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May 25, 2013
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 Truthdiggers of the Week: Marissa Gaeta and Citlalic SnellPosted on Dec 23, 2011
After a year that brought so much bad news, we’re pleased to warm things up for this holiday Truthdigger installment by celebrating two women who put a fine point on the end of the U.S. military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy and made headlines—not to mention an iconic photo—with a simple and moving show of love. Yes, we’re talking about Petty Officer 2nd Class Marissa Gaeta and Petty Officer 3rd Class Citlalic Snell, two sailors whose romance started during Navy training two years ago but was kept secret out of necessity until the ban on GLBTQ troops serving openly in the American armed forces was lifted in September. Fast forward to last Wednesday morning, when they gave the world quite the big reveal as Gaeta descended the brow of the Oak Hill, newly returned to Virginia Beach, Va., after a three-month voyage, took Snell into her arms and gave her an unmistakably romantic kiss before a cheering crowd, greeting her sweetheart and launching the military into the post-DADT era in one fell swoop. This historic PDA was made possible by years of activism aimed at eradicating the policy that will go down as one of the blights on Bill Clinton’s presidential legacy, plus some rallying on Gaeta’s part to win a raffle to win the photo-op upon the Oak Hill’s return from its Central American sojourn. The 23-year-old sailor bought 50 tickets for a dollar a pop—money well spent, as her number came up, perhaps with some help from her shipmates. As Snell, 22, put it to the press, “I think it was meant to be.” So is their relationship, apparently, as the two are planning to wed. For now, they’re the first couple to become Truthdiggers of the Week. Check out the video of their reunion after the excerpt below. —KA
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By Marian Griffith, December 27, 2011 at 4:58 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
@objective observer
Two things. First of all the “if you don’t like it here you should leave” argument is neither left nor right wing.
Second, I did not say that ‘Fool on the Hill’ should leave the country. I said that if he was convinced that the mere existence of homosexuals in a country was a sign of decadence and evil of that same country then he would find likeminded people in quantity only in Iran. Personally I prefer not to share a country with people with that opinion, but that is just me. I have neither the power nor the moral authority to tell people to leave.
And just to stir things up a little, what is -your- position in this debate. Other than trying to frame a poorly worded expression as an insidious and exclusively left wing debating technique?
Report thisBy objective observer, December 27, 2011 at 2:29 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
marian griffith:
so left wing of you to suggest someone leave their country because they disagree with you. this seems to be becoming a normal response from the liberal side, “move to…” wherever. what happened to the “open mindedness” that is always spewed from the left side?
oh, i get it. it’s only open mindedness and acceptable if you happen to agree with the liberal narrow mind set.
Report thisBy Marian Griffith, December 27, 2011 at 8:31 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
@Fool on the Hill
I am not sure what you are trying to say here.
If it is that you think the DADT should not have been repealed then I fail to see the connection with your talk about decadence and evil.
If it is that homosexuals should not be allowed to serve at all then I must point out that these men and women already did serve in the army and that the world did not come to a halt nor did the american army collapse or suddenly had the irresistible urge to don rainbow colours and start hugging their enemies.
If it is that you think that homosexuals are a sign of decadence or, even worse, of being evil then I do not know what to say to you, other than that I sincerely would hope that you move to Iran where they share your views.
And if it is anything else then you should get back the money you spend on education as it clearly has failed to teach you the ability to speak and write coherently.
Report thisBy EmileZ, December 26, 2011 at 2:46 pm Link to this comment
@ fool on the hill
You are a butthole.
You don’t know doodely-squat.
Say something that isn’t ultimately meaningless.
Report thisBy Fool on the Hill, December 26, 2011 at 1:18 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
The chickens have come home to Roost, well…? Not exactly.
We are enveloped by decadence and depravity; evil in its many forms coming from the Left, Right, and Center. We have been corrupted and that corruption is destroying us. We live in a constant state of confusion, psychic guilt, strife, and tangible misery. Absolution requires repentance, without such, only retribution can be the reality.
“But the fool on the hill,
Sees the sun going down,
And the eyes in his head,
See the world spinning ‘round.
Ooh, ooh,
Round and round and round.
And he never listens to them,
He knows that they’re the fools
They don’t like him,
The fool on the hill
Report thisSees the sun going down,
And the eyes in his head,
See the world spinning ‘round.”
