Fewer vets support ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’
From a press release:
A new study about the U.S. military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy questions the assumption that allowing openly gay and lesbian military personnel to serve in the U.S. armed forces could harm military readiness.
The study surveyed military personnel who had served in Iraq and Afghanistan and found …
Tags: Afghanistan, Armed Forces, Assumption, Iraq, Military Personnel, Military Readiness, Press Release, VetsNations allowing gays to serve openly in military
(New York) Nations that allow gays and lesbians to serve openly in their armed forces, as compiled by the Palm Center at the University of California, Santa Barbara:
Australia
Austria
Britain
Canada
Estonia
France
Germany
Ireland
Italy
Luxembourg
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Tags: Armed Forces, Belgium, California Santa Barbara, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France Germany, Gays And Lesbians, Israel, Lithuania, Military Gays, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Palm, Slovenia, South Africa, University Of California, University Of California Santa Barbara, UruguayObama To Consider Gay Pentagon Appointment
President Obama is considering nominating an openly gay man to a top civilian Pentagon post, the Washington Post reported Thursday. The president, under pressure from gay activists to live up to campaign promises he made to help secure greater rights for gay men and lesbians, is considering nominating William White to a high-ranking civilian Pentagon post. The paper did not disclose the post being considered, but White, chief operating officer of Manhattan’s Intrepid Museum Foundation, was once touted by top retired military leaders and some Democrats in Congress to be the next Secretary of the Navy. While heading the Intrepid, White has accumulated extensive contacts in the armed forces, and in 1996, he was awarded the Meritorious Public Service Award for his work with the Navy.
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Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/06/obama-to-cons…
Colbert Debates Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell In Front Of Audience Of Active Troops
Stephen Colbert took on a formidable opponent last night in the debate over allowing openly gay men and women to serve in the U.S. Armed Forces: Himself. After an intro from George H.W. Bush and brief plug for Amp energy drink, Colbert One told Colbert Two that his gay Arabic translator had been fired, bringing the total to 59 in the past 5 years.
Colbert Two took a pro-gay stance, whereas Colbert One defended the army’s choice to fire these men. The segment was funny and intriguing, but Colbert (as a whole) seemed unwilling to take a hard stance on the issue while performing in front of an audience of active troops.
In the past Colbert has mocked “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” in his typical pompous fashion, with much harsher rhetoric. See Colbert Debates Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell In Front Of Audience Of Active Troops
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Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/06/colbert-debat…
As PRIDE Month Begins, DNC Chairman Tim Kaine Celebrates the Contributions of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Americans
WASHINGTON, DC — Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine today issued the following statement marking June as PRIDE Month:
“Today, on behalf of Democrats across our nation, the Democratic National Committee pays recognition to PRIDE month — a time to join together in celebrating the contributions that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans and their families make to our society. We also take this time to reaffirm our commitment to being a Party of inclusion and one that stands firm in promoting equality for every American.
“As Democrats and Americans, we believe we all are created equal and we have fought against discrimination based on race, sex, ethnicity, national origin, language, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, and attempts to divide us instead of unite us.
“The cause of ending discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans has taken a giant leap forward. With a Democrat in the White House who is committed to equality and justice, we have reached significant milestones. The Obama Administration is the first to appoint openly LGBT candidates to Senate-confirmed positions in its first 100 days and it has partnered with the international community at the United Nations to decriminalize homosexuality around the world.
“The Administration is concentrating on a number of measures to ensure equality for all — such as supporting civil unions, Federal rights for LGBT couples, stronger hate crimes laws, ridding our military of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ in a way that both ensures national security and strengthens our Armed forces, banning discrimination in the work place, fighting HIV/AIDS and ensuring adoption rights.
“We as a Party and as a people have come a long way, and we should be proud of what we have accomplished thus far in promoting equal rights for all Americans. But we still have much more to do. As we move ahead with a Democratic Congress and President committed to equality for all Americans, we look forward to a nation where discrimination of any kind is a thing of the past.
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Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/06/as-pride-mont…
L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center to President Obama: ‘We Need Action and We Need It Now!’
Center CEO Welcomes Obama to L.A. With Open Letter, Urging Him to Fulfill Campaign Promises and Speak Out in Favor of LGBT Equality
LOS ANGELES, CA — The L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center’s Chief Executive Officer Lorri L. Jean released the following letter to President Barack Obama today:
Welcome to California, Mr. President. I welcome you with a heavy heart because of the California Supreme Court’s decision to uphold Prop. 8, relegating same-sex couples to second-class status and denying us that most noble promise of America, “liberty and justice for all.”
