Pentagon reworking gays in military guidance again

[WillParkinson]

Source: The Associated Press

Pentagon reworking gays in military guidance again

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon says it's working to come up with new guidelines regarding gays serving in the military after a court ruling restored the "don't ask, don't tell" law, at least for now.

Defense Department spokesman Col. Dave Lapan said Thursday that he expects the guidelines be announced later in the day.

An injunction last week barring the military from following the "don't ask, don't tell" law prompted the Pentagon to order that recruiters must accept applications from gays, and military lawyers must stop prosecuting cases aimed at firing them.

But a Wednesday ruling froze that injunction. That means the military could at least temporarily return to its policy banning gays and lesbians from serving openly, while the courts continue to consider the question.

Read more: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDefault/8ef5320729ce4298abefc1903704c7d5/Article_2010-10-21-US-Gays-in-Military/id-6bdd70225c884d089f63587fefac5081

[Ian David]

1. They're just going to ban showering. n/t

[Chipper Chat]

2. And looking "fabulous"

And no watching reruns of "Dynasty"

[The Philosopher]

3. They're also looking at chastity belts

They just haven't figured out who wears it.

[SpankMe]

4. Executive timidity

"He {president Obama} said he supports repeal of the policy {DADT}, but only after careful review and an act of Congress."

This is one data point on the chart of why progressives have softened their support of the president. By throwing the task of repealing DADT to the Congress, president Obama is declining to exercise the boldness that we were expecting from him. It's like throwing your hands back and saying "It's all on them" when you know it'll be a messy and drawn-out process for a fractured Congress to repeal this controversial policy.

Yes, it could be politically risky for him to sign it away with an executive order. But, the Republicans do some very bold things - even when the majority of Americans are opposed - and they seem to survive, thrive and win elections. This is because Republicans are seen as unwavering in their convictions and are willing to act decisively and in accordance with their conscience regardless of public opinion. We need some of those characteristics on our side.

In this case, a majority of Americans (and a pretty big majority, at that) are in favor of repeal. So, the risk would be a lot less for Obama. A bold executive order would be a win-win: the president would look decisive while following his conscience, and the decision has already been approved in the court of public opinion.

DADT is wrong. All Americans in good standing should be able to serve in the military. It's worth the expenditure of political capital to eliminate such an obviously immoral discriminatory practice. The presumed adverse impact on "troop cohesiveness" (bullshit, in my opinion) would be far less of a hit to our national security than was the dismissal of all those lesbian, Arabic translators form the Defense Language Institute in Monterey. Democrats and the president need to spin it that way and kill the policy. Now.