Lady Gaga , "If you don't like it, go home,"

[cal04]

Lady Gaga rallies for 'don't ask, don't tell' repeal in Maine
http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/Music/09/20/gaga.gays.m... /

Declaring that "Equality is the prime rib of America," pop star Lady Gaga urged Maine's two U.S. senators to help break a Republican filibuster on legislation that includes a repeal of the military's ban on openly homosexual service members.

"My name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta. I am an American citizen," the singer told a Portland, Maine, rally organized by the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network. She urged Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe, both Republicans, to support the repeal of the Pentagon's "don't ask, don't tell" rule and share "the greatest cut of meat that my country has to offer" with gays and lesbians in the military.

"Shouldn't everyone deserve the right to wear the same meat dress that I do?" asked the singer, who caught flak for showing up at MTV's Video Music Awards in a dress made of raw meat. "Repeal 'don't ask, don't tell' or go home."

The 24-year-old singer also drew cheers by proposing a new law, titled, "If you don't like it, go home," which would remove homophobic straight soldiers from the military instead of gay soldiers.

"If you are not honorable enough to fight without prejudice, go home," she shouted.

[DonCoquixote]

1. Say what you will about her

But while folks like Madonna always teased with LGBT sympathies, she gets right to the chase, no holds-barred. She might fulfill a lot of promise.

[flamin lib]

2. You go girl! nt

[malaise]

3. Bravo Lady GaGa

[USArmyParatrooper]

4. What she said is already reality

Once DADT is repealed.....

When it comes decision time to enlist or reenlist, you have that choice knowing it's an equal and open military.

[Dappleganger]

5. This old lady loves me some Lady Gaga...

can you tell we have teens, lol?

[66 dmhlt]

85. I'm deaf - but this old guy loves her, too!

All of Lady Gaga's escorts to the recent MTV Video Awards were victims of DADT

[JuniperLea]

6. I don't like "love it or leave it" mentality from anyone...

I was really starting to like her... not her music (puke) but her.

[alcibiades_mystery]

7. I have no problems with military discharges for outright bigotry

It disrupts unit cohesion, after all.

[JuniperLea]

9. You can't force "correct thought"

Or "correct action"

[derby378]

10. Maybe not, but you can keep "incorrect thought" out of the military

Which is what our military should have been doing instead of letting the Gangster Disciples and Aryan Nations into their ranks because some pencil-pusher in the Pentagon had a "quota" to fill for the occupation of Iraq.

[JuniperLea]

16. I'll remember that next time I hear a TeaBagger say

Love it or leave it... I really don't think all y'all are getting what I am saying.

[TK421]

19. I understand it, and find it annoying as well n/t

[FreeState]

21. The military is voluntary so apples and oranges n/t

[JuniperLea]

22. So is citizenship...

No one forces anyone else to live here. Apples and apples.

[FreeState]

26. Being born is here is not a choice - and that's 90%+ of those that live here

Sorry it's apple and oranges.

[JuniperLea]

27. No one is forcing anyone to remain a US citizen...

Do you not get that simple fact? You can be born here and become a citizen elsewhere. Happens all the time.

[FreeState]

30. Yes but the vast majority dont choose to be citizens the military 100% choose n/t

[ZombieHorde]

31. Becoming a citizen of another country is not so easy.

You have to have money, moving to another country can be very expensive, especially if you have a family.

The other country has to accept you as a citizen. You may be rejected. The language barrier can restrict options.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

79. So just reside there illegally...

Or are you saying that most countries don't bend over backwards to accomodate illegal immigrants?

[Mojorabbit]

37. I hate that line of thought too. nt

[USArmyParatrooper]

46. You can't control thoughts, only actions.

The military doesn't allow people in with gang tattoos, and I personally know of a (now ex) Lt. in my unit who was kicked out for visiting a racist website on a government computer. I've also read about gangs in the military, but after many years in two different branches I've never met one. At least none that I'm aware of.

DADT isn't a military policy, it's forced upon them by Congress. Don't like it? Learn which tree to bark up. Don't diparage Obama or the military. Go after the Republicans who are threatening to block repeal.

