Bill Maher on Scaring the Hell Out of Right-Wing Homophobes

categories: LGBT Celebrities, LGBT Rights and the Military, Obama Administration and Gay Rights

Published October 10, 2009 @ 06:08AM PT

Bill Maher

Today marks Day 1 of the National Equality March weekend, and in honor of the weekend of action, training and marching for equal rights, Bill Maher is out with a column that will likely provide fits for the anti-LGBT right-wing. His message for LGBT activists in D.C. this weekend is simple: scare the hell of out right-wing homophobes, and tell our President that everyone deserves equal rights.

Maher especially goes after "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," calling on President Obama to sign an executive order -- much like President Harry Truman did in the late 1940s to integrate the U.S. military -- ending the discriminatory policy that keeps gays out of the military (or kicks them out when they're discovered). While the legality of such an executive order is questioned by some groups, Maher's point echoes what Rep. Joe Sestak wrote here yesterday. Rep. Sestak said that as a former Navy officer, he lost good soldiers because of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," and that hurt America's national security.

Maher doesn't put it quite so elegantly, but his comments are still pretty effective.

"'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' has always been bad policy that was made out of a bullshit political compromise. You know, like [we're] doing now with health care. It never made sense to begin with," writes Maher. Ouch. Take that, moderate Democrats who slow progress down.

Will Obama touch on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" tonight in his Human Rights Campaign speech? A few leaks coming out of the White House suggest that maybe he will, albeit in a measured tone. He certainly owes it to the more than 200 soldiers discharged for being gay under his watch to say something.

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Comments (8)

I hope that he addresses it.

Lol, nothing is more entertaining than creeping out straight people except freaking out homophobes :D

Posted by Paul Hockhousen on 10/10/2009 @ 08:13AM PT
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Yawns* If i had a bad heart, i would die of a heart attack if Obama actually rocked the shit a bit. Good thing my heart is rather healthy and Obama is nothing but a pussy footing democrat bitch boy to the moderate right minded nut jobs.

Posted by Chris Marshall on 10/10/2009 @ 04:24PM PT
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I was TOTALLY unimpressed by his speech. His stating that he will "end DADT." Yeah, uh huh.....sure. We believe you.

Am I cynical? Yes. Do I (we) have reason to be? ABSOLUTELY!

Posted by Dave Hershey on 10/10/2009 @ 06:01PM PT
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What did he say about gay marriage? Nothing? My flight got cancelled... Go figure eh?

Posted by Chris Marshall on 10/10/2009 @ 06:04PM PT
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Bill Maher is doing the correct thing by combating the intolerant nonsense which intolerant conservatives keep spewing. Homophobia is intolerance which brings no benefit. Although an executive order is a questioned tactic, if President Obama is allowed to repeal the intolerant 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' with an executive order, then President Obama is obligated to do so. It's good that President Obama will very probably speak about the intolerant 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'.

Posted by Edwin Bonilla on 10/10/2009 @ 04:53PM PT
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Its nice that bill maher believes in gay rights...Or at least he claims to...Though after hearing some of his opinions about women and women's rights, I tend to doubt the sincerity of his words.

Having said that...

I agree that we should scare the fuck out of the homohaters...By winning the fight for equality.

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 10/11/2009 @ 12:48AM PT
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All I can say is. "Tell it like it is Bill."

Posted by Chris Marshall on 10/11/2009 @ 11:00AM PT
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"kickin ass in the mornin and takin names in the evenin" Eminem ! Go Bill...

Posted by Stephen Yost on 10/28/2009 @ 12:02PM PT
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Author

Michael is the Communications Director for the Human Rights Program at Harvard Law School, and previously was Communications Director for Pax Christi USA, a progressive Catholic human rights organization.