Posted on 01/14/2009 2:34:57 PM PST by Zakeet
President Obama will end the 15-year-old "don't ask, don't tell" policy that has prevented homosexual and bisexual men and women from serving openly within the U.S. military, a spokesman for the president-elect said.
Obama said during the campaign that he opposed the policy, but since his election in November has made statements that have been interpreted as backpedaling. On Friday, however, Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs, responding on the transition team's Web site to a Michigan resident who asked if the new administration planned to get rid of the policy, said:
"You don't hear politicians give a one-word answer much. But it's 'Yes'."
The little-noticed response, made in a video posted on change.gov, made barely a ripple outside blogs focused on the gay community, but that's not surprising, said those who have been pushing to overturn the ban. Not only was Obama's position expected, they said, but support for reviewing or repealing the policy has grown markedly in recent years, including from some unexpected quarters.
The end of "don't ask, don't tell" may not happen immediately, several critics of the policy said. Although they appreciate clarity from Obama on the issue, they anticipate that the demands of the economy and two wars are likely to trump a speedy policy reversal.
"The question isn't if we do it and the question isn't when we do it, it's how we do it," said Rep. Ellen Tauscher, D-Walnut Creek, whose 2006 bill to repeal the ban earned broad support among Democrats in Congress but did not move forward in the face of a near-certain veto by President Bush.
"I'm going to reintroduce the bill in the next few weeks," Tauscher said. "We've got the American people behind us."
(Excerpt) Read more at chron.com ...
Whoops, another sailor slipped overboard.
Obama’s goal is to destroy our military forces and replace it with his own jackboot force of domestic terrorists.
“sharing a tent or other close living arrangements with an openly gay man?”
I put in 20 years, so my opinion should have at least as much consideration as a guy who never put on the uniform of his country.
At best, I’d want to study the issue in a controlled, scientific research experiment and not use the military as the experiment, nor taking the word of “gay science” if that’s what you’d call it. Certainly, I’m not suggesting we take the word of the usual gay-bashing groups, either.
At it’s most fundamental, the issue here is not a gay issue for me. It’s an issue of sex in the foxhole. There’s a reason we don’t want men and women and subordinates and superiors engaged in sex in military units. Or even the office at work. Sex diverts attention from the mission. Jealousy, distraction, competition. All wrong for the mission.
Add to that the revulsion of many straight men for the very idea of homosexuality. Now you add direct aggression, either from the gays or the (literal) gay bashers. And suspicion.
There is a certain tension in military units, which may not be a perfect solution, but it works for the most part. Gays can find each other and be safe in their privacy off base or after duty. Just like heteros can find each other and do the adultery deed or whatever.
But when one sex is aggressive toward the other, unwanted advances, create a whole series of problems. Add gays hitting on straights and sexual harassment takes on a whole new dimension.
Perhaps the one thing Pat Buchanan ever said worth repeating is: The love whose name cannot be spoken is now the love that can’t shut up about itself, or words to that effect.
For certain, the openly gay battalion commander, platoon leader, squad leader, company commander won’t find a lot of hard-core soldier types wanting to follow him or her into battle.
If this issue goes the way of mortgage lending, which has created a world in which it’s seemingly dumb to save up money for a down payment, qualify for a mortgage and keep up your payments because you’ll be bailed out for being a loser . . .
Why would you want to do that to the most professional fighting force in the history of the world? If you must experiment, do it in a study setting, for heaven’s sake. Hey, if the results can be duplicated in studies and found to be valid, go ahead, open the doors. Otherwise . . .
The military as we know it will cease to exist, if you experiment.
That’s my opinion. What about the opinions of those in uniform?
No one can know the outcome of this. But I can tell you that there absolutely has to be research out there already. Soldiers, Marines, Airmen, Sailors. They’ve been surveyed. If they were clamoring for closer quarters with openly gay folks, you’d already know about it.