[Jax]

71. Obama can get in the fucking faces of Lincoln and Nelson

and lead on this with those Senate Dems who blocked this.

Don't tell me who I can and cannot disparage ever.

Fuck that.

My parents never had to wear their service on their sleeve to prove anything USArmyParatrooper.

[USArmyParatrooper]

81. So now Obama is responsible for what Nelson and Lincoln do?

And you do know that even if there weren't a couple detractors - that if every single Democrat in the Senate voted for the bill it's still not enough to break the filibuster, right? How do you know Obama didn't get in their face?

So I'll say it again. Don't diparage Barack Obama for the bill being blocked. Disparage the Senators who blocked it

And now I'll address your childish little attack. Many DU posters reference their service in their screen name because they're proud of it. Personally I support that, but I chose mine to dispell the myth that being a Democrat means being anti-military. But do feel free to continue to personalize the discussion, 'cause damn it nobody is going to tell you what to do.

You have a wonderful day.

[Name removed]

83. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[USArmyParatrooper]

95. So it's either 100% consensus from the Democrats or he's "not leading"?

The President can't make Nelson or Lincoln bend to his will. Sure he can generally build consensus, and with this bill we have that. But what you're asking for is for Obama to have total control, which is never going to happen. That whole 'separation of powers' thing.

AND.. as you conveniently ignored even with every single Democrat voting the same it's still not enough to break the filibuster. But no doubt you'd still find a way to blame Obama.

And since you threw in a veiled accusation that I'm "right wing" do you care to back it?

[Tarheel_Dem]

100. How utterly ridiculous. Since when do Senators answer to the President?

Especially Democratic Senators. Ever hear the term "herding cats"? They answer to their constituents, and Lincoln & Nelson represent very conservative constituencies. Your rage seems misplaced. Saying that Obama just needs to get in their faces is just plain clueless. Any Dem president would have faced the same resistance, which is why a Dem president wound up signing this crap bill in the first place. Remember that?

"Progressives" haven't come to terms with the fact that there are pockets of this country where a "true progressive" doesn't stand a chance, and that's where folks like Lincoln & Nelson come in. Pragmatists have long accepted the fact that this party accomodates everyone from Dennis Kucinich to Ben Nelson, and everything in between. Instead of focusing so much energy on blogs and internet websites, shouldn't "true progressives" be striving for a filibuster proof Congress? FWIW, posting angry crap on an internet site is not activism.

And ferchrissakes, please stop spreading the myth of 60 votes. We never had 60.

[JuniperLea]

75. Thought police piss me off more than just about anything...

That's all we have left that we can call our own... our thoughts. When you start screwing with people and trying to change their thoughts, you ultimately piss them off... think RW Fundies trying to force their beliefs down our throats.

I'm good with controlled action; people have to live with their own thoughts, I don't.

[Bluenorthwest]

11. I saw this news film as a kid of the National Guard

escorting kids to school, where racists did not want them to be. The racists had to deal or stand aside, did they not? And they were forced to do so. Were they not?
Laday GaGa is the Democrat of the year. MVP citizen GaGa. I thank her with great respect. And if you don't like it....

[alcibiades_mystery]

13. Actually, you can force correct action

I frankly don't give a shit what people believe, but you can certainly make policy that determines how they act. And you damn well should.

[JuniperLea]

17. Absofuckinglutely!

Methinks the point was missed. DADT is FUBAR and should never have been and should absofuckinglutely be repealed.

But the "Love it or leave it" meme is disgusting when the Republicans use it, and it stinks out loud when anyone else uses it too. Fucking reeks. If we embrace it now, there's now going back without being totally fucked up hypocrites.

All I'm saying is I really hate hearing anyone use the love it or leave it meme... it's not right... it's just not right.

