Winning Going Away

After the hammering Obama, Pelosi and the Dems took in early November, it’s hard to imagine the lighthearted scenes of the past two days. I mean, Obama with a fist pump?  And the outgoing Speaker and these service people and DADT activists just cracking up?  Out of the ashes of the shellack and that terrible tax bill that Obama frames as a Hobson’s choice, I guess there’s nothing like making history.

If I had to quibble with anything, it might be the absence of any women in the otherwise moving scene of Alva, Solmonese and company singing God Bless America after Pelosi signed the House DADT Repeal. Beyond that, though, what a segue into Christmas. Talk about “joyful and triumphant.”

If this site is a worthy part of your day or your life … if you feel this “persuasion society” absolutely necessitates sharper visual consumers; if you feel pictures are way too loaded and somebody needs to defuse them … if you think our commenters are as eloquent as any place else on the web; if you feel independent photojournalism must survive beyond the whim of corporate media … I’m asking each of you to make a tax-deductible contribution of at least $20  … or more if you can … to sustain The Bag. Each $20 you contribute also buys you a raffle ticket for prints and photo books signed by Bag’s contributors, and entry to our NY party if you’re in the neighborhood on the 29th. Click here now to donate, to see what’s in the raffle and get directions to the party. Thanks so much for helping us grow!  — Michael.

(photo: Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty. caption: US President Barack Obama (C) gestures after signing the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Repeal Act of 2010 into law at the Department of the Interior in Washington, DC, on December 22, 2010. Obama Wednesday signed a law allowing gays to serve openly in the military, repealing the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy in a sweeping and historic shift for the US armed forces.  photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images. caption: Former Staff Sgt. Eric Alva (R), the first Marine wounded in the occupation of Iraq, and an activist for the repeal of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, and Joe Solmonese (L), President of the Human Rights Campaign, embrace during the singing of “God Bless America” after Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi signed the legislation repealing the military policy at the U.S. Capitol December 21, 2010 in Washington, DC. The bill is scheduled to be signed by U.S. President Barack Obama tomorrow. photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images. caption: (L-R) Former Sgt. 1st Class Stacy Vasquez, U.S. Army; Lt. Col. Victor Fehrenbach, USAF; and Former Maj. Mike Almy, USAF react as Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) (R) signs the legislation repealing the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy at the U.S. Capitol December 21, 2010 in Washington, DC. The bill is scheduled to be signed by U.S. President Barack Obama tomorrow.)