Bachmann Says Some More Crazy Talk

Looks like Bachmann is starting to try both sides of the gay/anti-gay fence, with a recent interview on "Meet the Press" in which she refuses to address anything gay at all, instead bizarrely reiterating over and over that she is running for President:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Thanks Michele, for this exercise in pointing out the effing obvious.

However, evidently when she's not talking to MSNBC she feels perfectly comfortable talking about taking rights away from LGBT Americans, stating for CNN that she would "probably work" towards reinstating Don't Ask, Don't Tell:

But Bachmann, a favorite of the ultraconservative Tea Party movement, said she would revisit the policy if she reaches the White House. 

"The 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy has worked very well," she told CNN's "State of the Union." 

"I would be in consultation with our commanders, but yes, I probably will" reinstate the ban, she added. 

The ban was overturned in a law adopted in December 2010 that first required the top military officer, the defense secretary and the president -- who is also commander-in-chief -- to certify the change would not harm military readiness and that the armed forces were ready to carry it out.

I asked a friend, Jarrod Chlapowski, who is the Field and Developmental Director of Servicemembers United, what he thought on any efforts on the part of an imaginary Bachmann administration to hash this battle out again:

"Politics aside, I think any executive would have a difficult time reinstating any sort of gay ban in the military, let alone DADT. The public overwhelmingly is in favor of open service. The training is done; the honey is out of the comb. And the last thing any of the service chiefs want is to deal with an extended media spectacle over a reversal that would be unnecessary, harmful, and pure political theater."

Servicemembers United, you may remember, was involved in a landmark court decision ordering a halt to gay discharges, with their Executive Director Alex Nicholson being the plaintiff in the case.

I have a little bit to add to this, as I myself have been involved in the push to repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell.

Last November, I joined Dan Choi and 11 other patriots in standing up for what we believe in.  We went to Washington DC and chained ourselves to the White House fence in order to put pressure on the administration to back full repeal of DADT.  Did we make repeal happen?  I don't know that.  But I do know a month later repeal happened in an unprecedented push for equality in Congress, and I feel confident claiming my part in that narrative.

This in mind, I would like Michele Bachmann, in all her political theater and insane grandstanding, to consider this:  If you reinstate DADT, I'll be back.  I don't care how many times I have to chain myself to that fence, I will be back, and you will be in for a long, pain-in-the-ass ordeal and media extravaganza.

Do you really want this on your doorstep?

When I took the fence with my comrades-in-arms, America paid attention.  Do you want that level of scrutiny on your anti-gay politics?  Your recent interviews, essentially refusing to address your anti-gay past, would indicate you don't.  So don't screw this up for yourself, Michele.

Because we're watching you, and handcuffs really aren't that expensive.