Posted on 12/11/2010 10:55:58 PM PST by onyx
Next week will be crucial for gay rights advocates and congressional supporters of repealing the “Don't ask, don't tell” law.
Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) are working to garner support for a standalone bill to repeal the Clinton-era ban on openly gay people serving in the military. Lieberman and Collins formally introduced that bill on Friday.
The Senate this week dealt a severe blow to repeal when it fell short of the 60 votes necessary to start considering the defense authorization bill, which contains the repeal provision.
At this point the standalone repeal bill is a last-ditch effort. The strategy has the backing of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who is on standby to facilitate a successful vote in the House. Pelosi is part of the negotiations with the Senate to try to figure out the best and easiest way to pass repeal in the face of Republican opposition and a very crowded last week in session.
“Since the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ has broad support among Senators, our troops, and the American people, it is my hope that that the Senate will move forward with an alternative legislative method," Pelosi said in a statement on Thursday. "The bipartisan proposal from Senators Lieberman and Collins provides renewed hope that progress is still possible in the Senate; an army of allies stands ready in the House to pass a standalone repeal of the discriminatory policy once the Senate acts."
If the bill is considered as a freestanding piece of legislation, it will most likely require 60 hours of debate because of the lack of unanimous consent and two possible cloture votes.
Republicans might very well stick to their pledge to block any bills until they see approval of a tax-cut deal and legislation funding the government in 2011.
It is possible Reid, who backs repeal, will have to keep the Senate in session beyond the target adjournment date of Dec. 17 to complete the legislation. There would also be pressure on the House to stay in session to get it done.
And what are they going to do to ensure a clean blood supply? Test the homos every month or spare them from the front lines?
That violates the medical right to privacy, so they won’t do that.
So, they decrease the effectiveness of our military in that fashion.
Oh
My
God
Yes.
That was my response too.
That was your response to what? That thing you made up?
All recruits are tested for HIV, and a positive result precludes entry. They are tested at least every two years, and before and after each deployment.
Yet, the big-L Losertarians tell us that social issues don't matter. As a veteran, I'm sick and damn tired of the Commie SOB social engineers monkeying with my Army.
Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!
It’s less than 2% and of course an unknown number of former homosexuals. They hate that.
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This HAS TO BE STOPPED. It means ruin, destruction, perversion as normal, weakening the military, destroying the social fabric of the country. Those who think that homosexuality is normal and natural and that "open" homosexuals should be in the military (the "closeted" ones are bad enough) has NO MORAL COMPASS. They are lost and want everyone else to follow them into the abyss.
Ten Reasons to Oppose an “LGBT Law” or Policy for the Military
The Center for Military Readiness ^
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2608259/posts
Senate Testimony: European Militaries Are Not Role Models for U.S.
The Center for Military Readiness ^ | 3/22/2010
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2608228/posts
Rates of Homosexual Assault in the Military Are Disproportionately High
FRC ^
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2608306/posts
In Support the 1993 Law Stating that Homosexuals are not Eligible to Serve in the Military
CMR ^ | July 23, 2008 | Elaine Donnelly
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2608370/posts
“THE REAL PENTAGON POLL: 91% OF SERVICE MEMBERS REJECT HOMOSEXUAL LEADERS - 1 IN 4 WOULD QUIT”
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2635458/posts
“MILITARY: Marines lead opposition to repeal of ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’”
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2635350/posts
“Mullen: Troops Who Balk at Change in Gay Service Policy Can Find Other Work”
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2636350/posts
Made up?
Ever hear of HIPA laws?
And while recruits are tested, if homos turn up HIV positive AFTERWARDS it is hushed and not spoken of.
Thanks to HIPA.
I HAVE BEEN WRONG ALL THIS TIME?
BEEN SPELLING IT HEPA.
Probably is an E, I just got off work.
Darksheare, it may be “hushed up” in the sense that it isn’t announced to the world, and the service member isn’t kicked out, but HIPAA privacy rules are not absolute... An HIV+ service member is absolutely precluded from being deployed outside the continental U.S.
Little jeremiah, thanks for the info, but I wasn’t commenting on the desirability of repealing DADT. Obviously testing is not a panacea (window periods and such), and “men who have sex with men” (as the CDC calls them) are of course at much higher risk.
I was commenting only the notion that medical privacy rules would mean HIV+ service members (straight or gay) cannot be kept off the battlefield.
http://www.militarydefense.com/docs/decision_vermont_ntl_guard.pdf
http://williamcassara.com/discharge.html
“Mr. Cassara represented an Army E-4 who was discharged from the South Carolina National Guard for being HIV positive. Mr. Cassara petitioned the Army Board for Correction of Military Records on the soldier’s behalf, arguing that the discharge was illegal because the National Guard failed to follow established regulations on treatment of HIV positive soldiers. Mr. Cassara provided the Board with medical documentation proving that the soldier’s status did not interfere with his military duties and that he was still able to serve. The Army Board agreed, and determined the soldier was illegally discharged. Decision allows the soldier to be reinstated with back pay and to continue to serve.”
http://www.militarydefense.com/military_law_cases.php
In December 2007, Mr. Sheldon successfully defended a Navy Chaplain convicted of forcible sodomy and aggravated assault (having unprotected sex with another male without disclosing his HIV status). The Navy Chaplain was sentenced to 12 years in the brig, but Mr. Sheldon had negotiated a plea agreement that capped confinement at 24 months.
The chaplain above was HIV positive...
In the airforce, HIV status falls under “misconduct” as follows:
http://milcom.jag.af.mil/ch06/reasons.doc
— Having human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and not complying with lawfully ordered preventive medicine procedures (e.g., safe sex order)
-— Airmen approved for discharge for having HIV and not complying with lawfully ordered preventive medicine procedures are not eligible for probation and rehabilitation
You got that the Health Infomation Privacy Act was used to keep HIV positive people in uniform, right?
"Darksheare, it may be “hushed up” in the sense that it isn’t announced to the world, and the service member isn’t kicked out, but HIPAA privacy rules are not absolute... An HIV+ service member is absolutely precluded from being deployed outside the continental U.S."
No. This is what you said: Post 45
All recruits are tested for HIV, and a positive result precludes entry. They are tested at least every two years, and before and after each deployment.
Now that you've been proved wrong you changed your statement but posts do not simply disappear.
I figured I’d toss in those links, just for the record, so to speak.
Homosexuals don’t belong in the military. And people can be infected and infective often for (IIRC) a couple of months before tests show positive. It varies of course. There are many other reasons why homosexuals don’t belong in the military, but even the AIDS reason alone is enough to kick ‘em all out and let none back in.
Greetings, DJMacWoW!!
(I was about to take a break due to - ahem, some household personnel disagreements, but decided not to.)
Hope all is well in your corner of the world.
Got sick about a week ago. Getting better but not yet great. And GRUMPY. ;-)
Glad you’re better, hope you recover quickly.
I’m grumpy too; lost all tolerance with leftists, libertarians, liars, trolls and other assorted fiends in human form.
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