What's being called "a great moment" at Netroots Nation 2010: Dan Choi, expelled from the military within the past month for being gay, had his West Point ring handed to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Reid promised to return it to Choi upon the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, prompting Choi to hop on stage and hug the man who was the subject of recent GetEQUAL protests. 

I imagine it could be a very healing gesture. Provided DADT goes bye-bye very soon as promised.

President Obama's video appearance at the same confab could be seen as another olive branch to progressives.

Howard Dean made a surprise visit to GetEQUAL's latest shout-OUT against DADT in front of the White House. Along with Nancy Pelosi's aggressive demand that the military institute a moratorium on DADT expulsions, it feels like momentum, with or without the White House.

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President Obama visited the oil disaster today, which I certainly don't begrudge him. I do wish he'd never caved to "drill, baby, drill!" in the first place—his hands would be much cleaner than they already are on that issue. But it's fucking annoying that righties want the BP disaster to be his Katrina. Big disaster, yes. An entire city destroyed with dead bodies left unattended while Bush ignored it? Not comparable.

GetEQUAL serves notice to some of the people who can actually change Don't Ask, Don't Tell, after having already put their boss, President Obama, in a corner. 

"Stories from the Frontlines: Letters to President Barack Obama" is a new media campaign in which men and women whose lives have been affected by Don't Ask, Don't Tell write open letters to the president, expressing their feelings and asking him to step up on this issue. 

Brilliant and constructive idea—it pressures the president (especially as more and more letters appear), lets the people affected speak out in dignity (something Lt. Dan Choi had stressed) and should not be divisive within the LGBT community.

Along with traditional lobbying and protests, this kind of action is valuable.

Be sure to keep reading Towleroad for updates.

GetEQUAL's next rally (via this horribly annoying video...I don't like the effects they used, which I am guessing are meant to make Lt. Choi seem MLKish?):

So President Obama was heckled by GetEQUAL over the fact that Don't Ask, Don't Tell is still not repealed. Frankly, this is going to look foolish as all hell to most people who see it because most people are believing the president when he says he's against DADT and that it will soon be repealed. That's because most people do not read political blogs, so are not aware there are rumors the White House has been trying to push it off the table in 2010. So the timing is not as foolish as it will undoubtedly read to most, because if it's pushed off the table in 2010, you can forget it ever happening—at least by vote. Because the Democrats will lose seats and possibly the House, so 2011 is no time to be voting on anything that benefits LGBT people.

I think there is a parallel to be drawn between the national gay groups (in particular HRC) and the national women's rights groups (NARAL, NOW and Planned Parenthood). The latter are now upset over President Obama's decision to issue an executive order affirming the fact that the government will not in any way fund abortions as part of his health-insurance reform compromise. But why only now? Why are they issuing statements now and why are they only now seriously mobilizing against the despicable Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Michigan) and his kind of faux Democrats? Pro-act, don't re-act.

As with the gay groups, timing is everything—had the major gay groups pressured the White House earlier on, DADT might be further down the road. And had the women's groups pressured all Democrats early on regarding women's right to reproductive freedom, Stupak might not be the HCR kingmaker he's been made out to be.