Comments on: Neff: ‘Fighting Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’

By: josho

josho — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 21:12:36 +0000

“Obama said he will work with Congress and the Pentagon to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” which bans gays and lesbians from serving openly in the Armed Forces and has resulted in the discharge of more than 13,500 personnel since 1994.”

Is this debate related to a shortage in additional personnel for Iraq, Afghanistan and else otherwise? – This question may sound cynical at first sight, but please think about it, as it is not meant to be cynical.

By: Facebook User

Facebook User — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 16:19:20 +0000

I think Winston Churchill said it best: “You can always count on Americans to do the right thing – after they’ve tried everything else.”

I believe, whole-heartedly, that DADT will be repealed…. It is just going to take a lot of work and perseverance.

This does NOT mean I am willing to relax my battle-readiness against the rabid right.

By: SteveHansen

SteveHansen — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 09:59:26 +0000

Let’s try that again:

http://www.palmcenter.org/publications/dadt/How+to+End+%22Don%27t+Ask,+Don%27t+Tell%22

By: SteveHansen

SteveHansen — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 09:56:53 +0000

The url in my previous note has an extra parenthesis appended, so it does not work. The correct url is:

http://www.palmcenter.org/publications/dadt/How+to+End+“Don’t+Ask,+Don’t+Tell”

By: SteveHansen

SteveHansen — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 09:55:07 +0000

When Gates claims that they need a year to study the issue because there are no previous military studies, that is just a lie. There have been dozens of previous studies, done both in and outside the military.

One recent such study is (Belken, et.al., “How to end don’t ask don’t tell”, Palm Center, available: http://www.palmcenter.org/publications/dadt/How+to+End+%22Don%27t+Ask,+Don%27t+Tell%22)

The Palm Center study contains a large bibliography of previous studies, conducted by the Navy, DOD, GAO, RAND, British MoD, universities, think tanks, and a number of retired generals.

All of those studies conclude that repealing allowing gays to serve will have no effect on readiness or morale, and that it can be done easily and quickly.

I can believe that it will take some time to draw up the order. But that should be a few days, perhaps a week. It certainly does not take a year to write a few paragraphs about something that has been so extensively studied.

By: Wayne M.

Wayne M. — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 02:44:57 +0000

If you are reading this, please immediately write four letters:
1. to the president asking him to issue an executive order suspending all discharges of LGBT military personnel until congress passes the law to repeal DADT and any ban on the military,
2. and 3. to your Senators politely demanding immediate action to repeal DADT, and
4. to your member of the House of representatives demanding immediate action to repeal DADT.

If, like me, you are a citizen of a United States ally, write to the President, Majority Leader Reid and Speaker Pelosi.

DO IT NOW!

By: randy

randy — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 01:57:25 +0000

DADT does three things: first, advantage homophobes over everyone else; second, create a blackmail problem for LGBT servicemembers; third, throw red meat to Republican re-election campaigns. So it’s effective at that. But not effective at any important military goal.

By: Fred Stanley

Fred Stanley — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 23:02:50 +0000

It certainly does not take 1 year to study the DADT issue! It has been studied for 17 years,and it is NOT successful. All you have to do is look at the other countries who do not have this policy and they are SUCCESSFUL!

By: robertocucina

robertocucina — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 18:41:29 +0000

This is nothing more than delay tactics. Why does the military need a few more years to repeal it? What on earth is it waiting for? Hasn’t it looked at Canada, the UK and the rest of Europe, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Israel? What more proof does it need. Typical backward-thinking America! The western world is laughing at us. We’re supposed to be the leaders of the free world? What a crock, it can’t even get its act together and repeal the law immediately. It makes me sick to think we’re the trailer nation. Wake up America and show some leadership for a change.

By: michaelnDallas

michaelnDallas — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:29:12 +0000

Imagine if Gay people refused to serve as a GROUP. We’d be label cowards, un-American and ungrateful! We want to serve so we’re rejected. IF the military is a society of orders being followed.( no laughing) why can’t they order acceptance. and enforce the order. People will feel the way they feel.