Repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

[Julie Marie]

I received an email from HRC this morning.  They are working to help end DADT.  They asked everyone who they sent the email to to send out a form letter they created to their elected officials.  It looks like they even took the time to identify where you are from and who your officials are so all you had to do was click the "SEND" button.

I decided to reword the message they created.  Here's what I wrote:

I'm writing to all of my federal lawmakers today to express my support for the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

"Don't ask, don't tell" is the equivalent of "It's your problem, I don't want to know about it."

In other words, in and of itself, being gay or lesbian is a problem and a branch of the United States Government agrees with that sentiment.  This of course validates the prejudice and encourages discrimination. 

When the Government of the United States actively and openly engages in any action that ultimately encourages prejudice and discrimination, THAT'S A PROBLEM!

Discrimination is wrong, no matter who engages in it, no matter what the reason given.  "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is discrimination and anyone who votes to keep that law is encouraging prejudice, bigotry and discrimination.  Haven't we had enough of that?

HRC DADT Form

[Janet_Girl]

I sent one off too.  It is only Homophobia that drive DADT.  And the lawmakers keep thinking that their constituents want it.  But do the constituents think it is alright to discriminate against one particular group?  So Un-American.

[tekla]

I'd be far more interested in getting us out of the wars we are in - fantastically expensive and totally useless - then in getting more people involved in them.

[gennee]

I'm somewhat involved with repealing DADT with my veterans group.

Gennee

[otransist]

I know this is an older topic but I feel I need to say something about DADT. I just got out of the US Army. Without giving away too much: I was a Sniper in the Infantry who served in both theaters. I was deployed longer than I was in the states.

I am all for getting rid of DADT. I believe every American who wants to serve should serve their country with Pride. That is what I believe in my heart and not my head.

Soldiers will continue to be Soldiers. All backgrounds come together as a family and that bond is very strong. Telling someone that they must accept them for they are and to look past them being LGBT will be a very difficult challenge. It will cause them to move underground and hide. I know that is very immature but it will cause problems, very bad problems.

I want DADT to be erased from history but making a hasty decision before a plan is together will cause problems.

Gemma

[Julie Marie]

Do you think our military will be compromised or harmed in any way by the repeal?  If so, is the anti-gay sentiment that pervasive and that integral within the military?  Is homophobia accepted, encouraged and/or allowed by the upper brass and supervisors?

Any time there is a dramatic change there will be a time of protest and turmoil, to whatever degree.  In the end, provided the change is integral to human nature (as opposed to social conditioning), things typically turn out for the better.

[VeryGnawty]

I'd be far more interested in getting us out of the wars we are in - fantastically expensive and totally useless - then in getting more people involved in them.

^^
This.

After that little problem is taken care of, DADT still needs to be taken care of.  It is a terribly worded policy that should have never been implemented in the first place.  It is full of all sorts of ridiculous conditions which make sense only to people who want gays in the military (because the US military is hurting so much in recruitment) but don't want those gays to act in any way gay.

[Scarlett86]

And what does its repeal do for the trans-community?  Nothing.

[Julie Marie]

And what does its repeal do for the trans-community?  Nothing.

No, it's still open season on trans people, be it in the military, the media, the political circles or the religious circles.  Fire away!

[gennee]

The military is a homogenous group. If you stand out, they get a bit testy at times. If one transitions while in the service, it, according to the military, will put the armed forces in a negative light. Odd; that's the logic that was used to bar African-Americans from serving in the same units as whites during WW2.

If the military had its druthers, women wouldn't able to serve in the military. The plight of trans people runs across the same vein. Like everything else the military is wrong about this.

Gennee

[tekla]

And what does its repeal do for the trans-community?  Nothing.

And yet, people in here ponder why trans persons are always being called selfish?  The mind reels.

[Michelle.]

Kat, you never fail to crack me up!

[tekla]

You know, if we stopped the industrialized killing of people everywhere around the world who just happened to be sitting on the raw materials we are addicted to all of this would be mute point.

[Michelle.]

Must look away from above comment. Uncle Rummy hates posts that repudiate neoconism in any way shape or form.

[Julie Marie]

You know, if we stopped the industrialized killing of people everywhere around the world who just happened to be sitting on the raw materials we are addicted to all of this would be mute point.

Yeah, but what would we do with all those billion$ we $pend on "Defense"?  And who would we defend ourselves from?

[VeryGnawty]

Yeah, but what would we do with all those billion$ we $pend on "Defense"?

We can spend that money on health care.  I'm sure the government can find at least a dozen different ways to waste that money.

[Michelle.]

"government...waste money..."

Isn't that what any given government does best?