Believe me, I know. I hear it every day. You had such high hopes for Barack Obama. For once, maybe the first time in years, you cared. You dared to believe. You really thought he could do it.
And now you are so disappointed. You feel betrayed. Were you such a fool? Was he really so lacking in ways you didn't know — in experience or resolve or humanity? How can this man who moved so many now seem so distant and aloof, so arrogant and unconnected, so lacking in resolve?
Hold that thought. Or let it perish, at least for now.
On Sept. 20, 2011, something historic happened in this country, and it is thanks to Obama.
Thousands of men and women who are risking their lives for this country no longer have to lie and hide to do so. They no longer have to put up pictures of their supposed "girlfriends" or "boyfriends" so that others won't think they are gay.
They can be gay. They can be lesbians. They can serve their country with pride and not worry about the day they might be shamed and discharged.
Sept. 20, 2011, is the beginning of a new era in the military. Just as discrimination on the basis of race was finally eliminated decades ago, so, too, now, thanks in large part to this president, discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is history.
It should have happened years ago. The policy was shameful. We owe countless men and women — not only those who were discharged, but also those who gave their lives in secret or have risked their lives in hiding — an apology.
We owe them our thanks. We were wrong.
The policy has changed.
Military leaders — who fought the idea of such a change when President Clinton, soon after taking office, suggested it — have changed.
Attitudes in this country have changed.
But the most important change of all is the one in the White House. President George W. Bush never would have done it. I don't believe that a President McCain — much less a Vice President Palin — would have done it.
Yes, there is plenty of room for disappointment. I wish the president had drawn a line in the sand during the debt default talks, that he had not, ultimately, let the tea party and its chief partier House Speaker John Boehner dictate the terms. I wish the president could stir the country as president like he once did as a candidate. I wish a lot of things. So does everyone I know who voted for Obama.
But every once in a while, in between complaining and bemoaning, it is right to pause to recognize that our votes did make a difference, and so has this president.
Life is different today for Americans who have long deserved our appreciation and respect. Life is different today because one more vestige — surely not the last, but still important — has been lifted. Life is different today because there was change in Washington. That change has now made its way to every corner of the world where our brave young men and women proudly serve this country.
Today, I'm not complaining. Today, I am proud of my president and proud of my country.
To find out more about Susan Estrich and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
COPYRIGHT 2011 CREATORS.COM
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Remember this don't ask don't tell policy was the official United States policy on homosexuals serving in the military starting on December 21, 1993.
And the Democrats contend that such a policy was so horrible that it is a great achievement by Obama to end it.
Only problem, Democrat were in control of congress and a democrat, Bill Clinton, was president. Restated, Don't ask Don't tell is a Democrat policy.
When a Democrat ends "Obamacare" will it be a great achievement also?
Democrats are losers.
Comment: #1
Posted by: SusansMirror
Wed Sep 21, 2011 12:11 PM
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Estrich asks of those fools who made little president zero their prince of fools
(1) Were you such a fool? Answer clearly YES !
(2) Was he really so lacking in ways you didn't know — in experience or resolve or humanity? Answer also clearly YES !
(3) How can this man who moved so many now seem so distant and aloof, so arrogant and unconnected, so lacking in resolve? Answer because as is becoming clearer by each passing hour to some of the fools, little president zero (aka Obama) is an incompetent, race baiting, class warfare promoting, affirmative action and media created, psychotically narcissistic, infanticide enabling, Islam pandering,jew hating indolent, Marxist, blame America first, anti America sociopath bowboy liar.
As is unintentionally made highlighted by Estrich his one so called achievement in two and a half years is to have ended the Democrat policy of don't ask don't tell. Whoop dee do ! What a president! What a star! What a sick joke he is! Except noone save those that wish ill on the US are laughing
Comment: #2
Posted by: joseph wright
Wed Sep 21, 2011 3:14 PM
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But look at the policy that DADT replaced.
Comment: #3
Posted by: Ron
Wed Sep 21, 2011 10:13 PM
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@Joseph: So, I guess you don't like Obama.
Comment: #4
Posted by: Ron
Wed Sep 21, 2011 10:17 PM
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Whatever else may be going wrong in the world -- and there is much of it -- at least we can all sleep soundly, stand proudly, and walk with a spring our step now that it's safe for the women in our military to have sex with other women and the men in our military to have sex with other men . . . just like God and nature intended. (Let Darwin sort 'em out.)
