Slog - Comments on The State Department http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_state_department Did you know that the State Department will pay travel expenses for the pets of career diplomats--and evacuate those pets in an emergency--but won't do the same for their same-sex partners? Well we do now, thanks to Michael E. Guest, former ambassador to Romania, resigned from the State Department yesterday. But last month, after 26 years in the Foreign Service, [Guest] did something uncharacteristically undiplomatic. Guest resigned from the State Department, giving up a career he loved, in order to protest rules and regulations that he believes are unfair to the same-sex partners of Foreign Service officers, giving them fewer... Copyright 2008 Wed, 05 Dec 2007 09:40:00 -0800 Wed, 05 Dec 2007 12:47:54 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by Fnarf Barf. That's just barbaric.

]]> Fnarf http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_state_department#c862248 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_state_department#c862248 Homo Wed, 05 Dec 2007 09:53:10 -0800 Comment by James My cat will be glad to know that, at least as far as the State Department is concerned, she ranks higher than my boyfriend. Ugh.

]]> James http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_state_department#c862250 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_state_department#c862250 Homo Wed, 05 Dec 2007 09:57:04 -0800 Comment by Chris in Tampa Sounds like the state department is endorsing beastiality over homosexuality to me.

]]> Chris in Tampa http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_state_department#c862262 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_state_department#c862262 Homo Wed, 05 Dec 2007 10:08:44 -0800 Comment by left coast That's a pretty gutsy thing for an obviously very dedicated civil servant to do, and it's a real embarassment to the Administration. Hopefully, this story will be lots of publicity. It certainly seems to have a strong public interest angle.

]]> left coast http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_state_department#c862284 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_state_department#c862284 Homo Wed, 05 Dec 2007 10:28:24 -0800 Comment by arduous That's horrifying. One more reason we HAVE to get a dem in office in 2008. If only I felt reasonably sure that will happen....

]]> arduous http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_state_department#c862285 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_state_department#c862285 Homo Wed, 05 Dec 2007 10:29:27 -0800 Comment by Mr. Poe Well they think we're animals, anyway. This really isn't at all surprising. I agree with #4.

]]> Mr. Poe http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_state_department#c862289 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_state_department#c862289 Homo Wed, 05 Dec 2007 10:32:32 -0800 Comment by Greg This is gold.

]]> Greg http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_state_department#c862296 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_state_department#c862296 Homo Wed, 05 Dec 2007 10:39:53 -0800 Comment by Judah I think we're all missing the obvious work-around here.

Clearly the thing to do is to claim your partner as your pet.

]]> Judah http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_state_department#c862311 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_state_department#c862311 Homo Wed, 05 Dec 2007 10:48:46 -0800 Comment by Michigan Matt Dreadful. And good for him. But Dan. How can you even compare a parakeet and a standard poodle? I'm insulted. And so is my standard poodle.

]]> Michigan Matt http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_state_department#c862313 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_state_department#c862313 Homo Wed, 05 Dec 2007 10:49:21 -0800 Comment by Judah ...of course, then you're having sex with your pet, and I'm not sure how that goes over, diplomatically speaking.

It's all so complicated.

]]> Judah http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_state_department#c862315 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_state_department#c862315 Homo Wed, 05 Dec 2007 10:50:11 -0800 Comment by crazycatguy This isn't an either/or situation -it's a stupid policy that needs to be changed on its own merits. It would be just like the State Department to exclude the benefits for pets because someone made an issue of it.

]]> crazycatguy http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_state_department#c862319 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_state_department#c862319 Homo Wed, 05 Dec 2007 10:54:28 -0800 Comment by Original Andrew

Dude actually expected Condi something? Puh-leaze.


To paraphrase Princess Sparkle Pony, keeping track of Condi's weekly accomplishments is easy because they're always the same: Absolutely nothing.


After they started that idiotic DipNote Blog and the whole Iraq diplomat draft thingy went from flap to row, I realized that our Foreign Service people really are kinda stoopid. No wonder State is a total hot FUBAR mess.


And he'd better zip it, 'cause you just know they're gonna ship his ass to Somalia or Sudan for an Enhanced Exit Interview over this.

]]> Original Andrew http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_state_department#c862321 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_state_department#c862321 Homo Wed, 05 Dec 2007 10:55:15 -0800 Comment by chi type Not that it excuses anything but wouldn't they help evacuate the partner just on the basis of his American citizenship? Or did The Killing Fields lie to me?

]]> chi type http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_state_department#c862326 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_state_department#c862326 Homo Wed, 05 Dec 2007 10:59:10 -0800 Comment by Courtney I applaud him for resigning.
Too many people sit by and do nothing, he did what he could.

]]> Courtney http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_state_department#c862333 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_state_department#c862333 Homo Wed, 05 Dec 2007 11:04:34 -0800 Comment by hmm No link? I'd like to show this to other people, but I need to be able to cite something more than a blog post.

]]> hmm http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_state_department#c862336 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_state_department#c862336 Homo Wed, 05 Dec 2007 11:09:22 -0800 Comment by Jiberish careful, if the partners get the same rights as pets they have to go through quarantine; my cat didn't like it all.

]]> Jiberish http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_state_department#c862338 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_state_department#c862338 Homo Wed, 05 Dec 2007 11:10:07 -0800 Comment by sude What if my partner is wearing a dog collar and a leash at the time of evacuation?

]]> sude http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_state_department#c862341 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_state_department#c862341 Homo Wed, 05 Dec 2007 11:11:34 -0800 Comment by Ayden Maybe the state department reads Savage Love and wasn't sure the relationship would last... Maybe the partner had gained weight and was due to be chucked anyway.

Those of us who love our pets never stop. Human companions are apparently more disposable.

]]> Ayden http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_state_department#c862357 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_state_department#c862357 Homo Wed, 05 Dec 2007 11:31:35 -0800 Comment by NapoleonXIV Depends on where you're stationed, No. 17.

Some countries may require that he be neutered as a condition of entry.

]]> NapoleonXIV http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_state_department#c862414 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_state_department#c862414 Homo Wed, 05 Dec 2007 12:06:00 -0800 Comment by Orv @15: Try this:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/04/AR2007120401801.html?hpid=sec-nation

There's also a transcript of his farewell speech here:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/04/AR2007120401785.html?nav=rss_nation

]]> Orv http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_state_department#c862484 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/the_state_department#c862484 Homo Wed, 05 Dec 2007 12:47:54 -0800