"Joy and pleasure are as real as pain and sorrow and one must learn what they have to teach. . . ." -- Sean Russell, from Gatherer of Clouds

"If you're not having fun, you're not doing it right." -- Helyn D. Goldenberg

"I love you and I'm not afraid." -- Evanescence, "My Last Breath"

“If I hear ‘not allowed’ much oftener,” said Sam, “I’m going to get angry.” -- J.R.R. Tolkien, from Lord of the Rings

Saturday, May 05, 2007

Maverick, or Just Desperate?

John McCain hasn't been high on my list of potential presidents since about 1992. I've watched him slide farther and farther into Neverneverland over the past couple of years, and his performance in this campaign so far has been laughable. Apparently I'm not the only one so impressed: he's now tied with Fred Thompson for second place (at 14%, behind Giuliani's 30%) in the polls.

The latest hint of insanity has to do with DADT. Most Americans are in favor of repealing it, including a majority of serving military -- but not The Base. So what's McCain's position?

I believe polarization of the personnel and breakdown of unit effectiveness is too high a price to pay for well intentioned but misguided efforts to elevate the interests of a minority of homosexual servicemembers above those of their units.

Most importantly, the national security of the United States, not to mention the lives of our men and women in uniform, are put at grave risk by policies detrimental to the good order and and discipline which so distinguish America’s Armed Services. … I remain opposed to the open expression of homosexuality in the military.


Read the whole letter. It is just so wrong from beginning to end -- no contact with reality whatsoever. And it is viciously slanted. Even in this excerpt, note the phrasing: "elevate the interests of a minority of homosexual servicemembers above those of their units." He just doesn't get it.

Anyone who thought DADT was good policy to begin with is, in my humble opinion, of questionable intelligence. Anyone who still thinks so is beyond the pale.

This is a letter from a man who would govern on mythology, not facts. We've had seven years of that already, thank you very much.

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