In 1993 president Bill Clinton introduced "Don't ask, Don't tell" policy under compromise with legislators who opposed a complete repeal of the 1982 Department of Defense Directive 1332.14, the prior ban on gays in the military. The policy bans gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender people from serving in the military. The policy also bans military officials asking questions or pursuing investigations of soldiers suspected of being homosexuals. Any service member that openly reveals their homosexuality through words or actions is discharged from service. On September 9, 2010, a federal district judge declared the policy to be unconstitutional. On October 12, 2010 Federal Judge Virginia Philips granted a worldwide, immediate injunction prohibiting the Department of Defense from enforcing or complying with the Don’t ask, Don’t tell policy, and ordered the military to suspend and discontinue any investigation or discharge, separation, or other proceeding that have been commenced under the policy. On October 19, 2010, military recruiters were told they can accept openly gay applicant. On October 20, 2010 a federal appeals court in California granted a temporary stay reversing a worldwide injunction against enforcement of the US military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy maintain the DADT policy.
I personally agree with federal judge Virginia Philips worldwide injunction prohibiting the Department of Defense from complying with “Don’t ask, Don’t tell” policy. I don’t see how allowing openly gays into the army could harm anybody. Being openly gay doesn’t affect the knowledge and skills you have to have to survive in the army. I really don’t see any difference between people being in the army and not being openly gay and them being openly gay. Yes it may offend some people but if those certain people let openly gays affect the way they perform their duties then that would be the responsibilities of the judgmental people, not of the openly gays. I would like to see the “Don’t ask, Don’t tell” policy gone for good, there is no reason why it should even still be in effect.
Megan,
ReplyDeleteI want you to try to picture this . Being in a 60 man bay with 59 heterosexually guys and one gay male. That will cause a lot of people in the platoon to be very uncomfortable that. Down the line that will cause people to loose focus on the task at hand. I have to say, everyoe i met in the army i knew that if we were in a fox hole together I know he would have my back. When you have someone with an add distraction of being gay.. How is that heterosexually guy going to feel now. Yeah , I know that the guy solider problem wont do anything crazy but the heterosexual solder will be thinking like is he trying to hit on me. Yeah it sounds dumb but not everyone is on the same page and i feel that this shouldn't happen do to the safety of the gay soldier.