According to an article in Stripes, the Obama transition team is considering William White as the next Secretary of the Navy. I am sure that the fact that he is openly gay will be talked about more than his qualifications. He is also receiving some support from retired members of the Joint Chiefs as well as from some members of congress.
It sounds like White has done a lot for the troops that were killed or severely injured in combat through his work with the Intrepid Museum Foundation which started the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. One of the points that Obama hammered home again and again during his campaign was the shameful way that injured vets were treated after they suffered injuries while defending our nation. Putting an advocate for injured vets in this position seems like a selection Obama might make.
Many of the picks that Obama has made for high-level government positions have drawn criticism from the extreme right and from the extreme left while receiving some praise from the center. If Obama picked White for this slot, it would place him in the middle between two opposed groups, homophobes and homosexuals. Homophobes will be angry for obvious reasons. I think it would also anger many homosexuals when they discover that the selection of White would not immediately lead to the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Since you will never make everyone happy, if you piss off both sides an equal amount, you are probably doing a good job. I think this would be an interesting selection.
"He would be phenomenal," retired Gen. Hugh Shelton, who was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1997 to 2001, was quoted as saying.
Retired members of the Joint Chiefs have contacted Obama’s transition team to urge them to pick White, and members of Congress said he would be a good choice, according to the Times.
It sounds like White has done a lot for the troops that were killed or severely injured in combat through his work with the Intrepid Museum Foundation which started the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. One of the points that Obama hammered home again and again during his campaign was the shameful way that injured vets were treated after they suffered injuries while defending our nation. Putting an advocate for injured vets in this position seems like a selection Obama might make.
Many of the picks that Obama has made for high-level government positions have drawn criticism from the extreme right and from the extreme left while receiving some praise from the center. If Obama picked White for this slot, it would place him in the middle between two opposed groups, homophobes and homosexuals. Homophobes will be angry for obvious reasons. I think it would also anger many homosexuals when they discover that the selection of White would not immediately lead to the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Since you will never make everyone happy, if you piss off both sides an equal amount, you are probably doing a good job. I think this would be an interesting selection.
2 comments:
I have no problem if he is a flaming home, if he supports our injured sailors and Marines.
Sexual orientation isn't a deciding factor.
beebs
beebsblog
anarchist
Interesting. I hadn't heard about this. Then again, I've been a sand diving ostrich the past week or so. Hubs and I have talked at length about sexual orientation with regard to the military and what always results is a lot of grey area. If he's the best guy for the job...bring it on.
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