Don't ask, don't tell

thumb|There is no evidence that wounded troops care about the sexual orientation of the flight nurse or medical technician tending to their wounds. ~ Ronald B. Leighton thumb|It is my personal belief that allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly would be the right thing to do. … I cannot escape being troubled in the fact that we have in place a policy that forces young men and women to lie about who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens. For me, personally, it comes down to integrity. Theirs as individuals and ours as an institution. ~ Michael Mullen Don't ask, don't tell (DADT) was the common term for the policy restricting the United States military from efforts to discover or reveal closeted gay, lesbian, and bisexual servicemembers or applicants, while barring those who are openly gay, lesbian, or bisexual from military service, issued on December 21, 1993 and lasting until September 20, 2011. The restrictions are mandated by federal law 103 160 (10 654). Unless one of the exceptions from 10 654 b applies, the policy prohibits anyone who "demonstrate(s) a propensity or intent to engage in homosexual acts" from serving in the armed forces of the United States, because "it would create an unacceptable risk to the high standards of morale, good order and discipline, and unit cohesion that are the essence of military capability." The act prohibited any homosexual or bisexual person from disclosing his or her sexual orientation or from speaking about any homosexual relationships, including marriages or other familial attributes, while serving in the United States armed forces. Quotes I fully support the president's decision. Robert Gates (February 2, 2010), on decision of President Barack Obama to seek a repeal of the policy — reported in The Washington Post The Washington Post Company February 3, 2010 Michael D. Shear McCain appears to shift on 'don't ask, don't tell' http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/02/AR2010020202588.html 2010-10-28 Mr. President, this November marks 10 years since our Nation imposed the discriminatory law known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" on the lesbian, gay, and bisexual patriots of our Nation. During the past decade, almost 10,000 men and women have been fired from our Armed Forces simply because of their sexual orientation. Ted Kennedy (2003), on floor of United States Senate — Kennedy Edward Moore Don't Ask, Don't Tell Congressional Record United States Congress September 29, 2003 http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Don't_Ask,_Don't_Tell_(Kennedy_2003) 2010-11-02 There is no evidence that wounded troops care about the sexual orientation of the flight nurse or medical technician tending to their wounds. Ronald B. Leighton (September 24, 2010), ruling in federal court case, Witt v. Department of the Air Force — reported in Federal judge orders lesbian reinstated to Air Force MSNBC Gene Johnson September 24, 2010 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39349633/ns/us_news-life/ 2010-10-28 Reignited by the brutal slaying of a gay soldier at Ft. Campbell, Ky., the controversy over gays in the military threatens to become as combative an issue at the end of the Clinton administration as it was at the beginning. In recent weeks, the president, vice president and first lady have separately criticized the "don't ask, don't tell" policy, and Defense Secretary William S. Cohen has authorized an investigation of its enforcement. Robert J. MacCoun & Steven Schlossman, "What's Germane Is a Soldier's Behavior", LA Times, (January 03, 2000). The day that the leadership of the military comes to me and says, 'Senator, we ought to change the policy,' then I think we ought to consider seriously changing it. John McCain (October 2006), speaking about Don't ask, don't tell, before students at Iowa State University — reported in The Washington Post The Washington Post Company February 3, 2010 Michael D. Shear McCain appears to shift on 'don't ask, don't tell' http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/02/AR2010020202588.html 2010-10-28 At this moment of immense hardship for our armed services, we should not be seeking to overturn the 'don't ask, don't tell' policy. John McCain (February 2, 2010), at a United States Senate hearing where Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Michael Mullen stated they supported the decision of President Barack Obama to seek a repeal of the policy — reported in The Washington Post The Washington Post Company February 3, 2010 Michael D. Shear McCain appears to shift on 'don't ask, don't tell' http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/02/AR2010020202588.html 2010-10-28 It is my personal belief that allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly would be the right thing to do. … I cannot escape being troubled in the fact that we have in place a policy that forces young men and women to lie about who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens. For me, personally, it comes down to integrity. Theirs as individuals and ours as an institution. Michael Mullen (February 2, 2010) — reported in The Washington Post The Washington Post Company February 2, 2010 Ed O'Keefe Live Blog: 'Don't ask, don't tell' Senate hearing http://voices.washingtonpost.com/federal-eye/2010/02/live_blog_dont_ask_dont_tell_s.html 2010-10-28 [We must] repeal the law that denies gay and lesbian Americans the right to serve the country they love because of who they are. It's the right thing to do. Barack Obama (January 27, 2010), as part of his 2010 State of the Union Address — reported in CNN http://articles.cnn.com/2010-01-28/politics/obama.dadt.react_1_repeal-gay-rights-community-servicemembers-legal-defense-network 2010-10-28 Activists praise Obama's 'don't ask, don't tell' repeal pledge Ed Hornick January 28, 2010 Furthermore, there is no adequate remedy at law to prevent the continued violation of service members' rights or to compensate them for violation of their rights. Virginia A. Phillips (September 9, 2010), ruling in federal court case, Log Cabin Republicans v. United States — reported in Judge halts 'don't ask, don't tell' policy Watson Julie Associated Press Ohio.com October 13, 2010 http://www.ohio.com/news/nation/104840349.html 2010-10-28 External links Category:Don't ask, don't tell Category:Don't ask, don't tell Video Report: Gays In The Israeli Military 103 160 – National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1994 Department of Defense Directive 1332.14 Center for Military Readiness 10 654 – the policy concerning homosexuality in the armed forces Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports regarding Gays and U.S. Military Policy Human Rights Campaign Servicemembers Legal Defense Network Chronology of "Don't ask, don't tell" Michael D. Palm Center Blue Alliance – LGBT Alumni of the US Air Force Academy Knights Out – LGBT Alumni of the US Military Academy USNA Out – LGBT Alumni of the US Naval Academy Thomasson v. Perry – The first test of "Don't ask, don't tell" to reach the Supreme Court was turned down without comment and without setting a precedent. - OutServe – An Underground Network of Active Duty/Guard/Reserve Pte. Bethany Smith, lesbian denied DADT Discharge – the first gay american soldier to seek Canadian refugee status on the basis of sexual orientation In Landmark Ruling, Judge Rules "Don’t Ask Don't Tell" Policy is Unconstitutional - video report by Democracy Now! Podcast: Why the American Medical Association (AMA) Supports the Repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell Category:United States Army Category:LGBT in the United States Category:Sexuality Category:Phrases