Mailbag: An Officer’s Response to DADT

Name and rank protected by request.

Dana,

OK, I’ve been listening… and concerning homosexuality in the military, I don’t think a lot of listeners understand why service members are in favor of leaving current policies in place! I thought about this all night, and sitting here this AM I am compelled to add my voice to the discussion. I hope that I am able to articulate the truth that I know.

My wife and I were asked by DoD & the office of SECDEF to participate in a survey that was followed up with interviews. The Army is taking this issue VERY seriously! The lives and well being of Soldiers could depend on it. I will tell you the same thing I told them… Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT) protects, preserves, and ensures the rights and well being of service members! Repealing DADT would be detrimental to the service and the combat effectiveness of today’s military. I’ve heard several people say… Gays should be able to serve… GUESS WHAT…. THEY DO!!! I heard one protester say, “I’m gay and I’m professional… I would be the same as a Soldier”. Great! You can do just like I did 15 years ago and be in Basic Training in 2 weeks… no problem! You can be as butch as Rosie O’Donnell or as flamboyant as Valentino Liberace and serve in the United States Military… NO QUESTIONS ASKED!!!

And that is the crux of my letter and my frustration with civilians who “Don’t Get It”! DADT ensures that NO QUESTIONS WILL BE ASKED!!! The United States Military is not a platform for activists to push an agenda… we are the protectors of this nation… bottom line. Dana, our uniform is our designator… Name, Rank, Service… that is all anyone needs to know about a service member… everything else we freely give up for the privilege to SERVE!!! If you can’t make that sacrifice then service is not for you! The Army has 7 core values that we live by: Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless-Service, Honor, Integrity, & Personal Courage (LDRSHIP). These are more than mere words, they are the discipline of our daily lives, they define who we are! Notice what is missing… Sexual Orientation! That’s right your color, race, religion, socio- economic background, personal values, and sexual orientation don’t matter in this military. That’s why we don’t ask, it is irrelevant. When one steps out and proclaims something outside of our core values, they are putting themselves before the team and they are compromising the selfless nature of service. Some might say my comments sound like robotic-brain washed military mumbo-jumbo, but that is the difference between those who serve and those who talk about those who serve. Repealing DADT will compromise the values I have known all my adult life… my service defines who I am and at the end of the day… that is enough!

May God Bless You and Keep Our Nation Secure.

R/Y

Mailbag: The Karl Rove Book Return Club

I received this hilarious email from listener Jim with the accompanying photo:

I’m sending his book back. His comments about O’Donnell were the trigger. He made a major mistake, he took off his mask and let us see who he really represents behind the scenes, big government and washington as usual politics. This tea partier has no desire to go back to the glory days of Hastert, Tom Delay, Trent Lott, and a Bush that could never seem to find his veto pen to control his own party.

Jim

There has been some speculation that Rove is setting himself up as the bad guy in order to help fuel conservative voter outrage and assist getting people to the polls this November, which, if true, is bad strategy because it presupposes that voters aren’t already on their own merit sufficiently outraged. They’ve been doing just fine right now without the assistance of any political dark arts. The other alternative is that he is as beltway and blockheaded as they come and has effectively neutered for the future any credibility or influence he may possess. One is obviously less ridiculous than the other, but the more I hear him speak the more I wonder if there really is no spoon and it’s really the latter.

Mailbag: Nuh Uh! Edition

In the middle of prep for today’s show (2pm, 971talk.com stream and DanaCam, 97.1 FM broadcast) but I had to share how I’ve received a few emails from “regular” folks all using the exact same talking points, the same bullet points in their defense of this administration from my remarks on Larry King last night.

Soon as I get a spare moment I’m going to publish them all so you can compare. Nice to see the astroturf in action, at least it shows that those in charge give a crap about something related to the Gulf.

Mailbag: “200 MILLOION A YEAR!”

Mark Patterson writes:

