Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell: New Pressure for Change

In the wake of this month's presidential elections, there has been a lot of interest and hope that, once sworn in, President-elect Barack Obama would change the military's policies toward openly queer service in the armed forces.

Yesterday, 104 retired military officers signed a document calling for the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" and allowing gay men and lesbians to serve openly in the military.

With more than 11,000 men and women drummed out of the services since DADT became policy under Bill Clinton, DADT has been a disaster, in terms of military service, military readiness (in a time of war!) and in terms of civil rights.

Retired Rear Admiral Charles Larson (4 Stars) opposes DADT and was among those signing the document calling for change.  Larson wants to see President Obama work with the Pentagon to change the policy and allow gays and lesbians to serve openly. This seems to jibe with a new Obama transition team webpage that outlines much of the president-elect's policies as they relate to issues facing queer America. In that website, Obama calls for working "with military leaders to repeal the current policy."

It looks like Obama is taking a careful, but unmistakable route toward getting rid of DADT.  It won't be an executive order, signed Day One of his presidency. And it shouldn't be, as that would be met with massive resistance. It should be handled as Rear Admiral Larson points out, with consultation and partnership by the Pentagon, so that it will work. 

Truman declared, through executive order, that the armed services must integrate.  But it took Eisenhower, a retired general turned president, to actually make it a reality, by working in detail with the Pentagon to make the necessary changes. Obama would do well to listen to Larson and to emulate Ike.

Comments

[Dane]

I can't wait

[Carl]

We'll at the LEAST design better looking uniforms lol

[Timothy Adam Leyland]

Ahhh the “Military”!

Let’s take a realistic look at what I call the “round table” of your average Y2K warrior!

There are ten of them – Joe, Jake, John, Josh, Jarrod, Joel, Jacob, Jack, Jerry, and Jordan.

Nice and tidy like that – don’t you think?

Now – pay close attention – this is a little tricky!

Jake, Jarrod, Jerry and John went to war and did what they were told – no mistakes – no insubordination – and no dishonorable conduct. Good job guys!

Jack, Joe and Jacob went to war and rapped women - shot teenaged boys in the head – and worked the locals for all they had. Aside from this – they did what they were told – no mistakes – no insubordination – and no dishonorable conduct. Good job guys!

This leaves Jordan, Joel and Josh. So what did they all do?

One day while in Kazakhstan Jordan, Joel and Josh discovered a small group of starving children. They where directed to overlook them. Still - Josh could not. Admittedly – both Jordan and Joel struggled with this as well.

And so late one night the three of them had convinced Jake and John that they could in fact get the children and save them.

Off they went.

As is often the case – the going got rough. And there at about 3:00 A.M. Josh was killed doing not what he was told – but most certainly while doing the right thing.

He was not betrayed by anyone because it was discovered he was Gay.

But when I finally sat down and spoke with Joel – after too many months of not knowing because I didn’t speak with anyone in Josh’s family – well the one thing that made me hate all of them quite a bit?

The fact that after Josh was killed – A few of them actually went so far as to say that the group was clean now – and that was something.

It is this singular thing which continues to makes me hate them all.

I am not ready to forgive them yet.

But I know one day I will.

[KristFry]

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[KristFry]

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