Sestak Calls for Repeal of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' (Chair of Hillary's Vet Committee in PA)

PR Newswire ^ | 5/5/08 | SLDN

[americaprd]

Philadelphia Congressman Among 17 Veterans Co-Sponsoring Repeal Legislation

WASHINGTON, May 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Congressman Joe Sestak (D-PA), the highest ranking military veteran in Congress, on Saturday urged fellow lawmakers to join him in repealing the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law banning lesbian, gay and bisexual personnel from serving openly in the military. Sestak, who had served as a three-star Admiral and who spent thirty-one years in the Navy is one of seventeen veterans in Congress who are co-sponsors of legislation to lift the ban on openly gay service. Sestak's remarks came before a panel discussion hosted by Equality Forum on the topic of congressional developments in the movement to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

"Veterans like Admiral Sestak, who have dedicated their lives to serving this country, are leading the movement in Congress to repeal 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell," said Aubrey Sarvis, executive director for Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN). "These lawmakers agree with senior military officers, including former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff John Shalishkashvili and retired Army Major General Vance Coleman, that when it comes to defusing IEDs, tending to injured troops, deciphering enemy codes and flying reconnaissance missions -- sexual orientation is irrelevant. Seventy-nine percent of the American people agree with them and it is time that Congress finally repeal this law."

"It is easy for me to see why 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' should be repealed," said Sestak. "Once you have served in war and faced danger with a gay service member, how can you come home and say gay people should not enjoy equal rights? It is simple. 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' must be repealed."

The Military Readiness Enhancement Act (H.R. 1246), which would repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and allow lesbian, gay and bisexual personnel to serve openly, is currently cosponsored by 142 Members of Congress, including veterans Peter DeFazio (D-OR), William Delahunt (D-MA), John Dingell (D-MI), Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD), Phil Hare (D-IL), Maurice Hinchey(D-NY), Jim McDermott (D-WA), Patrick Murphy (D-PA), Bill Pascrell (D-NJ), Charles Rangel (D-NY), Bobby Rush (D-IL), Jose Serrano (D-NY), Joe Sestak (D-PA), Pete Stark (D-CA), Mike Thompson (D-CA), Edolphus Towns (D-NY). For more information on the legislation and "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," visit http://www.sldn.org.

Servicemembers Legal Defense Network is a national, non-profit legal services, watchdog and policy organization dedicated to ending discrimination against and harassment of military personnel affected by 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' and related forms of intolerance. For more information, visit http://www.sldn.org.

CONTACT: Victor Maldonado

(202) 328-3244, ext. 123

vmaldonado@sldn.org

[Amendment10]

Given that "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" doesn't stop gays from helping out with the dirty work in the battlefield, Congressman Joe Sestak's logic is convoluted, in my opinion.

What am I overlooking?

Romans 1:25-27 tells us that same-sex sexual relationships are a consequence of idolatry. In other words, such relationships are a consequence of disobeying the 1ST COMMANDMENT, a major aspect of the GREATEST COMMANDMENT, to love the jealous God with all your being.

Homosexuals need to keep in mind, however, that the good news of the gospel is not about how God despises same-sex sexual relationships. In fact, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 indicates that certain members of that church had been slaves to such relationships but had been cleansed in Jesus' name. So these former homosexuals had evidently repented and accepted God's grace to straighten their lives out.

John 3:16
Revelation 3:20

[brivette]

Onwards! Rump Riders!

[bill1952]

Bingo.
Now all we have to (keep doing) is call them out on the real reason.

[The_Reader_David]

My dissertation advisor was a man of the left in most things, but on this issue, he would always ask the question: “Would you want to serve on a submarine with one [a gay man]?” This inevitably obliged the person suggesting that homosexuality would not create morale problems to change the subject, or stammer something incoherent.

Maybe he’ll raise the matter with Congressman Sestak sometime. (We both know his sister—she was the business administrator for the Penn math dept for years—and my advisor was a big-wig in the ‘reform’= anti-Rizzo Democrats in Philly.)

[brivette]

Good point. I was on anuclear sub for 6 years. The thought of an openly gay serving on board is/was abhorent to me.