I plan to make this weekly (much like the show says it's 'daily')

[beelikej]

I can not capture in words how much I love Jon Stewart and his 'Daily' Show. These past weeks I finally managed to watch it on a regular basis again. I'm still amazed about the amount of issues on which I agree with the opinion expressed on this show. It's one of the few USA-based programs that comfort me by proving there are actually people out there who can see the ridiculousness in political and social responses to current events. I would never be able to joke about some of the serious subjects and still make the message clear.

To share my view on the world I'm planning to be lazy and simply copy the opinion of others make a weekly post with the news-story that hit me the hardest. This week that's the case of Lt. Dan Choi, an Iraq combat veteran and a West Point graduate with a degree in Arabic who will be discharged from the army for being openly gay.
I'm a little embarrassed to admit I always thought Don't Ask Don't Tell was a farce; something that was jokingly said about the armed forces. I'm very shocked to find out it's actually a law.
If you are not aware of the case, I encourage you to read Dan Choi's open letter to President Obama before you watch the Daily Show video. It is such a well written explanation of why it's wrong to force soldiers to hide in the closet, especially in these times.

I am very disappointed in Mr. Obama's response so far. What are TPTB afraid of?

A selection of videos worth watching and more or less related to the subject:
April 27: All is well with the world, or is it?
Snoutbreak '09 (Watching Jon curse is one of my guilty pleasures;)

April 28: On torture of detainees
A very impressive, unedited interview with Cliff May, the president of The Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Watch all three parts in the indecision forum

My pick of the week
May 14: On Don't Ask Don't Tell (DADT)
You may want to watch this lead in first: So it's okay to waterboard a guy 80 times, but god forbid the guy who can understand what that prick was saying... has a boyfriend

Here is John Oliver explaining to Jon why that is indeed "not okay":

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Dan Choi Is Gay
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(Thank you cinderlily for inspiring this post and trying to explain)

Comments

nice job

[jennamcwilliams.blogspot.com (from livejournal.com)]

Well done.
Historically in America, we've seen abominable policies and laws wilt when public sentiment against those policies and laws reached a critical mass. We saw it with racial segregation and lynching practices; we saw it with various anti-woman work and legal practices. Now it appears we're seeing it with the shameful "don't ask, don't tell" policy. I've written about this on my blog, at http://tinyurl.com/o99oas. I'd love for you to take a look!

Re: nice job

[beelikej.livejournal.com]

Thanks for your comment. I read your blog, you make an interesting comparison, something to think about.

[emelot.livejournal.com]

It makes me so sad that President Obama won't use his rightful executive power to suspend DADT.

[beelikej.livejournal.com]

He seemed so determined to stop that nonsense. I hate to think he stopped caring. Jon Stewart makes some exellent points. Why don't the people in power understand DADT is only making things more awkward and dangerous.