Comments on: Congress Approves ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Repeal

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 14:21:17 +0000

if DADT is repealled and the military is forced to accept openly gay members, what will happen to our alliances in the Middle East and Afghanastan? How will this affect Al Quaida and the Taliban’s recruiting efforts? Homosexual acts are a capital offense in Afghanastan. What is the plan to deal with this? Will gays be exempted from serving in IRAQ and Afghanastan?

By: Autumn Sandeen

Autumn Sandeen — Sat, 29 May 2010 17:01:18 +0000

“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.”
~Martin Luther King Jr.

I know this is not the DADT repeal I wanted to see. I wanted to see repeal of DADT that mandates — with a date certain — that lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) servicemembers could serve openly. And, this compromise legislation doesn’t guarantee that LGB servicemembers will ever be able to serve openly — this compromise just sets up process can happen.

In the meantime, LGB servicemembers will continue to be discharged due to sexual orientation; this will still be a national security issue until the discharges stop.

I have hope, but this legislation is a half-measure, and therefore a disappointment. When about 80% of Americans believe that LGB people should be allowed to serve in the military openly, I don’t understand why there is so much legislative timidity on this issue.

It does leave me wondering what will happen when the Employment Non-Discrimination Act comes up in the Senate — the bill that’s proposed includes not only sexual orientation, but gender identity as well. So, with transgender people specifically included in the next piece of federal civil rights legislation, I know I’m wondering if we’re going to see real legislative commitment to diversity.

I don’t know why, but I’m still hopeful.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 28 May 2010 12:29:26 +0000

I guess I am missing something. Prior to DADT, homosexuals were prohibited in serving in the military, period. No ifs ands or buts, no gays, no lesbians. DADT actually allowed gay and lesbians to serve because of the don’t ask portion of DADT. The powers that be were not permitted to ask is someone was homosexual, and in turn the homosexuals were to keep their orientation private.

So if Don’t As Don’t Tell is repealed are we back to no homosexuals in the military or has that been repealed? That is the part I guess I have missed.

I do not believe a person’s sexual orientation should be a factor in one’s ability to serve their country. DADT has proved that. I think we forget that DADT was a big step forward. It got us where we needed to be. Back then we were not ready and Thank God we are ready now. Or at least some of us are ready… Stay tuned

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 28 May 2010 12:15:01 +0000

As a gay Veteran who served before DA/DT I’m thrilled to see this. Whether racist, sexist or heterosexist, there should be no policy of discrimination within our government.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 28 May 2010 11:35:28 +0000

While it is not the immediate halt that many of us in the LGBT community wanted, it is a very important step in the right direction. That it took seventeen years to implement is embarassing to say the least, but maybe we’ll now be on par with the other countries in the world that have no problem with an openly-LGBT individual serving in the Armed Forces.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 28 May 2010 11:33:06 +0000

About time. Sexuality should be irrlevant to performance of military duty. We successfully integrated women into the military, so we have proven we can professionally conduct ourselves irregardless of our internal sexual preferences. So obviously introducing GLBT at this point should be no significant impact, and no argument.