Discharged Gay Soldier running for Cali. Congress

[Passion4Muzik]

He graduated from West Point and also has a degree from Harvard.

Anthony Woods: Taking a Stand

by Elizabeth Gudrais



Anthony Woods

When Anthony C. Woods, M.P.P. ’08, delivered the graduate English address at Commencement last June (shown at right), he had just made a momentous decision: to publicly acknowledge his homosexuality and effectively end a military career that had spanned nine years and two tours in Iraq.

Read the rest here

 

[Passion4Muzik]

Anthony Woods for Congress | Home

 

[Passion4Muzik]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSf1cNqoCVs[/ame]

 

[Passion4Muzik]

One would think there would be a groundswell of support and nice comments about him since DADT is such a hot topic on this boards and he's a homosexual. Hmm...

 

[Apollo]

He is quite gorgeous. I hope he makes it. I don't live in California, so I can't vote for him.

 

[archive]

One would think there would be a groundswell of support and nice comments about him since DADT is such a hot topic on this boards and he's a homosexual. Hmm...

im all for the abolishment of DADT...and i feel sorry for others that are kicked out by being outedwhile serving....but when we serve we all swear and oath to serve...and we all (well most of us) knew we were gay before hand....i dont know want to take this too mcuh from your quote as people in the particular forum love tangents....i respect his service...but he was booted on his own accord

 

[construct]

I would suspect the military record will help him in his campaign, and I also suspect that being gay won't matter (depending on the district).

 

[hotatlboi]

nice, he's really hot.

 

[syntax]

One would think there would be a groundswell of support and nice comments about him since DADT is such a hot topic on this boards and he's a homosexual. Hmm...

Hmm ... P4M Maybe this thread would attract some more attention in CE&P if you posted some more info about Woods other than he's gay, graduated from Harvard and served in the military. Do you have some more info to share about him other than pictures that show he's cute?

I followed your link to his website. He's running as a Democrat for US House of Representatives from California's 10th District for the seat being vacated by Democrat Ellen Tauscher, who is taking a position in the State Department and who has introduced legislation to end DADT.

He has some comments in an interview with WAPO that are instructive for the debate about Pres. Obama's "inaction" on DADT taking place here in CE&P:

You volunteered for the Obama campaign. What do you think of his administration's position on gay rights?

My response to anyone who would want to complain about the speed in which he's doing things is, yes, I want him to come around on issues that are important to me from a personal perspective, but he's got to confront climate change, the economy, we've got wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. There are things that they've had eight years to undo and he's had a few months to get us back on the right direction.

How long will it take for "don't ask, don't tell" to be history?

Of all the huge problems that he's confronting, I actually think this one is the easiest. Look, we're a country at war fighting in two different places and trying to combat terrorism all around the world. We need every able-bodied American who wants to serve their country to be allowed to do so.

and Prop. 8 and the African-American community:

What is it like talking to California voters about gay rights issues?

People are frustrated with Proposition 8 [outlawing gay marriage in California], and I share their frustrations. Prop 8 is going to be defeated in the future when we build a coalition of African Americans and Hispanics and folks from every swath of life in California.

A number of stories after the election speculated that increased turnout among African American voters helped lead to the passage of Proposition 8.

It's not at all helpful for the LGBT community, right or wrong, to scapegoat the African American community. That's the exact group of people who you need to speak to immediately and get them on board. What I hope I can do in the future is be a bridge for that. I'm a member of both of those communities and that's how we're going to be able to start speaking to each other in a language we both understand.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/26/AR2009062603526.html

 

[archive]

Aww...he's so cute! I hope he wins.



Some people struggle with their sexuality for a long time in their lives. Some people serve in the military because they want to defend and fight for their country. To alot of them, service is just as important as sexuality. Some grew up in the military and that's all they know and were expected to serve. He went to West Point - that means he had the military in his blood for most of his life. Alot were already in the military before DADT went into effect. Alot of them are "outed" they didn't "come out".

and as much as you try to add a silver lining....there isnt one....he joined when DADT was in full effect...he came out himself.....he did it...no one else...youre post doesnt apply to him at all....i guess i see it differently because im in the service and i knew the consequences before i joined

its one thing to have someone else out you...but it is a whole different ball park when you do it yourself

 

[Dobson73]

After watching his speech and reading the article, I wish him well. Not only incredibly hot (which at the end of the day is quite irrelevant), Anthony is eloquent, assured and someone who surely will be able to contribute to the wider discussion on DADT, along with wider gay issues.

In just these small excerpts on the thread, I sense a man who's going to go far. Go get 'em, Anthony!!

 

[Apollo]

First gay president?

 

[archive]

Just because your are in the military doesn't mean you understand what other soldiers go through.

