Posted on 11/30/2007 5:15:19 PM PST by Pyro7480
Marking the 14th anniversary of legislation that allowed gay men and lesbians to serve in the military but only if they kept their orientation secret, 28 retired generals and admirals plan to release a letter on Friday urging Congress to repeal the law.
We respectfully urge Congress to repeal the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy,” the letter says. “Those of us signing this letter have dedicated our lives to defending the rights of our citizens to believe whatever they wish.”
The retired officers offer data showing that 65,000 gay men and lesbians now serve in the American armed forces and that there are more than one million gay veterans.
“They have served our nation honorably,” the letter states.
The letter’s release comes as rallies are scheduled on the Mall by groups calling for a change in the law, which is known as “don’t ask, don’t tell” because it bars the military from investigating soldiers’ sexual orientation if they keep it to themselves.
Although the signers of the letter are high-ranking, none are of the stature of Gen. John M. Shalikashvili, who was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff when the policy was adopted and who now argues for its repeal. General Shalikashvili refocused attention on the issue earlier this year when he wrote that conversations with military personnel had prompted him to change his position.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Here's the press release from the Human Rights Campaign:
From Twenty-eight New Military Generals and Admirals Call for Repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell
Twenty-eight New Military Generals and Admirals Call for Repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell
Military Leaders Say Repealing Policy Banning Gays and Lesbians from Military Service Would Be Beneficial
11/30/2007
WASHINGTON- On the 14th anniversary of the signing of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, 28 retired, high-ranking military leaders have signed onto a letter calling for the policy’s repeal. In the years since Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was enacted, over 12,000 men and women have been discharged from the military under the policy. This sign-on letter marks the single largest number of Generals and Admirals from the U.S. Armed Forces to come out against the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy at one time.
We support the recent comments of former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General John Shalikashvili, who has concluded that repealing the "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" policy would not harm, and would indeed help, our armed forces, the letter states.
The opinions of Flag Officers have played a critical role in shaping the policy on gay service. President Bill Clinton chose not to fully lift the gay ban because key military leaders opposed ending the ban. But now a significant number of General Officers are coming forward to acknowledge their opposition to the ban on open service by gay and lesbian members of the Armed Forces.
Some political leaders and academic experts said in 1993 that the military would not be ready to allow openly gay service until society and the military had developed a more tolerant attitude toward homosexuality. The statement of these 28 Generals and Admirals is evidence that these changes are occurring or have occurred already. Additionally, a December 2006 Zogby poll of soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan found that 73 percent of soldiers reported being comfortable in the presence of gays, and only 37 percent oppose repealing the policy. A May 2007 CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll showed that 79 percent of Americans believe that gays and lesbians should be allowed to serve openly in the military.
The letter will be read by two of the generals who will represent the group of 28 at a joint event sponsored by the Human Rights Campaign, Servicemembers United Cabin Republicans, Servicemembers Legal Defense Network and Liberty Education Forum to recognize the 12,000 men and women discharged from the military since the signing of "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell." The groups will mark the anniversary of the policy’s signing by unveiling the "12,000 Flags for 12,000 Patriots" display on the National Mall. The tribute will begin on Friday, November 30 and continue through Sunday, December 2.
The New York Times has published a story about the letter. To read the story, go to http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/30/us/30military.html?hp.
Below is the full text of the letter.
We respectfully urge Congress to repeal the "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" policy. Those of us signing this letter have dedicated our lives to defending the rights of our citizens to believe whatever they wish. As General Colin Powell, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs said when the "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" policy was enacted, it is not the place of the military or those in senior leadership to make moral judgments.
Scholarly data show that there are approximately one million gay and lesbian veterans in the United States today, as well as 65,000 gays and lesbians currently serving in our armed forces. They have served our nation honorably.
We support the recent comments of another former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General John Shalikashvili, who has concluded that repealing the "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" policy would not harm, and would indeed help, our armed forces. As is the case in Britain, Israel, and other nations which allow gays and lesbians to serve openly, our service members are professionals who are able to work together effectively despite differences in race, gender, religion, and sexuality. Such collaboration reflects the strength and the best traditions of our democracy.
