward, two steps backward.

One step forward, two steps backward.

The Obama administration decided on Tuesday to appeal a judge’s rulings that prevented the U.S. government from banning same-sex marriages, a move that could undermine support among President Barack Obama’s traditional liberal base ahead of a key election.

The Obama administration filed a notice of appeal with the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts in support of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, or DOMA, that barred gay marriages, even though Obama had previously opposed the law.

I know, I know. Quit whining, stop sulking, change is hard.

Did it for them.

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 13th, 2010 at 4:52 am and is filed under Main Blog (All Posts). You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.