Gun Laws Loosen in States, Even as Gun Policy Changes Little Under Obama
(CBS)
Because he campaigned on promises to make the expired federal Assault Weapons Ban permanent, to close the loophole that allows unlicensed dealers to sell firearms at gun shows without background checks and promote other so-called "commonsense measures," gun rights advocates have been wary of President Obama.
The few gun-related measures to come out of Washington in the past year, however, have been mostly in favor of bolder gun rights, such as the law that just went into effect that allows loaded guns in national parks.
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Camp-Fire? Guns Now Legal in National Parks
(CBS/AP)
The new rule allows people to carry firearms, including semi-automatic weapons, in most national parks and wildlife refuges, so long as they follow the gun laws of the state. (That could get a little complicated, as more than 30 parks occupy land in multiple states.) As the Los Angeles Times points out, that means people can now carry concealed weapons while camping in places like Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon and Yosemite.
Critics, including former directors of the National Park Service, complain that the rule marks parks more dangerous: They argue that the decision to overturn a 1983 law visitors mandating that visitors had to unload and disassemble their guns and place them somewhere not-easily-accessible increases the prospect of violence. The new rule is "a risky change that will endanger families, hikers, those who work in these places and the park rangers themselves," as a Ventura County Star editorial put it.
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Republicans Boo Anti-Gay Group Speaker (Video)
We're a little late to this, but we wanted to point you to this striking video from this past weekend's Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). In it, Ryan Sorba of California Young Americans for Freedom tells an audience of conservatives that he condemns CPAC for allowing gay Republican group GOPride to be a part of the event.
Sorba is immediately booed for his statement, prompting him to say, "bring it, bring it, I love it, I love it."
"Guess what," he says, "civil rights are grounded in natural rights, natural rights are grounded in human nature, human nature is a rational substance in relationship, the intelligible end of the reproductive act is reproduction. Do you understand that? Civil rights, when they conflict with natural rights, are contrary."
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Sorba is immediately booed for his statement, prompting him to say, "bring it, bring it, I love it, I love it."
"Guess what," he says, "civil rights are grounded in natural rights, natural rights are grounded in human nature, human nature is a rational substance in relationship, the intelligible end of the reproductive act is reproduction. Do you understand that? Civil rights, when they conflict with natural rights, are contrary."
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Joe Lieberman to Take Lead on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" in Senate
(AP Photo/Harry Hamburg)
"I will be proud to be a sponsor of the important effort to enable patriotic gay Americans to defend our national security and our founding values of freedom and opportunity," he said in a statement Monday in which he noted his longtime opposition to the policy.
"To exclude one group of Americans from serving in the armed forces is contrary to our fundamental principles as outlined in the Declaration of Independence and weakens our defenses by denying our military the service of a large group of Americans who can help our cause," said Lieberman, who has angered liberals with his resistance to Democratic orthodoxy on issues like health care reform.
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Poll: Most Want "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Repeal
(CBS/iStockphoto)
Two in three say the current "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy banning openly gay service members amounts to discrimination.
Voters from military households were split on a repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Democrats overwhelmingly backed repeal, while Republicans oppose it 53 percent to 40 percent. Independents backed repeal 56 percent to 37 percent.
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Openly Gay Soldier Dan Choi Back in Uniform
(CBS)
According to The Bilerico Project, Choi was supposed to lead a workshop on ending "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Friday but sent his regrets because he had been called up to train with his National Guard unit.
"Apparently, Lt. Choi's commander has always been in full support of him, and even after Lt. Choi came out on The Rachel Maddow Show, his commander did not press for his discharge," writes Jeff Sheng, who posted pictures of Choi in training. "The military did eventually serve Lt. Choi a discharge notification - essentially firing him from his job, but he was allowed to fight this at trial, and as it currently stands, the discharge has not been finalized."
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Colin Powell Favors Repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"
(CBS/EARLY SHOW)
"In the almost 17 years since the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" legislation was passed, attitudes and circumstances have changed," Powell said in a statement. "I fully support the new approach presented to the Senate Armed Services Committee this week by Secretary of Defense Gates and Admiral Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff."
President Obama said in last week's State of the Union address that he would put an end to "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," and Defense Secretary Robert Gates this week announced a working group to "thoroughly, methodically and objectively" examine how to end it responsibly. Adm. Mike Mullen told Congress Tuesday that he personally supports ending the policy.
