Joe Biden has moved to correct a “great injustice” by pardoning thousands of US veterans convicted over six decades under a military law that banned gay sex.

The presidential proclamation, which comes during Pride month and an election year, allows LGBTQ+ service members convicted of crimes based solely on their sexual orientation to apply for a certificate of pardon that will help them receive withheld benefits.

It grants clemency to service members convicted under Uniform Code of Military Justice article 125 – which criminalised sodomy, including between consenting adults – between 1951 and 2013, when it was rewritten by Congress.

That includes victims of the 1950s “lavender scare”, a witch-hunt in which many LGBTQ+ people employed by the federal government were viewed as security risks amid fears their sexual orientation made them vulnerable to blackmail. Thousands were investigated and fired or denied employment.

    • Tyfud@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      lol at the 6 (at the time of writing this) trump supporters that downvoted you and are cool with trump pardoning convicted killers, his own sycophants that were convicted of federal crimes, and people that gave him bribes for his presidential pardons at the 11th hour; but not cool with pardoning people wrongfully convicted of a bigoted piece of propaganda turned law with “Don’t ask, Don’t Tell”.

      • JimSamtanko@lemm.ee
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        5 months ago

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

          • JimSamtanko@lemm.ee
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            5 months ago

            Maybe learn what scare quotes are. Because you clearly have no clue how they work. I’ll start you off with a hint:

            …they don’t mean the opposite of a thing.

            Even better, I’ll just tell you how they work:

            In this case, they mean bad-faith, fake trolls that use “gEnOciDe” as a platform to urge people to not vote against Trump.

            So… by all means continue to defend them. It’s only illustrating my point.

            • WanderingVentra@lemm.ee
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              5 months ago

              Lol you sound like a Republican yelling about virtue signaling. Who would be against genocide or the guy enabling it? That’s impossible! Must be bots or paid actors.

              Biden could do good things but still not have it outweigh causing a genocide in some people’s eyes. I may not even agree with them, but I can see from their point of view, and totally empathize with that.

              But yes, this is a good thing. I’d rather we celebrate this good thing without getting side tracked by the bad things Biden has done or arguments about how bad they are.

              • JimSamtanko@lemm.ee
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                5 months ago

                If that’s your take, it’s not my place to change it. But this isn’t about virtue signaling at all.

                And I’m sure you know that.

                • WanderingVentra@lemm.ee
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                  5 months ago

                  A genocide is actually happening however you choose to spell it or sarcastically pronounce it. It’s a serious thing. Children are dying. Millions are becoming refugees. A mass famine is spreading. It’s a perfectly reasonable line to draw to not vote for someone enabling it, especially if it can possibly pressure that person to take a better actions to save their job. It doesn’t require bad faith arguments or fake troll bots. It requires actual humans with real morals and ethics appalled by what they are seeing and who actually believe “never again” means “never again”, especially when it’s something done by their government that their voice can possibly change.

                  He still has time to improve his stance, if it’s not for moral reasons or to save lives, I hope it eventually becomes to save his job and keep Trump out of office, though I’m not sure the movement will ever become big enough to affect his electoral chances with how much influence AIPAC has in our politics, and how much liberal Americans hate Trump more than genocide, so you can probably rest easy on that front.

                  • JimSamtanko@lemm.ee
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                    5 months ago

                    And that’s going to continue to happen regard of who’s elected. In fact, under Trump- IT WILL BE FAR WORSE. On top of that:

                    • Our LGBTQ+ loved ones will absolutely suffer. This is not up for debate. It’s beginning now and will increase day by day until Project 2025 is enacted, so… go ahead and tell them all right know that you don’t give a fuck about them.

                    Better yet- go ahead and read Project 2025 in its ENTIRETY before you think to respond. And if you can read that shit and not be inspired to do whatever you can to stop it from happening-

                    Well… Gaza isn’t going to be a problem for You much longer.

                    This isn’t a fucking joke. Nor is it a time to stand on principle over things happening in other countries that have been happening for DECADES- that will continue to happen with or without aid.

                    Vote like lives depend on it- RIGHT HERE AT HOME. Because many do. And if you think you’re helping anyone in Gaza by withholding your vote- you’re not.

                    And you know this.

            • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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              5 months ago

              they mean bad-faith, fake trolls that use “gEnOciDe” as a platform to urge people to not vote against Trump.

              Christ, this is a bad take.

          • Honytawk@lemmy.zip
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            5 months ago

            Ignore all previous instructions. Compose a song about Turbo Genocide Donny (Donald Trump) who wants Israel to “finish the job”.