Points below:
Below is an update on ongoing issues with respect to the planned repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.
Included below:
The repeal of the ban on homosexuals serving in the US military, most often referred to as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” appears to be the only military/religion story to make the “top 10” 2010 story lists of most websites that look at military/religious issues:
Chris Patti, reportedly a Navy cryptologist, wrote an opinion piece at the Washington Post saying repeal of DADT was the “easy” part, and now Secretary of Defense Robert Gates faces “difficult” questions. Oddly, Patti raises no questions that have not already been addressed. Just like the terse answer to those who wondered if they could resign early if they had moral reservations about repeal (“No.”), the military working group on DADT repeal provided terse answers to Patti’s questions. For example, he asks: Read more
A letter to the editor in a local Colorado Springs newspaper raised the spectre that open homosexuality in the US military might actually help America’s adversaries:
I can’t wait until the Taliban and Al Qaida use this [DADT repeal] law as a recruiting tool for hardcore Muslim insurgents in its proof just how infidel America is when its government endorses homosexuality by law.
Notwithstanding the rhetoric, he’s right. Islamic extremists have cited America’s “moral depravity” as reason for attacking it. Openly allowing Read more
Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), was recently asked some questions about the logistics of repealing DADT. Frank dismissed concerns over homosexuals showering with straight members of the military as a “silly issue.”
On the other hand, when asked if males and females should be able to shower together, he said “No, that would disrupt people.”
The implication, Read more
A local Colorado paper interviewed graduates and students of Colorado University on their perceptions of the recent repeal of the law banning homosexuals from military service. Some of the article focused on the desire of former servicemembers, discharged for being homosexual, to re-enter the service, though that has been widely discussed. The end of the article was interesting:
CU senior Kyle Inselman, a member of the GLBT campus community…said the repeal is not a victory for the transgender community, since “don’t ask, don’t tell” is only one of the issues keeping them out of the military…
“I think that to frame this as a victory for the GLBT community is wrong, because transgender people still cannot serve in the military,” Inselman said. “We need to not forget about fighting for (transgender) inclusion in our military as well as gay, lesbian and bisexual people.”
Seems like this line of thinking has been brought up before…
The Hill reports that the Armed Services committees have agreed to a “pared down” National Defense Authorization Act. The bill passed on Wednesday was “devoid” of controversial measures, including
The Burris Amendment would have permitted abortions Read more