[Shaun]

The US Senate has approved landmark legislation allowing openly gay people to serve in the military.

Senators voted 65-31 to overturn the 1993 "don't ask, don't tell" law, which bars gay people in the military from revealing their sexual orientation.

The House of Representatives had already approved the repeal bill. President Barack Obama says he is looking forward to signing it into law.

Opponents argue that the change will damage troop morale at a time of war.

More than 13,000 service members have been dismissed under "don't ask, don't tell", enacted under President Bill Clinton.

Saturday's vote was along broad party lines, with a few moderate Republicans joining the Democratic majority in favour of lifting the ban.
'Discriminatory'

The BBC's Iain Mackenzie in Washington says the vote is a major victory for Mr Obama, who had made overturning "don't ask, don't tell" a key policy objective.

The president said it meant "thousands of patriotic Americans" would not be forced to leave the military "because they happen to be gay".

The repeal will take effect after a 60-day period allowing the defence department to consider how to implement the new policy.

Defence secretary Robert Gates also welcomed the Senate vote.

"Once this legislation is signed into law by the president, the Department of Defense will immediately proceed with the planning necessary to carry out this change carefully and methodically, but purposefully," he said.

Aubrey Sarvis, head of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, an advocacy group, said: "Until the president signs the bill, until there is certification, and until the 60-day Congressional period is over, no-one should be investigated or discharged under this discriminatory law."

Earlier this month, a Pentagon report said that allowing openly gay troops would have little impact on the cohesion of US forces fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Democrats, who still control both house of Congress, have said they want to approve the repeal before the start of a new Congress in January.

Probably a matter of time before it gets reconstituted though.

[Smithy]

GaGa was pleased

[ILoveTRW]

And we can all thank The Real World for this.
If it hadn't been for Danny (The Real World: New Orleans 1) and his military boyfriend who had to cower in the shadows every time he visited the house, America would still be blind.

[Smithy]

Originally Posted by ILoveTRW

And we can all thank The Real World for this.
If it hadn't been for Danny (The Real World: New Orleans 1) and his military boyfriend who had to cower in the shadows every time he visited the house, America would still be blind.

Yea, a show which aired 10 years ago had this much of an effect on the American general public

[ILoveTRW]

Originally Posted by Smithy

Yea, a show which aired 10 years ago had this much of an effect on the American general public

Yes and in the DC season Mike spoke to Obama about it.

[Smithy]

Originally Posted by ILoveTRW

Yes and in the DC season Mike spoke to Obama about it.

child please. stfu

[ILoveTRW]

Danny did end up cheating on him towards the end of the season, but whats a blowjob during mardi gras.

[ILoveTRW]

Originally Posted by Smithy

child please. stfu

oh and fyi. from wiki

Because of the U.S. Military "Don't ask, don't tell" policy toward homosexuals, Paul's face was obscured on TV and much national attention was brought to the issue.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danny_Roberts

[\PJ/]

Well this is a positive move forward i think, i don't see any harm in it?

[Smithy]

Originally Posted by ILoveTRW

oh and fyi. from wiki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danny_Roberts

Originally Posted by \PJ/

Well this is a positive move forward i think, i don't see any harm in it?

Yea, it's a good thing for the US

[ILoveTRW]

Originally Posted by Smithy

Yea, it's a good thing for the US

If you go to wiki you will see the statement is externally sourced, so you have no point there.

[Smithy]

from a gay Hollywood blog, hmm yea I see your point

[ILoveTRW]

Originally Posted by Smithy

from a gay Hollywood blog, hmm yea I see your point

good

[Jamietwo]

seems a weird thing to make any laws at all about , theres always been homosexual activity in the armed forces (i have some personal experience around this) ....it's probably best to be discreet about it as most people would be in civilian life. It's not really the place to have a gay parade is it? i think the law telling people not to be open is just provocative BS , just let the men find their own social balance and hierarchy amongst themselves and don't get rib of people cos their gay and don't allow bullying...and get on with the job at hand...