You are arriving in Los Angeles on the heels of emotional demonstrations throughout California and our nation and your silence at such a time speaks volumes. LGBT people and our allies have the “audacity to hope” for a country that treats us fairly and equally and for a President with the will to stand up for those ideals. From you we expect nothing less.
We know the country faces many serious challenges and we have strived to be patient. We’ve waited for the slightest sign you would live up to your promise to be a “fierce advocate” for our equal rights while watching gay and lesbian members of the armed forces, who have never been more needed, get discharged from the military. And so far you have done nothing. No stop loss order. No call to cease such foolish and discriminatory actions that make our nation less safe.
You pledged to repeal the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, Mr. President. You promised to support a “complete repeal” of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act and pledged to advocate for legislation that would give same-sex couples the 1,100+ federal rights and benefits we are denied, including the same rights to social security benefits. You said, “Federal law should not discriminate in any way against gay and lesbian couples.”
What of those promises, Mr. President?
Your commitment to repeal DOMA has been removed from the White House Web site. Your promise to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was removed and then replaced with a watered-down version. And in the aftermath of yesterday’s California Supreme Court ruling, you have remained silent while your press secretary summarily dismisses questions about the issue.
We not only need to hear from our President, we need his action. And we need it now.
We need your words, Mr. President. But we also need your deeds. We expect you to fulfill the promises you made to us. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. taught us, “Justice too long delayed is justice denied.” Do not delay, Mr. President. The time for action is now.
Sincerely, Lorri L. Jean Chief Executive Officer L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center
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Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/05/la-gay-lesbia…
New Study Says Obama Can Halt Gay Discharges With Executive Order
Military Law Experts Chart Course to End 16-Year Ban
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — A study released today by a team of military law experts shows that the president has the legal authority to end gay discharges with a single order. The idea of ending the ban by executive order has gained momentum in the wake of news that mission-critical personnel, including Arabic language speaker Dan Choi, continue to be fired under the Obama administration because they’re gay. Congressman Rush Holt endorsed an executive order to end the ban on Saturday and National Security Adviser James Jones was asked about it by George Stephanopoulos on Sunday morning. The report, “How to End Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell: A Roadmap of Political, Legal, Regulatory, and Organizational Steps to Equal Treatment,” is sponsored by the Palm Center at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Many have argued that only Congress can lift the ban on service by openly gay troops. But according to the study, Congressional approval is not needed. Dr. Aaron Belkin, Director of the Palm Center and a study co-author, said “The administration does not want to move forward on this issue because of conservative opposition from both parties in Congress, and Congress does not want to move forward without a signal from the White House. This study provides a recipe for breaking through the political deadlock, as well as a roadmap for military leaders once the civilians give the green light.”
There are three legal bases to the president’s authority, the report says. First, Congress has already granted to the Commander in Chief the statutory authority to halt military separations under 10 U.S.C. 12305, a law which Congress titled, “Authority of President to suspend certain laws relating to promotion, retirement, and separation.” Under the law, the President may suspend any provision of law relating to promotion, retirement, or separation applicable to any member of the armed forces who the President determines is essential to the national security of the United States during a “period of national emergency.” The statute specifically defines a “national emergency” as a time when “members of a reserve component are serving involuntarily on active duty.”
The second and third bases of presidential authority are contained within the “don’t ask, don’t tell” legislation itself. The law grants to the Defense Department authority to determine the process by which discharges will be carried out, saying they will proceed “under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, in accordance with procedures set forth in such regulation.” Finally, the law calls for the discharge of service members if a finding of homosexuality is made, but it does not require that such a finding ever be made. According to the study, these provisions mean that the Pentagon, not Congress, has the “authority to devise and implement the procedures under which those findings may be made.”
Diane H. Mazur, Professor of Law at the University of Florida College of Law and another study co-author, said the presidential authority to stop firing gay troops, known as “stop-loss,” is different from the highly unpopular stop-loss policy that the Army recently announced it would phase out. “That use of stop-loss forcibly extends service by those who wish to leave the military,” she said, “whereas suspending discharges for homosexuality would do the opposite: allow ongoing service by those who wish to remain in uniform.” The study says the provisions of the stop-loss law, which are granted by Congress, are “sensible because they give the President authority to suspend laws relating to separation when a national emergency has strained personnel requirements.”
The other four authors of the study in addition to Mazur and Belkin are Dr. Nathaniel Frank, a Palm researcher and author of “Unfriendly Fire: How the Gay Ban Undermines the Military and Weakens America”; Dr. Gregory M. Herek, Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Davis; Dr. Elizabeth L. Hillman, Professor of Law at the University of California Hastings College of the Law; and Bridget J. Wilson, who practices law at Rosenstein Wilson & Dean in San Diego. The report will also be published in a forthcoming book, “Department of Defense Social Policy Perspectives 2010,” edited by James Parco, David Levy and Fred Blass.