[Bluenorthwest]

66. But, ye of a faith that teaches precise word use, she did not

say what you keep typing at all. She did not say 'love it or leave it' she said bigots go home. In the context of the current mode, in which the bigots get to send good people home. Repeating over and over that you do not like what was not said is a sort of misinformation. GaGa spoke for herself, you rewrote it to fit your dislike of her, and of hearing clearly that anti gay bigots are bigots who should be unwelcome in society, not some 'faith folk' who should be gently handled.
If you can not work and play well with others, go home. That is not 'love it or leave it' it is deal with it or simply avoid it, because we will no longer stand for you sending us home to serve your bigoted and atavistic dogmas or ideas.
If you have to rewrite what someone else said in order to argue against it, that should be a sign that you are not correct. Your yes is to mean yes, and your no to mean no. When you bear witness, it must be painstakingly precise.
She did not say what you claim she said. And that tactic is so dishonest that it makes me nauseous. Homophobes are bigots, just like racists, and they have to learn to get over it, or they need to go home. Hating gays is not mitigated by faith or tradition.
They used armed troops to force integration of schools. They said, deal with it, or deal with us, or go home. Didn't they? They sure did. And they enforced behavior, which you said could not be done. Good lord.

[JuniperLea]

72. Cheese and Crackers, Got AllMuddy!

I already said I liked the Lady... and you brought the argument full circle...

I never rewrote what she said... I explained... oh fuck it... why try? If you read this thread and you still don't get it, stick a fork in me...

bullshit... bullshit... bullshit

You and no one else can be the thought police... that's where people run into trouble. The world has slowly shifted and our youth today is far more accepting of homosexuals than they were 50 years ago. As with any issue, when you try to force thought, you will automatically lose.

When you can't read for comprehension, you end up with word salad in response... just saying... cheeses.

[Demoiselle]

89. Didn't Harry Truman enforce correct thought when he integrated the Army in

1948? Or was it 1947?

[POAS]

98. No, he enforced behavior not thought.....n/t

[backscatter712]

54. Damned straight. In the military, they CAN restrict action and speech.

And bigotry should be treated with zero tolerance.

If you're in the military and say "I hate n****rs," then you should be prosecuted under the UCMJ, and be punished with demotion, loss of benefits, time in the stockade and dishonorable discharge. Same for anyone who says "I hate f****ts!"

Bigotry is a poison to America and a poison to our armed forces. Any expression of it in any shape or form should be punished severely. Preferably by dishonorable discharge and a long stay in Leavenworth.

Stop drumming out GLBT servicemembers and start drumming out bigots.

[derby378]

8. I'll say it once again...

If I should find myself in the unfortunate position of having to use deadly force against those who are posing a direct threat to me as well as truth, justice, and the American way, and one of these marauders shoots me in the arm and the hip, and all of a sudden Lady Gaga is standing over me trying to stop the bleeding, I'll hand her my AK with my good hand and tell her, "The hell with me - cut down those bastards." And based on the passion that she just exhibited in that speech, I'd trust her to mow the lot of them down as much as a grizzled Marine corporal would.

And I wouldn't care that she wrote pop music or might have feelings for another woman. We're all Bozos in this bus.

She's got just as much right to enlist for active military service as all of us do. And soldiers should be professional enough that they can do their duty without saying "I ain't cooperating with that Allah-lover/queer/insert-epithet-here in my unit."

[JuniperLea]

18. Methinks the point was missed by a mile...

Sheesh... shoot me now.... fuck

[Tsiyu]

47. This approach is last resort, but it often works:

throw their own crap back at them.

Often, "walking a mile in someone else's shoes" involves having bigots hear the same words directed at them as they have hurled at others.

"Love it or leave it" in this case is being used as a device, not as a demand to "leave the country," but as a suggestion to "leave the military" if you are a bigot.

In this instance, I understand her use of this tactic.

I think it's brilliant.

[Balderdash]

70. Your point wasn't missed

you were wrong in how you read what Lady Gaga said.

[Tx4obama]

24. She didn't say love it or leave. She said if you're the one discriminating then you need to go home

She didn't say love it or leave.
She said if you're the one that doing the discriminating then you need to go home
and NOT the gay soldier that wants to serve his/her country.

Did you watch the whole video?

[JuniperLea]

25. Do you not get that this is the same thing?

Love it or leave it... if you don't like it go home... same thing.

[Tx4obama]

29. No, it is not the same thing. Listen to the whole speech carefully.

"If you are not honorable enough to fight without prejudice, go home," she shouted.

