Hey GLBTers, Sec. gates is throwing you a crumb! Catch!

[Hell Hath No Fury]

Pentagon To Soften Military Gay Ban Enforcement
By Carlos Santoscoy
Published: March 23, 2010

Defense Secretary Robert Gates is expected to outline changes in how the military enforces “don't ask, don't tell” this week. The 1993 policy forbids gay troops from serving openly.

During a press briefing Tuesday, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said Gates is likely to announce a “way ahead” on “don't ask” later this week.

Gates first floated the idea of softening the military's implementation of the ban last June, a day after President Obama reaffirmed his pledge to repeal the law

Speaking aboard a military plane on its way to Germany, Gates told reporters that the Pentagon was looking into ways to make its ban “more humane.”

“One of the things we're looking at is, is there flexibility in how we apply this law,” he said, according to a transcript released by the Department of Defense.

“What we have is a law – be it a policy or regulation – and as I discovered when I got into it, it's a very prescriptive law. It doesn't leave much to the imagination for a lot of flexibility.”

Gates questioned the need to take action against service members when they've been outed out of vengeance or after being jilted.

“If someone is outed by a third party … does that force us to take an action?” he asked.

“That's the kind of thing we're looking at to see if there's a more humane way to apply the law until the law gets changed,” Gates added.

more...

http://ontopmag.com/article.aspx?id=5470&MediaType=1&Ca...


On edit: Is DADT a "policy" or a "law"? If it is only a policy, can't the WH overturn it or at least halt its implimentation with a stroke of a pen via EO?

[Kutjara]

1. "We want to be kinder, gentler hypocrites."

In other news, Colonel Saunders has announced its new "Humane Fried Chicken" product range. "We don't kill the chickens," an anonymous spokesman said, "we just amputate the legs and wings."

[Hell Hath No Fury]

2. Pretty much it.

The use of the word "humane" in his words gave me a real "ick" thing.

[chollybocker]

3. "...when they've been outed out of vengeance or after being jilted."

What?

The most recent DADT 'outing' was last week, when some cops reported seeing a lesbian soldier's marriage license while in her home. (And yet Eric Massa was never once reprimanded for 'snorkling' - an assault, if not consensual, imho - while in the Navy.)

There is no line to be drawn here, Mr. Gates; you either support DADT or you don't. And stop those fantasy notions that romantic "jiltings" within the military ranks is in any way causing your problems.

[sandnsea]

4. "it's a very prescriptive law"

That's what he concluded after seeing if there was any flexibility in how the law is applied. Congress will need to repeal. Gates will continue to find ways to stop enforcing it until it's repealed.

It is definitely time to get this repealed. Do we have a vote counter?

[Unvanguard]

5. I don't know how reliable Act on Principles is, but here's theirs:

http://www.actonprinciples.org/dadt-senate/ (the actual number of co-sponsors is 25, at least according to the govtrack link)
http://www.actonprinciples.org/dadt-house/

[lifeliberty345]

6. Gates is unpatriotic!?

Nope. Not working. :rofl:

Go Gates! :patriot:

[Toasterlad]

7. Fuck You, Gates.