Biden pardons thousands of US veterans convicted under law banning gay sex

You can 100% get a clearance if you've smoked within 7 years of applying for one. Hell, you can get a clearance if you smoked within the last year. You just have to a) disclose the fact, b) be able to show mitigations as to why smoking weed won't be an issue while you have a clearance, and then c) not do it while you have a clearance. It ends up being not so much about the fact that you smoke weed as it is that you're not following the law, and that's the real clearance risk (from their POV). Getting a clearance is really about proving you're trustworthy to the investigator.

It’s not so much the blackmail with pot, it’s the fact you can’t “follow the rules”. They will give a bye for previous smoking events (before you need the clearance, took a position etc.), it’s smoking with a clearance or NOT telling them that will get you wrapped up.

I can't speak for Bill Clinton's thoughts but the military never engaged with it in good faith. They considered any discovery as "telling". Some service members at the time even described unit members spying on their homes to see who they lived with. Even a letter from an old lover that someone took from your belongings would be considered telling. The function of the policy was that if they could "out" you, they would discharge you with bad papers.

Under this kind of atmosphere homophobia becomes ten times worse because the possibility of that guy being gay puts your career at risk too, in case you get too close and are swept up with them.

Yeah it was progressive at the time since it stopped the military from digging around and asking your family if you are gay, especially since there weren't even civil unions in most states back then.

What i don't understand is why Obama didn't pardon them all since DADT was overtirned in 2010

He also had racist views the 70s. This is simply proof of growth.

Also, the line you quoted was regarding the Lavender Scare. That was 20 years before his time.

It seems Biden likes to make things happen withiut making a big deal about it, because in a perfect world that sounds like a good thing. Just get stuff done!

But the Dems as a whole need to get better at messaging their victories so they get the credit, which I understand is hard when rage bait sells, but if nobody knows they can't counter the conservative lies.

Thanks for sharing these. There has really been a bunch of good to come out of this administration. Much of it isn't flashy stuff that gets talked about, but there is a lot that really should be important to a lot of people.

I think Biden has exceeded most expectations many of us had for him. There are always going to be things presidents do that we won't agree with. Obama was also pretty crappy with immigrants, drone strikes, and a number of other things, but it seems we're able to look back at his terms as a net positive. If Biden didn't have to clean up after Trump and Covid, I think he could have been a very memorable president.

Don't get me wrong, I'm very pissed about Gaza and the border, but Gaza is a result of almost 100 years of bad policy of many parties, and the number of regular people still bitching about false immigration stories is pressuring all representatives to be harsh on that. We can only expect a president to do so much if a large swath of Congress and the people themselves are against something.

Thank you for keeping track of this

Paused LNG approvals too.

Just one thing. He only technically ended title 42 immigration restrictions. Effectively he continued Trump's policies with his own, slightly different policy.

I’d all but guarantee those 6 people are well-known “anti-genocide” bots here on lemmy.

Have you ever joined a British mob? They are quite orderly. The British will line up in a queue to take turns with goals of the mob.

Fucking bonkers. How is it 2024 and people still think like this?

Just a correction, it isn’t entirely certain whether he killed himself or not. The apple wasn’t tested for cyanide and the chances he just inhaled too much while working are considerable.

Well, not that it changes anything about the horrible treatment he received because of his orientation though.

Why doesn't everything I want happen instantly, the moment that I want it?

Probably Biben's fault

When he does something I like it still makes me angry, fucking asshole Biben

I'm sure there were a few more pressing matters to deal with. I mean, our country was run by a vengeful wanna be dictator man child for four years. The fact he even got to this is great. It's not like a republikkklown would have done anything with it, besides, what votes is this going to help with? The only people that are going to appreciate this are already voting for Biden.

Very frustrating to see Presidents implement these policies out of desperation in the middle of a tight election season rather than rolling them out ASAP.

given biden's history; i'm convinced that this was the only reason why he did it.

I have tens of thousands in student loans for a job that my state made illegal for trans people to have 2 years after I graduated lol

This, and responsible Presidents usually have the pardon recipients reviewed and screened, as I understand things.