I’d bet that they do NOT want openly gay commanders and bunkmates. If a gay lieutenant is effective but not always broadcasting, either overtly or quietly his gaiety, no problem. But not matter how effective, once the gay goggles go on, there will be trouble. Our professionals will leave because they will refuse to serve. Alternatively, and I say this sadly, there will be blood.
Good Lord! As I say, why do we even have to have this conversation?
Your two sons are so scared of a few homosexuals that they refuse to serve? There's a lot worse than homosexuals in this world, and the armed forces actively seek them out. Maybe your sons haven't done a rational risk assessment, here.
Obama is not going to “do a Clinton”. Clinton wasted his political capital. Obama’s got a war going on - and he’s not a fool.
If I walk into a room and have to share a shower or a room with a homo who comes onto me , my first reaction will be to smack him.
Now he runs out and reports me and I am the one who is to be jailed
This is outrageous and I hope every officer threatens to resign in protest .
What if I come onto watch and see two men at it, ?
AARRGGGHHHH
obama is the biggest threat this country has ever faced in recent times, why just why is this smarmy frigging phony idiot where he is along with his racist bitter wife
“The question is ... how do we push back.”
That’s easy: Organize militias; select competant field commanders; find those in the military willing to give their support, then lock ‘n load... and see you in Washington.
Just wait until he has been in office for a while. Watch his arrogance run amok and all the Marxist whims he will inflict on this country.
This is just a taste of what we can expect. It will get much worse.
not enough people signing up? no problem obama will draft them into his new military.
Actually there was a ban. Under President Reagan soldiers were asked if they were homosexual; a yes answer got you discharged.
The magnitude of the irrational homophobia on this thread floors me. If our big tough military men are going to be threatened by a gay comrade, maybe they should look for a different line of work. I served 20 years in the USAF. I served with gay and lesbian members, some of them high ranking officers. All of them were fierce patriots, dedicated to defending their country. I was never made to feel uncomfortable and was never propositioned.
After I retired, I worked with people who were gay and lesbian. The topic of their sexuality never was an issue in the workplace and I was never propositioned or embarrassed. I even showered next to some at the gym and never once saw them staring at my butt or junk. On the other hand, even though I was married, I was propositioned by women in the workplace, some aggressively.
Get over it and grow up people.
As an Air Force vet, this really sucks.
Obama blew it and the entire country will wind up getting it in the end.
That was a mistake; you should have served and not let the coward in chief deter you from going into the military.
And watch enlistments and re-up rates dive now.
really
Well I know my two sons alright and thank you
you however do not and they have my full backing not to join a unit with a bunch of homos in it .
They do not want to be put into a position where a homo can tell them what to do and be forced into it.
You see the military is different to civilians , the life is different and the views are different to those who preach their pro homo views.
As for the risk assessment , well they have heard it from me, my father and my grandfather. They have heard it from my friends who are still serving and who I have just talked to one of them.
His words not mine now
I will quit the service if this goes into effect.
Not one person I know who has served or is serving right now will want this.
No more Klingers, I guess.
This new ZEROBama Administraschun aint so bad
.the water is jest fine!!!
I have been around gay men most of my life (pre-adolescence to adulthood) because of work and family circumstances. Some have been friends. I have never been “hit on” by a gay acquaintance, in any obvious manner. I am also pretty secure in my heterosexuality, so the “gaydar” that homosexuals often use is effective.
My real concern is that the military will force “sensitivity” training on straight soldiers. That’s where things get screwed up. Most of us hetero guys can figure these issues out on our own without a lot of problems, as long as we don’t have to listen to the “I am Gay, thus I deserve more rights and protections” BS.
There was a day when they had a Blanket Party for those who gave a hint at being queer.
lets get one thing right
my sons are not scared of any homo , my military friends are not scared of any homo and neither am I
so lets cut the crap with the scared of homo or homophobic shall we.
homos should not be accepted full stop, they are perverted and mentally sick.
They certainly not be accepted into the military.
Have you ever served?
My guess is that you you know a couple of homos and think they are nice people and this will not be a problem>
Am I right or wrong on that?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.