To begin with...DADT = We don't ask, you don't tell. ALot of people that want to serve don't go into the military hoping to come out. For someone going in, they're not aware of how this law works. The problem is that there have been wide reports of members of the militray (seniors) going out of their way and spying on soldiers to see what, where, who the'ye been with.

The law was supposed to work like this: If asked and you said no. That should have been the end of it. But it's not enough and they follow and spy and watch until they find him in a gay situation. A third person can expose or show pics and that's all the proof they need and they're out. So in essence, it' usually other soldiers that out them. I could be wrong....

are you reading what i read...of course i cant say how another military member feels

i said i guess i see it differently bc im in.....not i know this is x and y happened bc im in....read for comprehension..

you should never have to answer if youre gay...they cant ask remember

from all the people i read in the news....(i could be missing a few).....only a minute few have been outed by someone else....all of the other high profile "cases" (lack of a better word)...outed themselves bc they got sick of lying which is bullshit in my opinion...bc most of these people were going for a career which means they re-enlisted...and i still dont get how u say they dont know how the law works....its called dont ask dont tell for cying out loud...

 

[Passion4Muzik]

So we're going to blame the gay soldiers for challenging an unethical policy?

 

[Kurn]

10th District of California can be a bit red. Contra Costa County. Antioch. Parts of the Delta. Fairfield. Yup, tilts red. Lotta old time religion. Crawdads and catfish...and country clubs.
Send in your tithes if you have an extra tithe or two, cause the man might need some support. Send 'im $5 if you can spare it. I'm sending at least $10 and it's not my district.
Remember, Mr. Anthony Woods: West Point and Harvard. Two tours in Iraq.
So he's not a knucklehead.

 

[archive]

So we're going to blame the gay soldiers for challenging an unethical policy?

in a word yes...(it goes so much deeper that your loaded question)....i hate the policy just as much as anyone else....hell it affects me directly...sorta felt like a low blow but whatever...youre not going to change a law directed at/by the military....by disobeying it....its not going to happen....its gonna need a majority to move thru the house and senate...and overturned it shall be...but until then....keep lying..

 

[Passion4Muzik]

in a word yes...(it goes so much deeper that your loaded question)....i hate the policy just as much as anyone else....hell it affects me directly...sorta felt like a low blow but whatever...youre not going to change a law directed at/by the military....by disobeying it....its not going to happen....its gonna need a majority to move thru the house and senate...and overturned it shall be...but until then....keep lying..

We don't know what's in Anthony's mind. Perhaps he went in with the intention of keeping his sexuality a secret and decided to work towards ending the policy rather than living a lie. I don't think there's anything bad about that. It's the policy that's bad, not him disclosing who he is. It's baffling to me that anyone would attack him at all. He's working to end what a lot of you guys have been complaining about but he's getting the crticism here?

 

[NickCole]

We've already had a thread about this guy.

I think what he did is deceitful and a betrayal to the military that he decided to join and commit to. In my opinion we have enough elected officials who are deceitful and fail to follow through with their commitments. I wouldn't vote for him.

 

[willie metcaffe]

Like Palin???


This guy is just making a career change. What's the problem? He's a citizen like any other. The military fights wars and defends the country. But they're also people. And people have other needs sometimes than to be regimented in uniforms. He's out now. Let the man speak his mind. The voters will decide.

 

[NickCole]

Like Palin???

I think Palin quitting before her term is up is outrageous.

This guy is just making a career change. What's the problem?

Leaving the military the way he did was not "just making a career change."

But that deceitful way of framing his actions is right in line with Woods, so no surprise you defend him.

He's a citizen like any other. The military fights wars and defends the country. But they're also people. And people have other needs sometimes than to be regimented in uniforms. He's out now. Let the man speak his mind.

He seems to frame it like he quit the military as some kind of brave pro-gay-rights act. But if Wiki is correct, the story's somewhat different.

From Wikipedia:

Upon return from his second deployment, the Army selected Woods to teach at West Point, an unusual appointment for so junior an officer and one which would require him to earn a graduate degree first. He successfully earned a place to study public policy at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. While at Harvard, and still serving as an Army officer, Woods ran for student president on an anti-war platform. He was soundly defeated. ...

Shortly after graduation, Woods reported to Fort Knox, Kentucky for the Armor Captain's Career Course. Shortly after his arrival, he became aware that his anti-war activities at Harvard would have consequences, and may lead to him being charged under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. No longer receiving the support of his fellow graduate students, Woods was unwilling to debate the legality of OIF, so instead opted to declare himself a homosexual, and requested to be discharged under the government's "Don't ask, don't tell" policy.

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

There's nothing heroic or brave in that. It's weasly.

The voters will decide.

Yeah well the voters decided on George Bush for two terms, decided Yes on Prop 8, and decided on Obama, who IMO is failing with both essential (like the economy) and nonessential (like repealing DADT and DOMA) tasks before him. Yeah the voters will decide. Whoo hoo.