This blog joined many other villagers to ask Congress to overturn the Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT) policy enacted by Congress in 1993 calling for the discharge of openly gay, lesbian or bisexual service members, never really impacted me one way or the other.As such, it disappointed us to read that lawyers for Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Adm. Mike Mullen "are recommending a delay of at least a year in beginning the process to repeal the ban on openly gay military service." [SOURCE]
“Now is not the time,” the in-house legal counsel for Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, wrote recently in a memorandum obtained by The Associated Press. “The importance of winning the wars we are in, along with the stress on the force, our body of knowledge and the number of unknowns, demand that we act with deliberation.”Mullen and other Pentagon leaders have quietly begun a new push to build consensus for the timing of a repeal that Mullen and others assume will come eventually. Strong opposition to swift repeal remains among top uniformed military leaders.
Mullen was unable to get the full backing of other senior uniformed leaders during an unusual
meeting of the top officers from each branch of the military last week, U.S. officials said. He is expected to hold a follow-up session within days.Mullen and other military leaders cautioned last year that repeal of the law must be done carefully so as not to disrupt military cohesion in wartime. Last April, Defense Secretary Robert Gates indicated the process could take years — if it ever happens.
At the time, Gates noted that it took five years for the U.S. military to racially integrate during the Truman administration.
“If we do it, it’s imperative that we do it right and very carefully,” Gates said then.However, other Pentagon advisers "argue that lifting the ban would not cause unmanageable problems or divisions among the uniformed military."
Villager's Voice: I'm never served in the military. I'm not gay. However, I have an opinion on this matter. It is my opinion that we already have gay people in the military. They serve with honor. They should not have to deny or hide in order to obey a DADT policy that is outdated and unnecessary.
What say u?
2 comments:
Hi Villager. I blogged on this topic as well. I feel we're letting those with narrow minds dictate what happens. If our military is filled with so many people who would see gays serving openly as disruptive to unit cohesion, morale and readiness then its an embarrassing armed forced we have.
I served with gay and lesbian soldiers. None of them caused us headaches like heterosexual soldiers did from being late to work to rape.
Symphony - I find that there are a number of issues ... like repeal of DODT policy ... that I've blogged about in the past but are still unresolved. I hope to re-ignite discussions with them.
I appreciate your insights on DADT policy. I hope that we see movement on repeal of this policy in the near future by Congress.
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