[derby378]

64. Exactly - there is no Constitutional right to be part of the Armed Forces

You have the same chance as everyone else - to sign up, report for basic training, get shouted at by the drill instructor, negotiate a grueling obstacle course, field-strip your duty rifle, endure the gas shack, and whomp your fellow recruits silly with a padded stick. But not everyone has the physical and psychological endurance needed to hack it through basic. Some people wash out, sometimes through no fault of their own. But the military is looking for the best.

[Bluenorthwest]

67. If they were the same thing, you'd not have done the rewrite

for rhetorical effect. You could not build an argument against what she actually said, so you pulled an inference out and stated that she said what you claim to have 'heard' implied. Others here did not 'hear' her say 'love it or leave it' at all.
If they meant the same thing, you'd not have pulled the rhetorical rewrite, but you did. With intention. That is a visible thing. It is one hell of a long walk to make a 'point'.

[tsuki]

77. That's what HST said when he integrated the military. nt

[Iris]

12. I can take or leave her music, but I admire her a lot.

[Gman]

14. Yup, that'll really do the trick there

those meat dresses are so persuasive. She could have done a lot more good by keeping her mouth shut. But she can't stand it if she's not the center of attention.

[Bluenorthwest]

15. Yeah, shut up and sing, right?

Do you apply that standard to other professions? That they should not advocate the Congress to pursue policy they happen to support? Should electricians not speak out? Should programmers remain silent? What's the list?
I think Americans speaking out and using what they have to use to help make change is what we should encourage, everybody should do what GaGa does.
And if you listen to the crowds there who are also advocating the same position, you can hear that they welcome her courage, humor, and yes indeed, the attention she can draw. You should let them know you don't agree.

[Gman]

39. No, I only apply the standard to people that wear dresses made of meat

and want to be taken seriously.

[Bluenorthwest]

69. In a money based society, she is rich, has a huge audience

and is taken multi-million seriously. She's a performer. I see you in other threads asking people what they have done to influence the Senate and I see GaGa part of an event that does just that, but oh, for her, she should do nothing. Because of what she does for a living. For which she makes huge, giant, piles of money. She's not running for office.
The crowd there, the people who also support what she does, loved what she said. She motivates lots of people, and shows them by example that they should be calling the Senate, marching, and speaking out. She does not just tell her fans to 'do stuff' she shows them how it is done. She sets a fine example as an American citizen.
I know a plumber. 'Waste disposal'. Yet he is a fine and serious man. Works with shit for money. Is that a problem for you, that people have jobs and wear costumes or otherwise behave in ways that they do not do in their off time? The plumber, he never does plumbing for fun, just for money. We all have a job. GaGa made herself a good business, the American way.
I dig that you don't like her, but taking issue with any American being a activist on our side is just daft and a half, and not necessary to your critique of her art.
She is a huge star kid, your derision matter not to her or to hers. Have you heard of Media Matters? That site is run by a former super model named Ann Simonton I believe who got much press for the media's views of women by entering a beauty contest in a dress made of meat, as Miss Steak. She was arrested and all. It was big news. GaGa knows the background and messages of meat dresses of history, and there have been meat dresses of history. The image of humans as commodities tends to strike a chord or two. As it did with you, clearly.
What are your markers for being 'taken seriously'? Power, money? Talent? Audience? How can one tell if one is taken seriously? What if one does not wish to be taken as serious, but would prefer to be sincere? Not the same thing.
When you are an artist, being taken 'seriously' means being a rotting academic. Would you say Dali sought to be 'taken seriously' or what? Did the mustache, the photos with meat, hurt him? Would he be more without those photos, or the wacky, anti serious image? Was Picasso too colorful?
Your posts are just so funny to me. "why don't you pressure the Senate, unless you are an artist I don't care for, then you should shut up."
Artists are just people with jobs. Citizens. Deal with it. Citizen activism is a good thing, always, especially when it is liberal activism that directly supports current administration policy as stated. I love it when people speak out.

[Gman]

78. So much energy you expend for someone that dresses up in raw sliced brisket

and wants to be taken seriously in a Senator's office. SOrry, the real world doesn't work like that.

[Withywindle]

102. She's a pop artist who works in various media

and one medium she works with is shocking fashion. It's just one medium out of many. (Music, dance, and video are other media she plays with.)

