Pentagon to repeal dont ask dont tell.

[downbeatplumb]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-14245144

The Pentagon is set to announce that the ban on openly gay people serving in US military is to end, officials say.

Defence Secretary Leon Panetta is expected to certify the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" (DADT), seven months after the law was overturned in the US Congress.

The Pentagon had asked for time following the repeal to prepare troops for the arrival of openly gay comrades.

The ban officially ceases 60 days after certification.

'Served in silence'

The certification, expected to be announced on Friday by the Pentagon, signals that President Barack Obama, Defence Secretary Panetta and Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen have officially confirmed that the military is prepared.

"This Pentagon certification received by the White House this afternoon is welcomed by gay and lesbian service members who have had to serve their country in silence for far too long," Aubrey Sarvis, an Army veteran and executive director of the Servicemembers Legal Defence Network, which advocated for 17 years for the law's repeal.

"The troops and their commanders are ready."

Over the course of the past seven months, the Pentagon has produced new manuals and prepared military forces for the change.

Under the US policy of DADT established in 1993, gay people could serve in the military but could not acknowledge their orientation. The military was forbidden to inquire but was permitted to expel service members found to be gay.

More than 13,000 service members have been dismissed under the policy.

The end of DADT fulfils a campaign pledge made in 2008 by President Barack Obama, who signed it into law in December.

Britain, Israel and dozens of other countries allow gay personnel to serve openly

[Judas BentHer]

It's about time and long long overdue. Of course, in the spirit of being like unto the spirit of Christ, there are some military chaplains who have a problem with it. Because allowing gays to serve openly is to openly tolerate sin in the ranks. The absurdity of that being of course, that prior to DADT being instituted those who were suspected of being gay were hunted by military authorities, as it were. Surpise inspections early in the morning, hoping to catch gay enlisted in bed with each other, etc...

Then DADT became policy, so all that stopped. Yet gays still had to serve in hiding, they couldn't bring their lover to any functions wherein military couples would gather, they couldn't hold hands when off duty. They couldn't speak about their lover honestly, unless they substituted the applicable pronoun with a false one in order to sound like they were talking about a straight relationship.

And yet all the while, prior to the institution of DADT unto now, from the inception of our military, gays have served and died honoring their commitment to defense of the country and her allies. And now these alleged emissaries of god take umbrage to that because those that have always been there, "sinning" in silence are finally able to be free of the closet a government that boasts to represent freedom and liberty for all, built especially for homosexuals in uniform. You can die for your country, just as long as you hide who you love from everyone watching.

"Amen!" to repeal of DADT. And a prompt, " Don't let the door hit ya where your tyrant lord split ya!" to the bigot Bible thumpers in uniform. Get the fuck out, if you can't accept freedom and equality in the ranks. Because if it's a matter of taking umbrage to sin, then the 6th commandment broken by policy, should insure there are no Chaplains holding to such a moral objection to sin as they do now about repeal of DADT, serving in any branch in the military.

[downbeatplumb]

This seems like obama is keeping at least one of his election promises. This I think is a first for an american president.

[HeyItsZeus]

Yay! Now men and women can be attacked by their bigot comrades!

[Minimalist]

Because allowing gays to serve openly is to openly tolerate sin in the ranks.

And odd distinction in an organization designed to kill people, no?

[Violet]

Yay! Now men and women can be attacked by their bigot comrades!

Party time!

[downbeatplumb]

Yay! Now men and women can be attacked by their bigot comrades!

I work alongside the British Navy and know quite a few openly gay serving personnel(of both sexes), none have ever mentioned being bullied for their sexuality and some werent the sort to not complain.

This may be because it has been in place a while now and has had time to settle down.

[Minimalist]

Yay! Now men and women can be attacked by their bigot comrades!

I work alongside the British Navy and know quite a few openly gay serving personnel(of both sexes), none have ever mentioned being bullied for their sexuality and some werent the sort to not complain.

This may be because it has been in place a while now and has had time to settle down.

It may be because the RN's command structure has not been infiltrated by xtian shitheads, too.

http://www.newsweek.com/2009/06/18/chris...diers.html

Ever since former president George W. Bush referred to the war on terror as a “crusade” in the days after the September 11 attacks, many have charged that the United States was conducting a holy war, pitting a Christian America against the Muslim world. That perception grew as prominent military leaders such as Lt. Gen. William Boykin described the wars in evangelical terms, casting the U.S. military as the "army of God."

[HeyItsZeus]

Yay! Now men and women can be attacked by their bigot comrades!

I work alongside the British Navy and know quite a few openly gay serving personnel(of both sexes), none have ever mentioned being bullied for their sexuality and some werent the sort to not complain.

This may be because it has been in place a while now and has had time to settle down.

Yeah, but in America the army is made of red'necks and people of color. For whatever reason they tend to be homophobic.

EDIT: YES I KNOW I'M SAYING STEREOTYPES!

[Judas BentHer]

This seems like obama is keeping at least one of his election promises. This I think is a first for an american president.

I for one won't put a feather in B's cap just yet, since he didn't demonstrate a consistent push on his commitment to that campaign promise.



It's all political. With gays allowed to openly serve, it will inspire an increase in gay recruits who will finally be able to serve openly and with the honor they always deserved, but were closeted and dishonored by bigotry as a matter of policy.

To imagine we're said to be a country with the greatest military in the world. While those that would then be considered countries with an inferior military in comparison, have for a great long time been more broadminded and fair than we have in matters of letting gay's serve openly.