Subject: read your material,such a sad,angry girl

“watching,hearing you,like fox news,ILLUSION.why don’t you people talk about the HUNDREDS of millions wasted by people without health insurance,going to emergency centers,jacking up the price,i saw this with father,late 12/3 in the morning at hospital,FULL of poor,minorities,sad people,LOTS OF THEM LADY,THAT’S COSTING US ALL A FORTUNE.a hundred,to what 1500 FOR A FAMILY OF THREE,GARBAGE.bush gave millionaire bankers,wall st.THE GREAT 700 BILL BAILOUT,WITH NO STRINGS ATTACHED,NOBODY WATCHING THE FOXES EAT UP THE HENHOUSE,goldman sachs paid not ONE DIME INCOME TAXES THIS YEAR,CIGNA C.E.O.’S MAKE UP TO 200 MILLION,YES LADY,200 MILLOION A YEAR,BLOOD MONEY.why aren’t you “conservative”,”tea baggers’,and honey,hope you never see the movie by john waters,”pecker”,YOU’LL WISH YOU NEVER HEARD THE WORD “TEABAGGING”,boy you need to get out more.ANYWAY,WHAT ABOUT THE TRILLIONS SENT TO THE VIRGIN ISLANDS,CARRIBIEAN,IN “TAX SHELTERS”,friend from bermuda says one six bedroom “tax shelter house” has ONE HUNDRED 89 BUISINESSES THERE,IMAGINE THOSE RIP OFF’S PAYING [redacted] NOTHING,HUGE BIG BUISNESS FROM AMERICAN TRAITORS,LADY THAT WOULD PAY FOR ALL THE DAMN HEALTH CARE,THE BUSH EIGHT TRILLION “IRAQ WAR OF LIES” AND GIVE US ALL TAX BREAKS,WHY DON’T YOU RAGE ON THIS LADY,WHY DOESN’T RUSH TALK ABOUT HOW UNDER YOUR DAMN REPUBLICANS OF 15 YRS VIRTUALLY ALL FACTORS VANISH,CHINA,MEXICO,INDIA, NOT ONE “MATTEL” FACTORY IN AMERICA.that swastiga witch, poltergeist,(aka magda goebbles),look up a pic,it works.she never cries over the inflation,jobs sent to everywhere but here,and now we have to finish what your bush started eight years ago,and destroyed economically a great country to get “saddam,and his weapons of MASS DESTRUCTION,PIG KARL ROVE BITCHIN THAT IT TOOK OBAMA THREE MONTHS TO ADD TROOPS,IT TOOK BUSH EIGHT YEARS,AND BOMBS GOING OFF IN BAHGDAD EVERY DAY,and we won that war,remember.thank god for liberals who will save this country,only bill clinton left a clean slate, carter1 trill, reagan 3/4,bush daddy 5/6,clinton ZILCH PUSSYCAT,now bush, EIGHT TRILLION,NO HEALTH CARE,GO TO GERMANY,THAT’S SOCIALISM,AND I’D LOVE TO LIVE THERE ANYDAY,CHEAP RENT,FREE EDUCATION,HEALTH CARE,IF THAT’S SOCIALISM I’LL TAKE IT ANYDAY OVER PUMPKIN HEAD GINGRICH’S IDEAS OF DOOM”

Points for creative spelling.

Heh, and it’s well-known that I’m not a fan of Gingrich.

From John (jdlh73@xxxxxxxx.xxx, omitted, unless he writes again):

Subject: hey stupid

I was thinking Mrs. war fever , your still young enough to enlist , go ahead , go fight for my freedoms , you stupid bimbo.

I have no idea why or how Savage would even think about having a a person like you , someone without a brain,the lack of knowledge of world history and no common sense etc even host his show , obviously he has never listened to your lousy show.

You’re nothing but a neocon blowhard and I am convinced you haven’t a clue about conservatism …

take a [redacted]ing walk , tell your producer I would beat his ass in ten seconds; If he wants to arm wrestle me , I will be glad to show up at one your tea parties and do it for 100 dollars ?

I can think of no better way to act like a conservative than to actually act like a liberal and cyber-harass a woman. I also doubt that Savage would approve.

From Michael Artell:

Hi Dana,

I recently saw you on the “FOX NEWS NETWORK” accidentally when I was changing channels. I really don’t watch that that network due to the fact that they are busy “MAKING News” instead of “Reporting News” and to be perfectly honest with you, they have no credibility as a news agency and as such, anything they “Report” just serves as a warning that people such as you are nothing more than part of the PROPAGANDA machine to try to take away the rights of the American people. Good luck in your endeavor, however I think that you will find that the American people aren’t the SHEEP that you people think that we are, and YES we can see right through you and your bull[redacted].

I love it when “people” use “excessive quotes.” Oh and RANDOM caps.

Suebritt7@xxxxxxxxx.xxx writes:

Surely you are taking your kids out of school or perhaps you are educating them at home since you feel studying hard and trying your best in “school” are just subversive plots. Go ahead, glorify ignorance. See if I care if your kids grow up to be uneducated fools. If I lived in your neighborhood I would insist that my kids not be in a classroom with yours or associate with them in anyway. I would not even want them on the playground together.

I love Suebritt’s totally “random” use of quotations. Yes, boo “studying hard and doing your best!” I have not made any mention  at all of falling test scores or teachers bound to a stifling educational system because those things are stupid! I’m so glad that Suebritt is teaching intolerance to her children. FTW! Screw diversity!

