# Obama to call for repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" in State of the Union Address tonight **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 28, 2010, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-to-call-for-repeal-of-dont-ask-dont-tell-in-state-of-the-union-address-tonight/526703 "2010-01-28T00:07:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2010, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-to-call-for-repeal-of-dont-ask-dont-tell-in-state-of-the-union-address-tonight/526703/141 "2010-02-03T23:47:54Z")
My mention of Russell Fiengold was not to demonize him by the way. He is and has been an avid supporter of gay rights. He is one of the Democrats I do admire for taking stances on principle. One of the few to be found. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2010, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-to-call-for-repeal-of-dont-ask-dont-tell-in-state-of-the-union-address-tonight/526703/142 "2010-02-03T23:50:13Z")
> [@boytyperanma](#): > > OK that would show members of both parties are willing to support gay rights then wouldn’t it? What did the DNC have to say to the 14 democratic members of the house who voted against it or to Russell Fiengold who also voted against it? Oh, come on. 5 out of 40 vote for it while 1 out of 60 vote against and your reply is “see, both parties support gay rights”? I’m not even suggesting that the act was a particularly good (I’m not strongly supportive of hate crimes legislation in general). But the notion that the parties are anywhere even close to the same on this issue is ludicrous, in my opinion. > [@](#): > > A point of note however the Mathew Sheperd Act was not voted on as bill in the senate. It was attached to a defense appropriations bill. In what sense is an amendment to a defense appropriations bill not voted on by the Senate? It was indeed voted on, and required 60 votes for cloture, both as an amendment and on the final bill (and once more after conference, IIRC). ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2010, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-to-call-for-repeal-of-dont-ask-dont-tell-in-state-of-the-union-address-tonight/526703/143 "2010-02-04T00:28:13Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > Oh, come on. 5 out of 40 vote for it while 1 out of 60 vote against and your reply is “see, both parties support gay rights”? I’m not even suggesting that the act was a particularly good (I’m not strongly supportive of hate crimes legislation in general). But the notion that the parties are anywhere even close to the same on this issue is ludicrous, in my opinion. > > In what sense is an amendment to a defense appropriations bill not voted on by the Senate? It was indeed voted on, and required 60 votes for cloture, both as an amendment and on the final bill (and once more after conference, IIRC). Stop and read my words. > [@](#): > > **members** of both parties are willing to support gay rights Neither party as a whole has shown to be supportive of gay rights. Both parties have members who when given the opportunity to vote against gay rights will. Democrat does not equal pro-gay despite what some Democrats may tell you. > [@](#): > > Mathew Sheperd Act was not voted on **as a bil** l in the senate. I’m going from memory here so anyone can correct me if I’m wrong. The House passed a defense appropriations bill that went on to the senate. That bill included the Mathew Sheperd Act. The senate did not vote on the inclusion of that amendment. They voted on the the appropriations bill as a whole. The original Mathew Sheperd Act first was introduced in the House was passed. It was sent to the senate never voted on there. ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2010, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-to-call-for-repeal-of-dont-ask-dont-tell-in-state-of-the-union-address-tonight/526703/144 "2010-02-04T01:30:30Z")
> [@boytyperanma](#): > > I’m going from memory here so anyone can correct me if I’m wrong. The House passed a defense appropriations bill that went on to the senate. That bill included the Mathew Sheperd Act. The senate did not vote on the inclusion of that amendment. They voted on the the appropriations bill as a whole. > > The original Mathew Sheperd Act first was introduced in the House was passed. It was sent to the senate never voted on there. From Wikipedia: > [@](#): > > The Matthew Shepard Act was adopted as an amendment to S. 1390 (the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010) by a 63-28 cloture vote on July 15, 2009. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-to-call-for-repeal-of-dont-ask-dont-tell-in-state-of-the-union-address-tonight/526703.md?page=7)