By EmileZ, December 25, 2011 at 10:36 pm Link to this comment
The family of 19-year-old Danny Chen has demanded an investigation after the Army private was found dead in Afghanistan of what military authorities say was a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. Chen’s family says, before his death, he reported being subjected to racist hazing, with soldiers throwing rocks at him and calling him ethnic slurs. Now the Army has charged eight soldiers involved in his death with crimes ranging from dereliction of duty to manslaughter. We speak to Danny’s first cousin, Banny Chen, who says, “We still don’t know if [his death] was suicide or if someone else pulled the trigger.” We’re also joined by New York City Council Member Margaret Chin, who helped Chen’s family obtain a meeting with the Pentagon and is demanding the military screen recruits for racial bias.
http://www.democracynow.org/2011/12/23/us_troops_charged_after_fellow_gi
COUNCIL MEMBER MARGARET CHIN: Yeah. And that’s what we need to ask the Army: how are you screening the recruits? I mean, this is a voluntary army. And there are a lot of sons and daughters wants to serve this country. In order for you to attract the best people, you’ve got to have a culture and policy that really embrace diversity and protect, you know, our kids
Report thisBy EmileZ, December 25, 2011 at 9:40 pm Link to this comment
“The greatest lesson in this journey for me has been to keep learning and developing, never content to believe that we have all the answers already.”
-Lt Dan Choi
and…
NERMEEN SHAIKH: You don’t count Iraq as a just war then?
Report thisLT. DAN CHOI: No, I don’t. I think it was an illegal war, and I am ashamed of what happened. Furthermore, as we move forward as a country—you know, it’s very interesting that the Bradley Manning trial only started—the pretrial circus, show, theater, only started after the withdrawal of troops. It’s very interesting why he was held for a year and a half without charges—still, actually, without formal charges. And it makes me wonder where we’re going as a country to heal from the Iraq War and “Collateral Murder” and all of the videos that Bradley Manning did the righteous and moral and fulfilling his duty to prevent future war crimes. We realize that when we’re thinking—
AMY GOODMAN: If in fact he did what the military says he did.
LT. DAN CHOI: If in fact he did. But if he did, he is a hero, absolutely. And he deserves a medal, not incarceration. So I will tell you this. When we move forward as a country, talking about a just peace or a transcendent peace, we have to realize that without truth there cannot be justice. And without justice, there cannot be peace.
By steve pesce, December 25, 2011 at 2:08 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Until we end the wars in Afghanistan, Iraq (ongoing), Somalia, Yemen, Libya (ongoing), and covert wars in Syria, Lebanon, and Iran (soon to be full blown war) we should confine ourselves to getting the troops home, gay and straight, instead of applauding that gays have the right to die for nothing, murder civilians, and push the world nearer the apocalyptic cliff.
Report thisBy ardee, December 25, 2011 at 5:16 am Link to this comment
It is nice that, on Xmas morning especially, I can find complete agreement with Outraged at least on this particular subject.
Nice posts,DEAVILLE Douglas,and Deirdre too…....
LocalHero, December 24 at 11:58 am
A big Bronx cheer for you! I hope you won’t be too disappointed in finding that lump of coal in your stocking today….
Report thisBy A Bird in the Hand, December 24, 2011 at 4:43 pm Link to this comment
I nominate Jesus Christ as ‘Truthdigger of the week’..
Merry Christmas!!
Report thisBy LocalHero, December 24, 2011 at 12:58 pm Link to this comment
What utter drivel. Unfortunately, this is what passes for deep reflection these days.
If either one of them had any sense of decency or humanity left, they would have resigned their commissions long ago & spoken out about the most significant threat (by far) to peace on the planet - the US military. But, instead, they go on doing their jobs - assisting in the slaughter of hundreds of thousands and the enslavement of millions.
These two arrested adolescents are nothing more than brainwashed jarheads in skirts.
Report thisBy Outraged, December 24, 2011 at 11:05 am Link to this comment
Good for them.
Imagine…. the world didn’t come crashing down like
they said it would. I know I’ve been basically told
all my life that it would in fact would tear the
fabric of our society apart.
Gee…. I don’t know if I should be disappointed or
stunned. No demons coming to eat babies, no
torrential floods, no one turning into pillars of
salt, no continents on fire, no craven orgies in my
front yard…...nothing.
Hmmm…. maybe I am a little disappointed. I mean you get all pumped for the big show…..AND….not even fireworks…. yeah, I’m bummed.
Report thisBy dsmith, December 24, 2011 at 5:54 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Here is a Christmas laugh for you. Funny or Die actors playing the Bachmanns. Merry C
http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/64ab585b5b/the-bachmanns-wish-you-merry-christmas?playlist=featured_videos
Report thisBy kywul, December 24, 2011 at 3:51 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
oh yeah. so hot.
Report thisBy Deirdre, December 23, 2011 at 5:13 pm Link to this comment
Thank you for posting this lovely story about Marissa and Citlalic. May their days
Report thisbe long and their misfortunes few.
By DEAVILLE Douglas, December 23, 2011 at 4:28 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Decades ago, my wife and I receive a phone call from our insurance agent. She was
Report thisdistressed, worried, fearful. She said, “I have something to tell you.” We were
freaking out. She said, “I’m gay.” We replied, ” Is that all? Jesus, we thought you
were going to admit to a homicide.”