Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell Rolls Back Non-Discrimination Protections For Gay State Workers

[ProSense]

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell Rolls Back Non-Discrimination Protections For Gay State Workers

Christina Bellantoni

Gay and lesbian state workers in Virginia are no longer specifically protected against discrimination, thanks to a little-noticed change made by new Gov. Bob McDonnell.

McDonnell (R) on Feb. 5 signed an executive order that prohibits discrimination "on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, religion, age, political affiliation, or against otherwise qualified persons with disabilities," as well as veterans.

It rescinds the order that Gov. Tim Kaine signed Jan. 14, 2006 as one of his first actions. After promising a "fair and inclusive" administration in his inaugural address, Kaine (D) added veterans to the non-discrimination policy - and sexual orientation.

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But the LGBT trade press sees it as a "sad" development that strips state workers of protections that they had under the last administration.

Kaine declined to comment through spokesman Hari Sevugan, who said McDonnell should be "ashamed" for the new policy.

Sevugan said:

It says a lot about the Republican party that they would anoint as their 'rising star' someone who in 2010 is actually stripping away from Americans legal protections against discrimination. Bob McDonnell is proving his critics right. He said he'd focus on creating jobs, not social issues. But, one of his first acts as Governor was to make it easier for a fellow citizen to be denied a job and he did so as an adherent to a right-wing ideology that allows for such discriminatory behavior. McDonnell's decision is just plain wrong in any context, but especially so in this economic climate.

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[Laf.La.Dem.]

1. Your use of "R" was not necessary

I think we all know what party he would be part of:argh:

[JI7]

4. yeah, but there are people who would say Tim Kaine is an R also

because he isn't liberal.

[DevonRex]

6. And this proves that there ARE differences in the parties. nt

[msongs]

2. DADT is good enuff for obama its good enuff for Virginia nt

[CTLawGuy]

3. not even close.

NT

[vaberella]

5. What are you talking about?!

Obama has continually stated he's working to REPEAL DADT and DOMA. And another thing...where in the article does it talk about Obama or DADT? What are you trying to do with your pos?! From January the President has been working to change aspects in DADT. You're being intentionally disingenuous.

[msongs]

7. ok you win, let's study it some more...and some more....and some more nt

[Cha]

9. The whole country is going to WIN when the new admin

of President Obama gets its way and DADT is repealed.

[Cha]

8. Your complaints are insipid.. "A NEW DAY ON DADT"

Keeping it in the news~

".... Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Mike Mullen generated national attention two weeks ago when he told the Senate Armed Services Committee that he sees no reason to block gays and lesbians from serving openly in the U.S. military. He immediately faced pushback from far-right Republican senators, who publicly questioned his integrity.

Would Mullen face a similar reaction from U.S. troops, who were no doubt aware of his public stance on the issue? Apparently not.

Navy Adm. Michael Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was nearing the end of a 25-minute question and answer session with troops serving here when he raised a topic of his own: "No one's asked me about 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,'" he said.

As it turned out, none of the two dozen or so men or women who met with Mullen at Marine House in the Jordanian capital Tuesday had any questions on the 17-year-old policy that bars gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military — or Mullen's public advocacy of its repeal.

Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Darryl E. Robinson, who's the operations coordinator for defense attache's office at the U.S. Embassy here, explained why after the session. "The U.S. military was always at the forefront of social change," he said. "We didn't wait for laws to change."


Mullen has held three separate town-hall sessions with troops since his testimony on DADT, and the response among members of the military "has been little more than a shrug."

Army Staff Sgt. Peppur Alexander, 33, a 14-year veteran now serving at the U.S. Embassy, told Mullen that she's served with gays and lesbians. More than 13,000 troops have left the military since Congress enacted the policy.

"We have lost good soldiers because of that because they wanted to be who they are," Alexander said. "It's sad."

Mullen has changed the game. His testimony not only positions repeal as a mainstream position of the American military leadership, but it's largely signaled that the change is inevitable.

Time for Congress to follow through and get this done."

—Steve Benen 9:20 AM Permalink | Trackbacks | Comments (8)
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com /

[phleshdef]

10. I love it when people like you just straight fucking lie.

Its saves me the trouble of discrediting you.

[davidpdx]

11. Maybe we should send McConnell a buttplug

or possibly just a cork to tell him where to put it.