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Loading ...Little traction on DADT repeal
05.11.2009 9:34am EDT
(Washington) President Barack Obama’s national security adviser says there has been “preliminary” discussion on allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military.
But retired Marine Gen. James Jones said that it uncertain whether “don’t ask, don’t tell” will be overturned, even though Obama has said he wants it eliminated.Jones, who spoke on ABC’s “This Week,” said the decision to go forward lies with the president but added that the administration already has a lot on its plate.
Last week, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said the House may take up repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell.”
“Members will make a priority of issues like gays in the military. And where we have prospects of success, we always want to expand to a place of more opportunity and more freedom for all – for all Americans,” she told reporters at her weekly briefing.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates, speaking last month at the Army War College, said he was not yet taking a position on repeal of the ban.
The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network on Monday accused the administration of “caving in” to opponents of the ban in the military and the religious right.
“Jones’s answer, along with Secretary Gates’s remarks to the Army War College on April 16, make it clear that a calculated political decision has been made that the President is not going to take ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ on publicly – himself – and instead his defense team is doing it,” said Aubrey Sarvis, SLDN executive director.
“There should be no waffling in this Administration – whether from Jones or Gates, on whether repeal is going to happen. The discussions should be when and how.”
Rep. Ellen Tauscher (D-Calif.) has reintroduced legislation to repeal DADT. Tauscher’s bill attracted 148 co-sponsors last year. This year the bill has not been taken up at the committee level.
A poll released April 30 found that by 56-37 percent, voters think the ban should be repealed.
Among voters with family in the military, the margin was 50-43 percent for repeal. Almost two-thirds of Catholic respondents supported repeal, but white evangelical Christians supported the current ban, 53-40 percent.
The survey of 2,041 registered voters nationwide was taken by Quinnipiac University’s polling institute.
Since DADT was enacted, more than 12,000 servicemembers have been dismissed when it was learned they are gay. According to statistics from the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network which advocates for gays in the military an average of two service members are dismissed under the law every day.
Congress need to take up this issue and repeal DADT without waiting from leadership from the Administration, which appears to lack political will on gay issues.
I am a soldier. I know DADT is harmful to our gay soldier. We must push for its repeal. A protest is in order. We need to march on the white house and present President Barack Obama with a large 8 foot plate. Then maybe he can fit improving the lives of soldiers on it!
This is not too surprising. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if Obama backed down on this or put it as a way low priority. I didn’t believe him when he said it. I hope he proves me wrong but I do not think so.
As a Canadian, I have already written a letter to the President opposing “don’t ask; don’t tell (just lie)”. Both the United States and Canada, key allies of the United States already have done away with any restrictions on Lesbians and Gays in the military. Furthermore, all countries have long histories of Lesbians and Gay men serving in the armed forces with distinction. All LGBT people, both in and out of the United States must write to the President and politely demand repeal of DADT. We are not asking for equal rights here and definitely asking for special rights. We are saying we have a moral obligation to fulfill all our responsibilities as citizens.
Shane-
I agree, he has not said a word in awhile himself about how he feels. He has decided to let others deal with the burden of the gays.
Sad- lets hope the congress can get their collective acts together.
The president could make this happen. Call and leave a message for him at 202-456-1111, and demand that he end this state-sponsored discrimination called Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. He should tell Congress that this is a priority, and he wants the Military Readiness Enhancement Act passed this year. He’ll get it if he asks for it.
He has a Democratic majority that will last who knows how long. He has the majority of Americans wanting this policy to end. Why not act? The ONLY reason he would hesitate to press this is that he isn’t so committed to LGBT equality after all.