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 ...
I am very sick of this country
There, fixed it.
I am so sick of these people.
You shouldn’t be sick. This is great news. Now lesbians who molest toddlers, people who have sex with animals will all be accepted into the open light of day. Yay diversity.
I’m female, so it’s hard for me to know for sure, how many of you guys would want to server knowing you would be likely sharing a tent or other close living arrangements with an openly gay man? I just foresee big problems with this.
Had Clinton repealed it in 1993, maybe Barack would be a Major in Iraq instead of screwing up the entire government.
FABULOUS!
no the san fran freako chronicle has it wrong.
don’t ask don’t tell has allowed homosexuals to serve as long as nobody knows about their abnormal conduct.
eliminating don’t ask don’t tell would RESTORE do ask and do expell.
Obama is going to FORCE homosexuals upon the military in order to destroy the military moral.
(predict man “accidents” at sea)
I wouldn’t. Of course anything we say will fall on deaf ears.
You think.
We already have to put up with them this will just encourage more of them to come "out". It won't be long before ALL the sleeping quarters will be coed. Might as well be now. I am so glad I am about done with the Navy. I has been a fun ride, but the ride is over, time to move on.
it is not a problem if you don’t care about the military and do not thing the military really matters.
Remember Obama thinks WW II could have been prevented if FDR had spent MORE on socialism (communist) programs.
Obama does not need a military since his goal is to surrender to the enemies of the USA.
There was never any ban on homosexuals in the military. Nobody can know what is in your heart, if you never show any overt signs.
There was a ban on homosexual activities, and THAT should be kept in place.
There was a reason for “don’t ask, don’t tell”.
It was, and is, to PROTECT the closet homosexual.
Just watch the military recruitment numbers plummet, like the stock markt.
And their replacements will join for the free education and what they can get out of it. But when asked to fight, most of them will object or refuse. Although under Obama, they probably won't have to worry about having to fight.
They will join up with UN forces which may be exciting for them. Think of all those similar Euroweenies they can meet after hours.
I predict a lot of folks falling down in the shower.
Several times.
Or tripping and falling down stairs.
Accidentally, of course.
I have no idea what will cause this sudden outburst of clumsiness amongst military personnel.
If true, he may be repeating all the mistakes of the Clinton’s first term. Piss off the military supporters, social conservatives with this move. Then raise taxes, then try to expand the government with giant new health care programs. This is the formula that gave us 1994. Now where is our Newt?
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