BARBARA'S TCHATZKAHS

By DAVID CRARY Joseph Rocha reported being cruelly hazed by Navy colleagues. Katherine Miller resigned from West Point halfway through, weary of concealing her sexual orientation. David Hall was outed by a fellow Air Force cadet and booted from the career he loved. The exits from military service were wrenching consequences of "don't ask, don't tell," the policy prohibiting gay and lesbian personnel from being open about their sexuality. Yet Hall, Rocha and Miller savored military duty and now — with "don't ask, don't tell" heading toward oblivion — they want to return. Rocha, 24, was in Washington on Wednesday, watching euphorically as President Barack Obama signed the bill clearing the way for repeal of the 17-year-old policy. Obama encouraged those who were discharged to re-enlist, and Rocha said he hopes to do just that by enrolling in the Marine Corps' Officer Candidates School in Quantico, Va. "I had a rough childhood, and th...

In the 7 or so months Obambi's been in office he seems to show how naive, inexperienced and full of cr*p he is at every turn. He flip flops, backpedals and/ or basically steps in it every day. Granted I have stepped in it numerous times in my life - I am human. That happens. But this guy's the POTUS. He's got advisors all around him. Where are these people? To my gay friends, I believe your day is well past due. And don't look to Obama for help anymore. Not that he got your vote, you're being dumped like a one-night-stand. MAKE THE ASK The NEW REPUBLIC has made no secret of its high regard for Barack Obama. Which makes it all the more distressing for us to observe the approach that his administration is taking on gay rights. During the campaign, Obama said all the right things (well, almost all--like most national politicians, he wouldn't endorse same-sex marriage). He invoked the importance of winning "equality" and "dignity" and ...