Comment: #5
Posted by: JG
Thu Sep 22, 2011 4:20 AM
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Re: Ron Just stating the truth.
Comment: #6
Posted by: joseph wright
Thu Sep 22, 2011 5:00 AM
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Dear susan,
I watched the events of yesterday Sept 20 unfold and came away thinking. Man that is Leadership. The President went to the U.N. and met with both the leader of the Palestinians and With Benjamin Netanyahu and came away with great praise for his efforts yesterday. Netanyahu went so for as to say, "....you wear your support for Israel like a Badge of Honor....". Netanyahu deliberately made that statement to show that he believes in the efforts of the Obama administration with respect to the policy it has toward solving the problems of the Middle East. I guess the president must be doing SOMETHING right to elicit such praise.
I was appalled with the efforts of Rick Perry to undermine the president just prior to his speech before the UN. Even Joe Scarborough this morning called that effort misguided and "...Ham-handed..." It may have been that effort that prompted the Prime Minister to make the "Badge of Honor.." statement. But one thing is very clear. The administration is walking a Karl WAllenda-type high wire on this issue and has almost made it to the other side. If he can get there and still have the support of both sides of the two-state solution, he will have pulled off another major accomplishment in his short administration.
It is clear that the United States must veto the current bid in the UN for Palestinian statehood recognition. It is absolutely necessary that the Palestinians stop the violence first. When that happens, a separate state devoted to peaceful co-operation can become a reality. This administrations efforts deserve all the support it can get from the citizens of this country. One day soon, we will see a two state solution and in order for it to work, the violence must end. If Obama pulls this off, perhaps he will finally EARN the Nobel prize he was awarded so prematurely. For the sake of both the Israelis and the Arabs and their children, I hope he pulls this off. It is long past time for peace.
Comment: #7
Posted by: robert lipka
Thu Sep 22, 2011 6:00 AM
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Re: robert lipka
Cuckoo ! Cuckoo ! Cuckoo !.
It was little president zero's deliberate or incompetent or both appeasement of the murderous Palestinians that emboldened the seeking of a vote on statehood in the corrupt and useless U.N
What was about to enfold at the UN was an unmitigated diplomatic disaster to be laid rightfully at little president zero's door. Since coming to office zero has pandered to the Palestinian terror regime and repeatedly thrown Isreal under the proverbial bus and had to be given a public deressing down on middle eastern history and politics by Netanyahu.
Rocked by the recent electoral defeat in NY little zero had to try win back the Jewish vote but even then, it will be noted that in his selectoral campaign speech in the UN he did not in that speech go so far as to promise a veto on the proposed Palestinian statehood.
Netanyahu, for whom little zero is no match, was not praising him with the words "....you wear your support for Israel like a Badge of Honor" but was backing the dolt into a corner from which he may not, much against his Islamist leanings, easily escape.
Netanyahu played him like a hooked trout, right to the net.
The only matters of sense in Lipka's post is that the Palestinians must end their terrorist violence, that a negotiated equitable two state solution is necessary and that zero did not earn the Nobel peace prize awarded to him for ...what precisely?
If peace eventuates in the middle east during the term of this Administration, the chances of which are remote, it will be because of the efforts of Isreal not little zero.
The only thing this entirely corrupt and criminal Administration deserves from the citizens of this country is for it to be tossed out at the soonest opportunity.
Comment: #8
Posted by: joseph wright
Thu Sep 22, 2011 6:53 AM
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With this President "CHANGE" means getting rid of the Repubic and replacing it with Marxism. He has recently inferred he wish he were a dictator and didn't have to deal with Congress. Open your eyes and your ears folks!
Comment: #9
Posted by: Early
Thu Sep 22, 2011 8:05 AM
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Oh my gosh, gays can serve in the miliary!!! Hooray!!! Our troubles are over!!!
Who cares about those little things like the country's impending bankruptcy or the government's determination to run roughshod over individual liberties and the constitution in order to serve "the common good"?
May I please have my daily serving of gruel now master?
Comment: #10
Posted by: Winston Galt
Thu Sep 22, 2011 10:39 PM
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