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Filmmakers Produce Dramatic Re-Enactment of Prop 8 Trial
(CBS/AP)
Two Los Angeles filmmakers are broadcasting online a dramatic re-enactment of the court challenge of Proposition 8, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker was initially going to allow cameras into his courtroom so the trial could be televised and streamed online, but the Supreme Court last month blocked the trial's broadcast, saying Walker failed to follow the proper procedures to do so.
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Mullen: Ending Don't Ask, Don't Tell "Right Thing to Do"
Updated 2:33 p.m. Eastern Time
Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Senate Armed Services Committee Tuesday that he personally supports ending the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy which bans gays from serving openly in the military.
"Mr. Chairman, speaking for myself and myself only, it is my personal belief that allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly would be the right thing to do," Mullen said. "No matter how I look at the issue, I cannot escape being troubled by the fact that we have in place a policy which forces young men and women to lie about who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens."
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Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Senate Armed Services Committee Tuesday that he personally supports ending the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy which bans gays from serving openly in the military.
"Mr. Chairman, speaking for myself and myself only, it is my personal belief that allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly would be the right thing to do," Mullen said. "No matter how I look at the issue, I cannot escape being troubled by the fact that we have in place a policy which forces young men and women to lie about who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens."
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Obama to Seek "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Repeal
(CBS/ AP)
Mr. Obama has promised to repeal the policy, and gay rights groups were encouraged by news earlier this week that he would push for the repeal in his address to Congress. However, as late as yesterday it was unclear whether his request would be included in the speech.
Senior White House adviser David Axelrod reportedly confirmed to CNN that Mr. Obama will ask for the repeal tonight.
"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" may not be in Obama Speech
(CBS/ AP)
The president has promised to repeal the policy, which keeps gays from serving openly in the military, but he has yet to seriously press Congress to do so. Democrats have indicated they would try to get a repeal of the policy into this year's Defense Appropriations bill, but gay rights advocates fear they will retreat amid concerns about their midterm election prospects.
Now a senior administration official tells CBS News that while language has been drafted for Mr. Obama's State of the Union urging Congress to repeal the policy, it is not by any means certain that language will be included in the speech, which remains in a state of flux.
According to Levin, officials at the Pentagon expect Mr. Obama to address the policy. Levin has agreed to delay Congressional hearings on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" until after the State of the Union and now hopes to hold hearings early next month.
"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" in State of the Union?
(CBS/ AP)
The White House and Democrats in Congress have indicated in recent weeks that they would try to get a repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, which prevents gays from serving openly in the military, into this year's Defense Appropriations bill.
But with Democrats scrambling following a week that included the doubly-whammy of Scott Brown's victory in a Massachusetts special election and a Supreme Court decision that will likely benefit Republicans in election campaigns, there is concern that the White House will not follow through on the plan.
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Cindy McCain Joins Campaign in Favor of Gay Marriage
(Adam Bouska/noh8campaign.com )
Sen. John McCain's wife Cindy McCain is the newest face of a pro-gay marriage campaign.
Posing with tape over her mouth and a "NOH8" logo on her face, Cindy McCain was photographed for the NOH8 Campaign, which protests Proposition 8, the California proposition passed in 2008 banning same-sex marriage. The proposition is currently being challenged in federal court.
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Gay Marriage Fights Continue in New Jersey, California and D.C.
(AP)
The 39 GOP members, including House Minority Leader John Boehner (Ohio) and Minority Whip Eric Cantor (Va.), filed an amicus brief in D.C. Superior Court calling for a voter referendum the legalization of gay marriage. Constitutionally, Congress has ultimate authority over laws that govern the District, the brief reportedly points out, explaining the congressmen's involvement in the issue.
Washington Mayor Adrian Fenty last month signed a bill, which was passed by the D.C. city council 11 to 2, legalizing gay marriage in the District. It is now under a requisite 30-day legislative review.
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Bruce Springsteen Rocks Gay Marriage Vote
(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
"I've long believed in and have always spoken out for the rights of same-sex couples," the musician wrote on his website.
Springsteen is no stranger to politics, having performed for the presidential campaigns of John Kerry and Barack Obama. He also expressed support for outgoing Democratic governor Jon Corzine, who describes the recognition of gay marriage as a "civil rights issue that must be approved to assure that every citizen is treated equally under the law."
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