Don't Ask, Don't Tell

[IndianaGreen]

Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen told Congress last week to wait to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

I must respectfully disagree - and I have a grassroots community of tens of thousands of people just like you who signed my petition and who disagree as well.

We're not just talking about statistics here. These decisions will change the lives of our brave gay and lesbian servicemembers who are currently serving in our armed forces. Last year at least 443 of our best and brightest were discharged under this outdated policy and that's 443 too many.

You and I agree: "Don't, Ask, Don't Tell" is both wrong for our national security and inconsistent with the moral foundation upon which our country was founded. In the halls and elevators of Congress, I am privately and publicly urging my colleagues to repeal this policy this year before we lose one more man or woman to this policy.

My preference is to put repeal into the 2011 Defense Authorization bill. That way, opponents would need 60 votes to defeat it. The Pentagon may want to wait to study the effects of the repeal before it is implemented, but that does not mean we can't vote for repeal this year.

In the meantime, Speaker Pelosi has called upon President Obama to put a moratorium on all discharges. She's absolutely right.

Every single day we ask our brave gay and lesbian servicemembers to lie about who they are and who they love. This must end now - not next year or the year after that.

Sincerely,

Kirsten Gillibrand

[bigwillq]

1. K and R (nt)

[muffin1]

2. K&R

It's past time, Mr. President. No more studies. Get it done.

[Oceansaway]

3. K&R...n/t

[Clio the Leo]

4. Ok .... now go get 59 more votes.....

... and then get 218 votes in the House.

If the President is so opposed to it, then put him in a position where he has to veto it.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

6. Which, of course, he won't

even though some people seem to believe he might actually be a closet bigot/homophobe simply because he is not advancing equal rights legislation (which is Congress' job BTW) as fast as some advocacy groups want him or that he simply isn't fighting hard enough for it and that if he just used enough political *muscle*, it'd get done faster. I think he's got a timetable and a plan that he is sticking to that he believes will ultimately be more effective and accomplishes the same goal(s). However, if Congress forces the issue and actually passes a repeal of DADT or enacts ENDA, I refuse to believe that he would veto it.

[Prism]

7. The same old songs from the same old people.

But not homophobic, never ever.

Blah blah blah.

Some people just never get tired of apologizing for inequality.

Weird, right?

[Proud Liberal Dem]

8. Nobody's "apologizing for inequality"

This seems to be more of an argument about political strategy and while I wholeheartedly agree that things like (in-)equality shouldn't even be allowed to be politicized (and wouldn't be in an ideal world), President Obama, in his capacity as POTUS and CIC, has adopted what he feels is the best political strategy for achieving the same goal. I don't necessarily agree with the idea of waiting on another "review" (DADT repeal should simply be tucked into the Defense Authorization Bill) but if he still accomplishes the goal of ending DADT (and ends up with more people in the military on his side), then it will have been worth it. Does him adopting this particular strategy make him a homophobe? IMHO it doesn't -even if I don't share his personal beliefs about equal marriage rights- but, of course, everybody is entitled to their own judgement/opinion on the matter. :shrug:

I personally feel that the debate over DADT and equal rights (and other legislative issues) has centered too much on President Obama while leaving Congress off the hook for its inaction regarding these matters, particularly since they all require legislative action. Congress could certainly move forward faster on these issues if they wanted to. They aren't bound by the political strategy of the WH. We need to spend at least as much time lobbying Congress as we do President Obama.

[dumpdabaggers]

5. I think it will be gone in the lame duck session after the election.

I also think Scott Brown, Olympia Snowe, and Susan Collins, as well as Judd Gregg, will vote to repeal it.