In an interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper, President Obama indicated he wanted DADT changed “so that it works well for our military, and for the outstanding gay and lesbian soldiers that are both currently enlisted and would like to enlist.” He’d also preferred that the policy was “changed” sooner than later. Watch.

Change unfortunately is word I am beginning to dislike. Nothing is acceptable short of full repeal of the ban.

Despite objections from the LDS Church, nearly 100 protestors staged a “kiss-in” on church property in support of Matt Aune and Derek Jones, a gay couple who were cited and handcuffed for holding hands and kissing on the very same church property last. Watch.

Freshman New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, may introduce legislation this week which would place an 18-month moratorium on the discharge of gays and lesbians from the military. Gillibrand is coordinating with  fellow Senator Edward Kennedy to grow support for the measure which is being pushed by both Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and the Service Members Legal Defense Network (SLDN). From the Daily Beast:

It would be the first time since the implementation of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy in 1993 that senators are forced to declare their position on the gay ban. A Senate staffer familiar with the matter says Gillibrand may introduce her amendment on Tuesday to the Defense reauthorization bill. If the amendment were to pass, gay-rights leaders expect it would stand a strong chance of being approved by the House and could be signed into law by President Obama, who has expressed his desire for the ban to be lifted. Rep. Patrick Murphy is trying to build support for a bill that has already been introduced in the House that would repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”.

A gay couple was cited and handcuffed after a peck on the cheek while walking home from an event in Salt Lake City.

Aune said the incident started when he and Jones were walking back to their Salt Lake City home from a Twilight Concert Series show at the Gallivan Center. The couple live just blocks away from the plaza in the Marmalade district of the Capitol Hill neighborhood.

The pair crossed the plaza holding hands, Aune said. About 20 feet from the edge of the plaza, Aune said he stopped, put his arm on Jones’ back and kissed him on the cheek.

Several security guards then arrived and asked the pair to leave, saying that public displays of affection are not allowed on the church property, Aune and Jones said. They protested, saying they often see other couples holding hands and kissing there, said Jones.

“We were kind of standing up for ourselves,” Jones said. “It was obviously because we were gay.”
The guards put Jones on the ground and handcuffed him, he said. Aune said he was also cuffed roughly, and suffered bruises and a swollen wrist. The injuries did not require medical treatment, Snyder said.

More as it develops…