The idea that using shocking fashion as an aspect of performance automatically renders you an idiot...was pretty much blown out of the water by the pop art movement and radical designers of the 60s--if not much, much earlier by performers and designers of the 20s and 30s.

It's a meat dress. It was amusing. It was worn once. It was meant for photos and giggles. I think YOU'RE the one taking that single item of clothing so seriously that it overshadows the person who wore it.

[Gman]

103. When you're trying to pass legislation and you really need a couple of votes

the idea of using shocking fashion like dressing in a raw meat dress makes you look like a first class idiot. How do you think Snowe and Collins would seriously explain their changing and voting for cloture after being lobbied by someone that wears a meat dress?

This is not art. This is drop dead serious politics. Some people don't get it. And I mean drop dead serious. These are life and death decisions that are being made. Repealing DADT is very much life or death legislation. People's very lives could depend on how this vote went. So she dresses in meat and expects to be taken seriously and people defend her. THis is insane. Actually, it's there's a huge amount of immaturity involved with people defending her. They just don't get it. You know, she very likely could have screwed it up herself. What if Collins and Snowe were going to vote for cloture? Maybe the heat would be just too much to look like they caved to Gaga.

[FreeState]

20. Disagree with you entirerly

She is very powerful celebrity - if you don't get her art that's fine - but atleast she's actually doing something - I don't see any other pop artist even attempting to stand up and fight anti-gay bigotry.

[Gman]

59. She is powerful within her market

in the rest of the real world you don't wear a dress made of meat and expect to be taken seriously. You can expect to be thought of as an idiot.

[SteveM]

92. Well, the "real" world may have just guffawed. Even Bob Hope got guffaws...

and could step into a Senator's office, if he just had to. Consider seriously: Perhaps Ga Ga has some sway with our troops in "their market," and this may be good at legitimizing (some call it peer pressure) glbt presence in the military -- esp. in the combat zones.

[Divine Discontent]

84. shut up and sing, like Natalie Maines was told by the bigot country music people that didn't like

her commenting about the war being wrong, right????

Natalie was threatened by people for speaking up. I'm sure Gaga will be, too. regardless if you think "meat dress" is totally goofy, she's a unique oddball musician with heart, and she's putting a multi-multi-multi-million dollar career on the line for civil rights - so we should back her and at the most just say, I don't agree with some of her choices but she's standing up for equality.....

:#K$JI#II#(

[SteveM]

91. I can't speak for the meat dress, but if you got something to say, say it...

Frankly, we don't have enough people on "our side" willing to open their respective mouths. And if m'lady Ga Ga can pull it off, using her celebrity "power," that's fine with me.

I once saw in 1980 Randy "Biscuit" Turner, lead singer for the Big Boys (Austin punk band) take the station dressed in pre-cut bologna. All over. Still don't know his message. Do you know Ga Ga's?

BTW, most everyone who's "on stage" wants to be the center of attention, so what's the point?

[inna]

23. What did "meat dress" have to do with any of it. I wish she picked her battles better.

[Canuckistanian]

36. Yeah, that's kind of off-putting

She had a perfectly good message without that kind of weirdness.

[Hissyspit]

38. Why did she "catch flak" for appearing in a meat dress?

Did someone in the world expect her to NOT show up in a meat dress?

[TexasObserver]

28. "If you are not honorable enough to fight without prejudice, go home," she shouted.

[joe_sixpack]

32. I find it hard to get too excited

She's another product of a corporation which is squeezing as much money out of her as possible. Every 7.5 days they schedule a bit of news to keep her face time high and her sales up. I dont' see what power she has to really affect serious issues. Because she wasn't deemed sufficiently "attractive" enough for a pop star, it was calculated that she would have to rely more on an "outrageous" personality. It was a pretty profitable and lucrative idea that managed to attract our attention span for a sufficient length of time to make some decent money.

[spanone]

33. she's using her fame for a good cause. i like it.

[joe_sixpack]

35. Every pop artist has to have a cause to stay valid these days

It wouldn't be profitable to use her fame for a bad cause.

[TexasObserver]

40. She's doing something.

"Lead, follow or get the hell out of the way" is a saying we have for a reason.

