Admirals, generals: Let gays serve openly

[BridgeTheGap]

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - More than 100 retired generals and admirals called Monday for repeal of the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy on gays so they can serve openly, according to a statement obtained by The Associated Press.

The move by the military veterans confronts the incoming administration of President-elect Barack Obama with a thorny political and cultural issue that dogged former President Bill Clinton early in his administration.

"As is the case with Great Britain, Israel, and other nations that allow gays and lesbians to serve openly, our service members are professionals who are able to work together effectively despite differences in race, gender, religion, and sexuality," the officers wrote.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27774058/?GT1=43001

[bluestateguy]

1. It would carry a lot more weight if an active duty admiral or general said this

And by the way, why did Obama do worse with gay voters than John Kerry? Kerry took 77%; Obama took 70%.*

*2008 National Exit Poll

[bluedawg12]

4. Can active duty military make political statements?

Other than being asked for their opinions in the course of duty? I don't believe they can weigh in on national policy while in uniform.

BTW- do you have a link to that exit poll, I am curious to read it.

Thanks.

[bluestateguy]

5. Here

http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/polls/#val=USP00p3

http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/pages/results/states/US/P/00/epolls.0.html

[bluedawg12]

7. Thanks! Some of the polls I saw about gays for Obama were higher

Here's what I had found:

http://www.windycitytimes.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=19735


Data available thus far on voting in heavily gay precincts suggest the gay vote for Obama was at an unprecedented high. In the last several presidential elections, the percentage of LGB voters supporting the Democrat has hovered around 70 to 75 percent. But Election Day voting was much stronger:

—In heavily gay Provincetown, Mass., 87 percent of voters supported Obama, compared to only 11 percent for McCain, and 2 percent for others or no votes. Massachusetts overall voted 62 percent for Obama, and 36 percent for McCain.

—While 61 percent of Californians supported Obama over 37 percent for McCain, 85 percent of heavily gay San Francisco supported Obama—versus 13 percent for McCain and two percent for others.

—Fifty-five percent of voters in Pennsylvania supported Obama over 45 percent for McCain, but in Philadelphia's heavily gay 2nd and 5th wards, 83 percent of voters supported Obama.

—In heavily gay Dupont Circle ( Precinct 15 ) in Washington, D.C., Obama won 89 percent of the vote.

—In the heavily gay precinct 1233 in Dallas, 63 percent of voters supported Obama, while 57 percent of the entire city did so. Fifty-five percent of the state supported McCain.

—Chicago's heavily gay 44th Ward went 86 percent for Obama over 13 percent for McCain.

A Harris poll online survey conducted Oct. 20-27 with 231 self-identified LGBT “likely voters” predicted 81 percent of LGBT voters favored Obama while 16 percent favored McCain. A similar poll in August had shown 68 percent favored Obama, with 10 percent leaning toward McCain.

Patrick Sammon—president of Log Cabin Republicans, a national gay Republican group—said he puts more trust in data from the overall exit poll data nationally, which said once again that 4 percent of voters were GLB and that 70 percent voted for Obama and 27 percent for McCain, with 3 percent for others.

[14thColony]

10. It is definitely frowned upon to do so, and in some cases could be illegal

That's why statements like this one, coming from over a hundred flag and general officers, are significant. Since they can speak freely, their statements can express the views of those still on active service who can't speak freely.

As an active duty military officer, I agree that in toto the military will do as it's told. There will be problems, there might even be violence. But if dealt with swiftly and harshly, the message will be clear that while your assent is not required, your compliance is.

[IndyOp]

2. Good show! Sanity. At long last. (n/t)

[Poll_Blind]

3. This is SO overdue- along with women serving alongside men BUT...

...unfortunately the military has become one of the last genuine bastions of Christianity merged with government. You've read the stories- Muslims, Jews, Atheists harassed, beaten sometimes killed under suspicious circumstances. Women, raped. We need to shakeup the armed services and rout Christianity OUT to the periphery of influence where it belongs. I think all religions should have little/no influence on the military.

  It is appalling to me, deeply, that the military can't be trusted to protect the welfare of Muslims, Jews, Gays, Atheists and all other minorities who are willing to die to carry out orders from the government.

  Also, the concept that somehow mixing the sexes or allowing homosexuals into the armed services would cause some sort of uncontrollable sexual explosion is the product of a distorted, oversexualized and repressed mind.

PB

[RetiredTrotskyite]

6. God/dess Bless These Men....

For saying this! Yes, they are retired, but they may still have pull with conservative sectors of the electorate. Retired or not, these men and women have combat and administrative experience. Maybe, now that Obama has been elected, active service admirals and generals will have the courage to come out against DADT. The Busch (spelling intentional) dictatorship has not exactly made coming out against DADT a good career move.Maybe with the change of administration, this will change. I hope so.

Other countries who allow LGBTQ people to serve openly in their armed forces seem to be having no problems, and our armed forces need to start coming into the 21st Century. If they allow LGBTQ people to serve openly all the dishonourable and less-than-honourable discharges need to be amended to "honourable" so that these people who faithfully served their country can collect their service-related benefits.

[bluedawg12]

9. Excellent point about restoring benefits to gay vets! n/t

[nichomachus]

8. I guess they figured

that since they've reached the bottom of the barrel in recruiting straights, it's time to open a new barrel of cannon fodder. Screw them!

[mondo joe]

11. Exactly. We're good enough to pay taxes, and almost good enough to die in the armed

forces. Just not good enough to marry each other.