Eliminating "Don't ask, Don't Tell" should be high priority next Congress

[Renew Deal]

Don't ask, Don't tell is one of the worst policies in recent history. There is so much wrong with it.

It instills homophobia in the military.
It cuts out many great people that want to serve.
It forces soldiers to serve dishonestly.
It is abused by people that don't want to fight.

It's just bad policy. The military should adopt a corporate style sexual harassment policy. Anyone who acts inappropriately is removed. Admitting to being gay is not punishable. Improper conduct sexual or otherwise is. That way we keep some of our best in the service, and we make it a little more fair. Like the rest of the real world, the military can deal with the diversity that is humanity.

[BattyDem]

1. Eliminating all discrimination against homosexuals should be a priority

It's ridiculous. There is no logical reason to deny gays and lesbians the same rights as heterosexuals. They pay the same taxes that everyone else does, so they should have the same rights ... period. We don't allow the government to tell people what race or religion their spouse can be, so why should they decide what gender a person's spouse can be? Why should the government care if you're sharing your life with a man or a woman?

The discrimination is based on religion and it's appalling that an entire group of people are being denied rights and protections because of someone else's religious beliefs! :grr:

My niece is a lesbian. She and her partner both have full time jobs, they own a house and they are productive members of society. Maybe children will be in their future ... who knows? Why can't they have a civil marriage? From the government's perspective, marriage is nothing more than legal contract to protect both parties involved, so why can't they have that? The government doesn't get involved in any other contract between two people, so why should they get involved in a marriage contract? It doesn't make any sense? :shrug:

[CorpGovActivist]

2. Too Bad Wesley Clark Wasn't Available to Tear into Nunn

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=wesley+clark+gays

Let us not forget that Chairman Sam Nunn was a principal architect of Don't Ask, Don't Tell: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=senator+sam+nunn+georgia+%22don%27t+ask%22

This is just one example of why it is important to work across party lines.

- Dave

[Renew Deal]

3. Clark is correct.

And hopefully there is a movement to repeal this. American soldiers that are gay are just as brave and just as brilliant as anyone else in the military.

[CorpGovActivist]

4. Rumsfeld's Sissified Soliloquies...

... still don't answer why "real men" in Australia can manage to maintain unit cohesion with gays and lesbians in their ranks, while his inner circle of Mastadons can't figure out how to integrate *our* forces: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=australia+gays+military

"That's not a policy; this is a policy." -- Colonel Dundee

; )

- Dave