The Palm Center is a research institute at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The Center uses rigorous social science to inform public discussions of controversial social issues, enabling policy outcomes to be informed more by evidence than by emotion. Its data-driven approach is premised on the notion that the public makes wise choices on social issues when high-quality information is available. For more information, visit www.palmcenter.ucsb.edu * Tags = gay men gay news lesbian news transgender bisexual
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Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/05/new-study-say…
Uruguay to lift ban on gays in the military
(Montevido) Uruguay is moving to lift a ban on homosexuals joining the armed forces.
The defense ministry confirms that Minister Jose Bayardi has signed a decree lifting the ban imposed by the 1973-85 military dictatorship.
The army said Wednesday it has received the decree, which has yet to be signed by President …
Dragging his feet on DADT: First Gay Arabic Linguist To Be Fired Under Obama
Some readers might think it unfair to blame Obama. After all, the president inherited the “don’t ask, don’t tell” law when he took office. As Commander-in-Chief, he has to follow the law. If the law says that the military must fire any service member who acknowledges being gay, that is not Obama’s fault.
Or is it?
A new study, about to be published by a group of experts in military law, shows that President Obama does, in fact, have stroke-of-the-pen authority to suspend gay discharges. The “don’t ask, don’t tell” law requires the military to fire anyone found to be gay or lesbian. But there is nothing requiring the military to make such a finding. The president can simply order the military to stop investigating service members’ sexuality.
An executive order would not get rid of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” law, but would take the critical step of suspending its implementation, hence rendering it effectively dead. Once people see gays and lesbians serving openly, legally and without problems, it will be much easier to get rid of the law at a later time.
I spent a day with Dan Choi last month, and he is not someone we want to fire from the military. He loves the armed forces. He served bravely under tough combat conditions in Iraq. His Arabic is excellent, and he used his language skills to diffuse many tough situations and to save lives, both Iraqi and American. All of his unit mates know he is gay, and they have been very supportive of him. But he doesn’t want to live a lie.
Obama has been praised for delaying efforts to get rid of “don’t ask, don’t tell,” and some major gay rights groups are actively lobbying to delay consideration of the issue. They seem to believe that Obama should focus on other gay-rights issues first, and that he shouldn’t spend his precious political capital trying to ram a repeal bill through Congress.”
See First Gay Arabic Linguist To Be Fired Under Obama
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Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/05/dragging-his-…
In Military, New Debate Over Policy Toward Gays
WEST POINT, N.Y. — Here at the military academy that is nearly as old as the nation itself, two cadets recently engaged in a modern debate: whether they agreed with President Obama’s pledge to end the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy and allow gay men and lesbians to serve openly.
“From what I’ve heard from my classmates, people are kind of against it,” said Daniel Szatkowski, a senior from Edmond, Okla. But Adrienne Rolle, a senior from Brooklyn, said she had no problem with lifting the ban, although she said that some of her male classmates did.
“People are more comfortable with ignorance,” Cadet Rolle said of the reality that gay men and lesbians already serve in the military.
West Point is not a perfect microcosm of the armed forces, but recent conversations with the cadets who will become the Army’s next generation of leaders reflect uncertainty about what Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has characterized as a “complex and difficult problem.”
While Mr. Obama has promised to get rid of the 16-year-old policy that allows gay men and lesbians to serve only if they keep their sexual orientation secret, Mr. Gates has said that both he and the president want to push the issue “down the road a bit.”
Advocacy groups have stepped into the vacuum. The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, which represents some of the 13,000 gay men and lesbians discharged from the military since the policy took effect, is intensifying lobbying efforts on Capitol Hill — changing the policy requires legislation — and calling on the president to make good on his word.
“If he doesn’t speak up, he’s going to end up O.K.’ing the firing of service members for being gay,” said Aubrey Sarvis, the group’s executive director.
In recent years, prominent retired generals and admirals have also urged repeal, among them Gen. John M. Shalikashvili, who was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff when the policy was adopted after a blowup over the issue in the early days of the Clinton administration.
On the other side, some 1,000 retired officers supported by the conservative Center for Military Readiness sent an “open letter” to Mr. Obama saying they were “greatly concerned” about the impact of repeal on recruitment, morale and unit cohesion.
“How would women in the military feel if they were required to accommodate men in their private quarters?” said Elaine Donnelly, the center’s president.
Col. Thomas A. Kolditz, the chairman of West Point’s department of behavioral sciences and leadership who discusses “don’t ask, don’t tell” in his classes, said that cadets were roughly split for and against openly gay service but that most did not feel strongly about their views.
See In Military, New Debate Over Policy Toward Gays
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