[Smithy]

N'awww

Today I am so proud to be American. I wish I was home so I could throw a Parade. We are on the way...to full equality

[ILoveTRW]

Originally Posted by Smithy

N'awww

That makes sense considering at the 2009 VMAs Red Carpet Pre Show she spoke about watch MTV in her youth and how she loved The Real World.

[Smithy]

cool story bro

[Shasown]

Originally Posted by ILoveTRW

And we can all thank The Real World for this.
If it hadn't been for Danny (The Real World: New Orleans 1) and his military boyfriend who had to cower in the shadows every time he visited the house, America would still be blind.

Here you like wiki, educate yourself, the world does not revolve around your beloved program regardless of how much you think it does.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don't_ask,_don't_tell

[ILoveTRW]

Originally Posted by Shasown

Here you like wiki, educate yourself, the world does not revolve around your beloved program regardless of how much you think it does.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don't_ask,_don't_tell

Over 100 million people saw that season, of course it had an affect.

Some interesting statistics about the popularity of baby names the year before and after a housemate with that name appeared on the show.

Amaya
1999 – 703 Children
2000 – 1639 Children

Kaia
1999 - 146 Children
2000 – 242 Children

Coral
2000 – less than 5 Children
2001 – 174 Children

Baya
2008 – 5 Children
2009 – 54 Children

This proves what an affect The Real World had and has on America.

[Tom4784]

Real World needs to become a banned phrase on this site.

It's a good victory for America, the arguments against it before were ridiculous. Gay people 'Lower Morale?' Well send the homophobes home instead. The fact that such laws exist in America in these modern times are ridiculous.

[lostalex]

It was a pretty pointless law anyways, considering American soldiers were already serving alongside openly gay soldiers, cause they were serving alongside British and Canadian and Australian troops, all of which have openly gay soldiers. So Americans are used to serving next to gays.

Good on Obama for FINALLY fulfilling ONE of his campaign promises though. I believe this is the first campaign promise he's actually accomplished after 2 years in office.

We're still waiting for you to close down Guantanamo Mr. Obama, you promised that too, remember?

[ILoveTRW]

Originally Posted by Dezzy

Real World needs to become a banned phrase on this site.

This is a Reality TV Forum
You really shouldn't be mod

[Shaun]

*cough* usual rhetoric about the real world being staged *cough*

[lostalex]

Can we stop bullying TRW please? i havn't seen him saying anything rude or abusive to anyone. He likes the show, so what?

This is a Big Brother based forum, and you could argue that the real word show was the invention of that kind of reality TV, so i don't thinkit's inappropriate for him to discuss that show on a forum that's basically centered around that type of show.

Leave TRW alone, let him say what he likes.

I havn't seen him say anything abusive or outrageous so why are you guys ganging up on him?

[Stu]

Originally Posted by lostalex

Can we stop bullying TRW please? i havn't seen him saying anything rude or abusive to anyone. He likes the show, so what?

This is a Big Brother based forum, and you could argue that the real word show was the invention of that kind of reality TV, so i don't thinkit's inappropriate for him to discuss that show on a forum that's basically centered around that type of show.

Leave TRW alone, let him say what he likes.

I havn't seen him say anything abusive or outrageous so why are you guys ganging up on him?

No offence but you have not seen much of his grand total of posts. Long before you ever arrived on the scene he continually hijacked threads that had nothing to do with The Real World to somehow make the subject matter relate to the show. He considers anyone who does not give The Real World a chance a narrow minded idiot just because they don't give it a chance. He is hillarious in his denial of it being in any way staged or dramatized. He has sent me personal messages trying to get me to watch it - not taking a no for an answer - and chances are he has done like things to other people.

Liking a show is one thing. This guy just pisses people off and rightfully so. You reap what you sow.