Hillarysworld

The Daily Beast
How DADT Was Repealed
by Linda Hirshman

Today's historic vote to repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell was the result of a behind-the-scenes effort in which gay activists of all stripes banded together—and won the day.

[SNIP]

Activist and establishment, the repeal of DADT is actually a reflection of the courage and strategic singlemindedness displayed by every player in the gay revolution. When the opponents started threatening to hold up the nuclear weapons treaty if forced to vote on DADT, I fully expected to see the advocates fold. Nuclear arms?? How would you like to have your social movement cause a global holocaust? Instead, HRC spokesman Fred Sainz came as close as any lobbyist skates to saying go ahead, make my day: "What some Republicans like Corker seem to be saying is: We will let nuclear weapons proliferate if you let gays serve."

Yandura says a bunch of other activists have been hanging out with GetEqual, picking up pointers on how that group turned up the temperature on this issue. Divided, carping, distractable, establishment, and activist, the gay movement has a lot to teach. Just a year ago, Congressman Bart Stupak threatened to kill federal health-care reform if reproductive rights advocates didn't agree to an extension of the ban on federal money for abortions into an arena it had never applied to—private insurance. The women's rights groups folded in a heartbeat. Maybe feminists should take a lesson from the gay activists and show that they're willing to go nuclear if they don't get their issue looked after. For starters, feminists might consider chaining themselves to the White House fence like Dan Choi did. After all, he learned it from the suffragettes.

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Unfortunately, the feminist movement has been co-opted by the Right to make it "elect a female" movement at this stage.  Reversing the ill effects of the impact of the failed Stupak Amendment (in the Executive order that it ended up winning in its demise) is going to take all feminists to hang to gether and work hard to get a true pro-choice person to the helm.