There is nothing about her which suggests her feelings about gay issues are anything but sincere.

She's 24. Do you remember what being 24 was like? It means not being so cynical. It means retaining some idealism.

[Dawgs]

49. But why is she doing it? Fame? Record Sales? Promotion?

Or does she actually give a shit?

Everything she has ever done has been about marketing her as a pop singer.

I hope I'm wrong, but the history has so far proven me right; and I love her music.

[TexasObserver]

53. She's doing it because it's a cause she believes in.

Why would she champion a cause she doesn't believe in?

I find your cynicism to be baseless. She's a pop star who is using her celebrity to advance a good cause.

Did you even bother to watch her ten minute speech in Maine, as shown in the OP?

When DADT is shot down, she will have had a role in it.

[joe_sixpack]

96. "When DADT is shot down, she will have had a role in it."

That's a bit of a stretch, don't you think? I believe she has a right to say whatever she wants. If this is what she feels strongly about, then right on. My personal feelings are that I don't tend to assign too much importance to pop stars, especially one who was totally manufactured by media companies. Some musicians may rise to a level where they can actually cause some impact, such as Bono or Springsteen, Dylan, but she's a long way from that level.

[TexasObserver]

97. Yes, that's correct. She's doing more about it than anyone else.

That's not in dispute.

In your order of priorities, taking to task the most prominent voice against DADT is apparently very high. Your affection for aging rockers notwithstanding, Bono and Bob Dylan haven't done a damn thing about it, have they?

[joe_sixpack]

99. I wouldn't call her the most prominent...

unless you mean of a certain generation or appealing to a younger age group. I would say Joint Chiefs Chairman Mullen might be considered the most prominent voice who has spoken out against DADT.
And you've got me. I agree that Bono or Dylan haven't done anything about it to this point. And, in spite of my examples, I actually like some musicians other than aging rockers.

[TexasObserver]

101. Well, she is the most prominent voice pushing for repeal of DADT.

Perhaps if you would view her as a voice for change instead of merely writing her off because you don't like her, you'd see that.

Your view on this topic seems terribly uninformed. Try reading about her and her efforts a little more.

[JBoy]

55. She's been a huge supporter of the GLBT community for years.

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

Early in her career she had difficulty getting radio airplay, and stated, "The turning point for me was the gay community. I've got so many gay fans and they're so loyal to me and they really lifted me up. They'll always stand by me and I'll always stand by them. It's not an easy thing to create a fanbase." She thanked FlyLife, a Manhattan-based LGBT marketing company with whom her label Interscope works, in the liner notes of her debut studio album, The Fame, saying, "I love you so much. You were the first heartbeat in this project, and your support and brilliance means the world to me. I will always fight for the gay community hand in hand with this incredible team." One of her first televised performances was in May 2008 at the NewNowNext Awards, an awards show aired by the LGBT television network Logo, where she sang her song "Just Dance". In June of the same year, she performed the song again at the San Francisco Pride event. After The Fame was released, she revealed that the song "Poker Face" was about her bisexuality. In an interview with Rolling Stone, she spoke about how her boyfriends tended to react to her bisexuality, saying "The fact that I’m into women, they’re all intimidated by it. It makes them uncomfortable. They’re like, 'I don’t need to have a threesome. I’m happy with just you'." When she appeared as a guest on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in May 2009, she praised DeGeneres for being "an inspiration for women and for the gay community". She proclaimed that the October 11, 2009, National Equality March rally on the national mall was "the single most important event of her career." As she exited, she left with an exultant "Bless God and bless the gays," similar to her 2009 MTV Video Music Awards acceptance speech for Best New Artist a month earlier.

[Dawgs]

48. She's most marketed entertainer ever; and that's impressive considering all that came before her.

I'm glad that she's bringing attention to this cause, but I question how much of it is more than just marketing.

[TexasObserver]

80. You must not have been around for Elvis, the Beatles, Madonna or Michael Jackson.

Of all the things to get mad about, you choose the one entertainer who is clearly doing the most to end some of the worst discrimination in modern society.

How odd.

[crim son]

86. Because a performer is marketed practically to death does not

mean s/he has no allegiance to a specific cause and in fact I doubt there is any correlation at all. Is there any evidence this is just a promotional stunt? If so, please share it.

