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Is Lady Gaga emerging as a political power? At a rally against "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" on Monday in Portland, Maine, the pop star gave an impassioned speech urging Maine's senators to vote for a repeal.
Dressed conservatively in a blazer, polka dot tie, oversized spectacles and almost no make-up, Gaga launched into a rousing argument against Senator John McCain's statement that openly gay soldiers affect unit cohesion.
"Doesn't it seem to you that we should send home... the straight soldier whose performance is affected because he is homophobic?" she asked. "We soldiers who harbor no hate, no prejudice, we're sent home. I would like to propose a new law: a law that sends home the soldier that has the problem. Our new law is called, If You Don't Like It, Go Home ... It sends home the soldier who fights for some freedoms, for some equalities, but not for the equality of the gay."
The singer's speech was really quite good, except for her weird insistence on working her meat dress in as a metaphor wherever possible: She called equality "the prime rib of America," and referred multiple times to cuts of meat, value meals and buffets. But hey -- at least she wrote it herself, which is more than one can say for a lot of politicians.
Since Don't Ask Don't Tell was passed in 1993, the military has discharged more than 13,000 troops solely because they were gay. The House of Representatives has already approved the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell, but 60 votes are now needed to get the bill to the Senate floor -- which means the critical votes could come down to Maine Senators Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe. Both Senators have announced plans to block the measure.
Will Lady Gaga change their minds? If she doesn't, it's not for lack of trying. We've been concerned that Gaga is stretching herself too thin lately, but we love this side of her -- the side that abandons the crazy costumes for a day, and puts her considerable fame and influence toward changing the world for the better.
Do you agree with Lady Gaga's speech? Chime in below!
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