TonyCinstl writes:

Dana, I just listened to the presidents plan for Afghanistan and I believe this is the most well thought out plan I’ve ever heard. I also listened to your commentary afterward. Obama has every right to “blame Bush”. Our country is screwed and bankrupt because of Bush’s policies. Obama was handed two unwinable wars, a corrupt goverment and a world that hates America.
When you, Allman and Beck get done enciting [sic] the right wing extremists, one of your followers, will most likely carry out your wishes and assinate [Ed. note: WTH is “assinate?”] our president.  Then where are we all going to be?
You act like you care about our country while you are the one bringing on its demise.

Much love even though you are a nut case.

Tony

When did dissent with economic policy become analogous to violence against those in elected office? Are Tony’s parents first cousins? Because that’s messed up. However, I bet it makes holiday travel easier for him. I know Tony doesn’t listen to the show regularly because he didn’t reference the times when I’ve discussed Wall Street or Iraq before the surge or when I got hatemail and a purely-show government tail over my Gingrich remarks.

And now for some good mail:

Annie writes:

THANK YOU for what you do. Thank you for enduring the scorn of hate from the left, thank you for keeping us on our toes. God bless you this Christmas season!

From Dan (after I posted the first hatemail earlier this afternoon:

Dana,

You posted some hate mail from a “fan”:

why aren’t you “conservative”,”tea baggers’,and honey,hope you never
see the movie by john waters,”pecker”,YOU’LL WISH YOU NEVER HEARD THE
WORD “TEABAGGING”,boy you need to get out more.

Do I read this right?  This “emoter” thinks we call OURSELVES “teabagger”???? WTF?  I think this writer should pull the heads out of their behinds more often. Their side started this name calling!

Love you blog posts and other work. Keep up the good work.

C in Honduras writes:

What a combination; intelligent, correct and HOT!  Graduated from Webster Groves HS in 1960.  Retired in Honduras 8 years ago.  Dana, if you want first-hand, up-to-the-moment info on the situation here, give me a wave.

your new fan,

C

Ron writes:

Dana,

Not sure if you are getting this email.

Keep up the great work.

Ron

Alecia:

Hello Dana!

Love your show! Love you! I’m so glad to see a smart and attractive young woman out there keeping it real! I know you’re on the front lines but you have backup!

Take care,

Alecia

James:

That station struck gold when they hired you. Keep it up.

From an Iraqi vet

Nichole:

Hi Dana,

I’ve never written to anyone on tv or radio before but I watched you speak at Kiener in April and I’ve been listening to your show, your podcasts, and reading your blogs and I just have to say THANK YOU!!!!!!! You are an inspiration to those of us who needed it to be able to stand up and do what needs to be done to reclaim our country. I can’t wait until Saturday!

Nichole H.

(She was referencing the 11/28 tea party)

Dana,

I know you get hatemail. Consider this a word of support. Don’t let the [redacted]ers get you down.

Greg

I get a couple hundred emails a day and I try to get through them all. Thanks for the words of kindness and encouragement in an era where free speech and dissent is under attack.

“Hate speech” is the new “you’re a raaaaacist!”

Whatever they can do to try to shut you up. Keep in mind, last night I said that I question the faith of anyone who would say hallelujah on Sunday and then go vote for a dude who is pro-abortion on Monday. Apparently, it’s “hate” to point out contradictions.

Hi Dana,

Heard your show last night for the first time and wanted to congratulate you on your rise. You have the character of a Hate radio DJ down pat. The inflection, the outrage, even the word choices were top notch. You have mastered this role.

I tuned in while you were ranting about Liberalism in education and liberalism in the church. Was totally blown away to find out you were talking about SLU, a school most would consider ‘Conservative’ to say the least, but you made it sound like a bastion of free thinking liberal thought.

Your continued rise in this arena will be fun to watch. You have the aggression, the looks, and the vocab to go far in ‘Hate broadcasting’ and right wing idolatry. Do be careful though, one day the outrage you urge in others will turn to violence and innocent people will die in your name. This is assured. That is a lot to live with, even when one has Religious righteousness and a fervent belief in their absolute rightness. I hope when that day comes you can live with the results of what you have sown.

Once again, Congratulations on your success,
Steve Truesdell

Again, remarking on false prophets, preachers who hide behind the pulpit and cheat on their wives or milk people of money <cough>Benny Hinn</cough>; calling out people who market an academic institution as a religious entity while accommodating a dude who said that the Holocaust was just one giant hustle, that’s “hate speech.” I guess he’s OK with all of that. Dude, what a twisted world in which we live.

Speaking of violence, what does he think of this violence? Or this violence? Or this? This? This? What does he think of the government calling out muscle to rough up protesters? Oh, he’s OK with that, I suppose, because it’s for things with which he agrees. Hippie FAIL. You can’t be for the government for one issue and against it for the same issue when the only variable that’s changed is the party in power.

He’s parroting Pelosi with this Helter Skelter nonsense; it’s like they WANT violence to take place, they WANT people to be hurt. It’s all they talk of and yet THEY are the ones propagating it at the town halls, at protests, at summits. Reality bites.