Marine Corps Commandant General James Conway is opposing President Obama's pledge to repeal "don't ask, don't tell," the Washington Times is reporting today. Citing a former senior Pentagon official, the Times says that Conway "has emerged in internal Pentagon deliberations as the most outspoken opponent of permitting gay men and women to serve openly in the U.S. military."

"Much of the debate over legalizing gay marriage has focused on God and Scripture, the Constitution and equal protection. But we see the world through the prism of money. And for years, we’ve heard from gay couples about all the extra health, legal and other costs they bear. So we set out to determine what they were and to come up with a round number — a couple’s lifetime cost of being gay. It was much more complicated than we initially imagined..."

The American Psychological Association declared Wednesday that mental health professionals should not tell gay clients they can become straight through therapy or other treatments. In a resolution adopted by the association’s governing council, and in an accompanying report, the association issued its most comprehensive repudiation of so-called reparative therapy, a concept espoused by a small but persistent group of therapists, often allied with religious conservatives, who maintain that gay men and lesbians can change. No solid evidence exists that such change is likely, says the resolution, adopted by a 125-to-4 vote. The association said some research suggested that efforts to produce change could be harmful, inducing depression and suicidal tendencies.

For gay personnel in the ranks, the contrasts are stark between the so-called don't ask, don't tell policy endorsed by the U.S. military and some of its allies. In other parts of the world, gays serve openly.

In 1993 only 44% of the American people supported ending the ban [on gays in the military]. This number steadily increased in the intervening years — 62% favoured lifting the ban in 2001 and 75% favoured its repeal as of last year. More importantly the men and women in uniform also no longer favour this discriminatory, costly and counterproductive policy. In 1993, 75% of service men and 55% of service women opposed lifting the ban. But service members' opinions have come full circle in the last decade and half. A December 2006 Zogby International poll found that 73% of military personnel say they are comfortable interacting with gay people.

In a landmark decision that promises new rights to the gay, lesbian, and transgender populations of India, the Delhi High Court ruled today to abolish a 150-year-old law criminalizing homosexual sex. The ruling today only impacts New Delhi and it would take further action to decriminalize homosexual sex throughout all of India. While today's decision may provide the momentum needed for an effort of this sort, it may also result in an appeal of the decision by the central government to the Supreme Court.

This from a Republican. Little by little ....

Long-simmering tensions between President Obama and the gay community have erupted full force. Activists are now pressing Obama to show more national leadership on gay rights in the wake of this week's California Supreme Court decision to uphold a ban on same-sex marriage.

In a dramatic coming-out on Maddow's show last night, Lt. Col. Victor Fehrenbach, a fighter pilot who has received 30 service awards including nine medals, announced that he was being fired today because he is gay. This news came just hours after activist Wayne Besen posted a round-up of recent articles by influential gay political writers expressing concerns about Pres. Obama's inaction on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and his opposition to gay marriage, a position professional homophobes are touting in their anti-gay campaigns.

I was all crooked (no pun intended) on these issues until John Stewart set me straight. Thanks, John!

Dan Choi is the kind of man Americans need serving in the military. Not only is he proud to represent and serve his country, he can speak Arabic. You just don't toss a West Point graduate, Iraq war veteran, and Arab linguist out the window because he happens to be gay. Yesterday, as I watched the Rachel Maddow Show, I saw Choi's controlled anger as he spoke about his subordinates and superiors who stated they didn't care, and they knew. He was more upset about the implied lack of professionalism tagged to his unit than the bias against himself.

Kentucky Equality Federation received reports that a Franklin County High official allegedly sent an email to teachers instructing them not to allow homosexuals to leave class to use the restroom. The email was allegedly sent after two female classmates were caught kissing in the public restroom. In response, 15 students protested outside the school today. "My daughter was involved in a protest at Franklin County High School today for their right to use the restroom," stated Michelle Sexton. "I have been in contact with one of the parents of the children involved in the protest and we support their constitutional right to assemble peacefully," stated Kentucky Equality Federation President Jordan Palmer.

The House approved long-awaited hate crimes legislation in what was a series of steps Washington policymakers took to bolster equality and non-discrimination on what was President Obama's 100th day in office.

Blaming gays for mass murders, even if they don't commit them? Well, that is the logic of the religious right, specifically the guy from the ironically named Morality in Media.

The culture wars are making a comeback, but this time around, social conservatives find themselves in an unfamiliar position: playing defense. Just look at the headlines of the past few weeks — gay marriage is gaining ground with landmark rulings in Vermont and Iowa; the Obama administration is putting immigration back on the front burner; gun control is on the table again in the wake of several mass shootings; and, as POLITICO reported this week, the vague prospect that the Senate will ratify the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child has some conservatives talking about a constitutional amendment to guarantee the rights of parents. Any of these issues used to be enough to ignite the social conservatives and rally their leadership in Washington.

A just-released PEW poll of the public reveals that ▪ A majority (59%) favors establishement of a carbon tax, even if it means higher energy prices. A third (33%)oppose if it would push prices higher. Across parties, the well-educated are more likely to support a carbon tax, and more women than men support the concept. ▪ Most (59%) continue to favor allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the U.S. military, with more women than men in favor. ▪ A narrow majority of Americans (52%) believe that the United States should re-establish diplomatic relations with Cuba. Again, the more-educated are more in favor, and liberal Democrats are much more in favor than conservative Republicans.

Experts are questioning President Obama's effort to consult with military brass as he plans to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" policy on open homosexuals serving in the military.

The Academy is usually very conservative. But "Milk" won two major awards. And we had a true international flair with an Australian host and acting awards going to a Brit, Spaniard, and an Australian. Let's not forget 8 Oscars for a movie set in India with subtitles "Slumdog Millionaire." Did Barack Obama set the tone for a more tolerant society?

President-elect Barack Obama may have angered gays and others with his invitation to a controversial pastor, but he appears to continue to enjoy a honeymoon with another key Democratic constituency: organized labor.

Nothing personal to Hilda Solis, but it would have been nice if Mary Beth Maxwell had been named as Labor Secretary. Maxwell would have been the first openly gay Cabinet post member. As Harvey Milk taught us, through the film "Milk," if people just get to know gays, they would support them. People such as the folks in the Saddleback Church, including Rick Warren, need to see that gays and lesbians are people, too.