Lieutenant General Jerry Hilmes; Branch: Army
Vice Admiral Harold Koenig; Branch: Navy; Field: Medical
Vice Admiral James Zimble, Midlothian, VA; Branch: Navy; Field: Medical
Major General Leslie Burger, Vancouver, WA; Branch: Army; Field: Medical
Major General Alexander Burgin, Salem, OR; Branch: Army NG; Field: Artillery
Major General Michael Conrad, McLean, VA; Field: Infantry
Major General James Delk, Fair Oaks, CA; Branch: Army; Field: Medical
Major General Jack Farris, New Jersey; Branch: Air Force; Field: Aviation (pilot)
Major General Fred Forster, Tennessee; Field: Aviation
Major General David Hale, Hampton Bays, NY; Field: Combat
Major General Randy Jayne, McClean, VA; Branch: Air NG; Field: Aviation (pilot)
Major General Dennis Laich, Dublin, OH; Branch: Army; Field: Military Police
Major General Dennis Malcor, Vine Grove, KY; Branch: Army; Field: Combat
Major General Michael Scotti*, Arlington, VA; Branch: Army; Field: Medical
Major General Harry Sieben, Minnesota; Branch: Army and Air NG
Rear Admiral William Retz; Branch: Navy
Brigadier General Clara Adams-Ender, Woodbridge, VA; Branch: Army; Field: Medical
Brigadier General Dale Barber, Waverly, NY; Branch: Army; Field: Infantry Engineer
Brigadier General Harold Bowman, Pleasant Hill, IA; Branch: Army NG; Field; Medical
Brigadier General Douglas Bradley, Diablo, CA; Branch: Army; Field: Medical
Brigadier General William Colvin; Branch: Army NG
Brigadier General Bob Hardy; Branch: Army
Brigadier General JD Johnson, Salt Lake City, UT; Branch: Army
Brigadier General Phil Peay, Utah; Field: Engineering
Brigadier General Robert Poirot, Evergreen, CO; Branch: Army; Field: Artillery
Brigadier General Philip Pushkin, Randallstown, MD; Branch: Army NG
Brigadier General Donald Schenk, Troy, MI; Branch: Army; Field: Combat Systems
Brigadier General Daniel Wardrop, Williamsburg, VA; Field: Artillery
*General Scotti passed away in September, 2007 after agreeing to sign onto this statement. His widow has requested that he remain on the statement.
Now it’s clear why there was a bomb threat at a Clinton office today.
Ok - maybe I’m late to the party in reaching this conclusion - but now I’m convinced that Anderson Cooper was an active participant in the whole Kerr scheme.
“Scholarly data show that there are approximately one million gay and lesbian veterans in the United States today, as well as 65,000 gays and lesbians currently serving in our armed forces. They have served our nation honorably”
Whatever..and they’re point is?
Homosexuality is about nothing more than sex, despite what the “Scholars” say. I don’t want a gay soldier looking at my behind while I’m digging a foxhole.
Keep the ban!!
That means we should go back to the out-right ban then. I guess they want recruitment down so they can blame Bush and call for a draft again.
The same "scholars" that claim Lincoln was a closet homosexual?
They needed the 14 years to propagandize the American public about homosexuals, especially the younger generations.
Of course.
tell them fine, we’ll repeal it and go back to the old way of doing things instead. No gays or lesbians period.
Welcome.
Exactly, they thought I was gay (my hubby was AF, I was Navy). I wasn’t into the party scene or cheating so I wasn’t a slut... they figured the opposite.
When will someone ask Kerr why he stayed in for 42 years if it was so horrible and why the hell he and Anderson thought we wouldn’t get the transcript of Kerr on CNN two minutes after he asked the question?
Other than this, working for Kerry and now Hillary’s campaign, he also has other agendas.
God don’t like ugly... he will pay. Next he’ll want soldiers to sue for discrimination when their buddy doesn’t sleep with them.
AND, the new battle cry will be, “Cover your buddy’s behind!”
I don’t doubt that there are gays and lesbians serving in our military today. They don’t get any special privileges, concessions or reward for their sexual inclinations. And, don’t ask, don’t tell keeps it that way.
It is not a dating club...
That is a pretty big Article 15 list...
Homosexuals in the military is a bunch of *&$@)*&%@^. (please pardon my French)
Allowing openly homosexuals in the military makes as much sense as co-ed showers. Of course, the troops would give about 0.1% support to the first option, and about 90% to the second, assuming 10% women in the military.
And don’t get me started on women in combat...
Pfft, they lost me right there.
You and me, both. Some things are just Wrong in So Many Ways...
Yes they are there unfortunately as much as they were when I entered basic training in 1967. We had one gay black guy in my company who chased after everyone in the showers...no takers because it was the Viet Nam war era and only studs need apply. But when I see senior officers like this butthead advocating gays in the military, I have to say two things...this @sshole is gay and everyone who associates with him and especially Hillary Clinton is either gay or totally supportive of the gay rebellion against society.
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