[WinkyDink]

87. You don't know. She worked to market HERSELF, having labored years in the wilderness.

She is brilliant, avant-garde, creative, thought-provoking, and plain old talented.

She also can now command the attention of a great many people, and I for one am pleased that she has chosen to do so for a good cause.

How many opera singers or scientists or CEO's are speaking to this?

[SteveM]

93. If I'm drowning in a river, and am rescued by a rowboat full of bologna...

piloted by a marketing wizz, I'll get on board.

[Starry Messenger]

34. That's what I call fierce.

She's quirky, but she knows how to draw media attention and is getting a lot of coverage. It's a solid message and she didn't have to take the time to do this and she did. That makes her a stellar person in my book.

[mmonk]

41. I posted video of her addressing the subject.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[Odin2005]

42. I find it disgusting that posters are bashing a good Progressive because she is a pop celeb.

Snobbery is not Progressive.

[mmonk]

43. Agreed.

Attacking her for addressing a subject such as this is juvenile.

[LynneSin]

50. I wasn't keen on her music but I am respecting what she is doing

n/t

[Dawgs]

51. It's not about her celebrity; it's about her motivations.

As I've said earlier, it's all about promotion for her as a pop singer; not for her cause.

She's nothing more than a product for a corporation, or at least that's what she's always been in the past.

And, I actually love her music.

[mmonk]

60. Then she sure is going through an awful lot of trouble.

So does this appply to any and all artists? They are essentially self promoting if they speak out on an issue and really don't mean it? Check out the video I posted in political videos.

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

90. I don't think she needs the cause to promote herself as an artist

She already gets plenty of coverage in the media for her music and her fashion choices. She's sold tons of albums and has won many awards. I think I've heard she the most fans of anyone on twitter or facebook or both.

[SteveM]

94. I work to save all kinds of wildlife. Motivation? I hunt.

[QC]

52. That's not why they are bashing her. n/t

[BakedAtAMileHigh]

68. yeah, how dare they critique pop culture!

We should all listen to and respect the opinions of pop musicians, actors and pundits!

Don't tell me what is and what isn't "progressive", please. You don't create the definition.

You do realize that people can think pop culture is a death trap and celebrity society is a sucking black hole of idiocy and still agree that DOMA needs to go, right? You do realize that people can despise Lady Gaga as a simpleton who uses controversy to sell her mediocre music while still fighting for equal rights for all humanity, don't you?

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

104. Are they?

Or are they bashing a pop celeb because she is a good Progressive?

[Solly Mack]

44. K&R

Yes!

[VMI Dem]

45. Wow. A real fierce advocate.

[joeybee12]

56. Wonderful! KNR

[xchrom]

57. LOVE me some Lady GaGa!! and now here is some very cool GaGa and soldiers dancing to her!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2DJCX4kcAY

[Change Happens]

58. Cool...

[tuckessee]

61. If this is the best spokesperson they have then they're sunk.

If they can't do any better than having a manufactured freak tout their cause then I consider the cause useless & lost.

Lady Gaga, you've made enough money to be set for life. Since you're so concerned about the military what's keeping you from signing up?

[Jax]

74. Who are you calling "they"

Who?

GLBT who have waited more than long enough for equal rights under the law???? Are you in your representatives faces about this? What are YOU doing for equal rights under the law?????

"They"

Who are you????????

[WinkyDink]

88. Your rant is bizarre. Citizens are not allowed to speak of the military? They must "sign...up"?

She is decidedly not "manufactured", which you would know if you had a clue about her.

And I'll ask, also: Who are "THEY"?

[jeremyfive]

62. Newfound Repect for the Lady Gaga! Go Gaga!

I feel so much love for Lady Gaga this week. Keep up the pressure, My Lady! This is one of the darkest times for America.

[bigwillq]

63. K and R (nt)

[Drale]

65. Her music is annoying

but I love her ideals.

[JuniperLea]

76. I can't stand her music...

But love her fashion sense.

[Swamp Rat]

73. Geaux Gaga!!

[stevenleser]

82. I just love this lady. She is awesome

Period.