US Senate Votes to end "Don't Ask Don't Tell"!

The US Senate has voted 65 - 31 to end the draconian practice of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell". This vote guarantees more freedoms to Americans instead of restricting them.

Wikipedia entry explaining the policy in depth :
en.wikipedia.org...'t_ask,_don't_tell

Courtesy of The Library Of Congress Thomas Website :
thomas.loc.gov...:H.R.6520:

From the New York Times website :
www.nytimes.com...

Obama is expected to sign it into law before the weekend is out. Another draconian policy is now history and done.

Seriously, what does a soldier's sexual preference have anything to do with their proficiency to service in the military?

Seriously, what does a soldier's sexual preference have anything to do with their proficiency to service in the military?

Go ask a republican.

This was great to hear. I actually really liked how the two sides worked together for a compromise. Is this the kind of thing we're going to see more of as the 2012 election approaches? I think so.

Originally posted by Whyhi

Seriously, what does a soldier's sexual preference have anything to do with their proficiency to service in the military?

Go ask a republican.

Bill Clinton is a Republican?

reply to post by Ferris.Bueller.II


ZING

Second line.

reply to post by Ferris.Bueller.II


Yeah, I remember that time Bill Clinton campaigned for the ban on gays serving in the military...

the Department of Defense issued a 1982 policy (DOD Directive 1332.14) stating that homosexuality was clearly incompatible with military service.The policy garnered public scrutiny through the 1980s and 1990s, and it became a political issue in the 1992 U.S. presidential election with Bill Clinton and others citing the brutal murder of gay U.S. Navy petty officer Allen R. Schindler, Jr. After Bill Clinton won the presidency, Congress rushed to enact the existing gay ban policy into federal law, outflanking Clinton's planned repeal effort. Clinton introduced Congressional legislation to overturn the ban, but it encountered intense scrutiny by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, members of Congress, and portions of the U.S. public. "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" emerged as a compromise policy.

Origin

The policy was introduced as a compromise measure in 1993 by President Bill Clinton who campaigned on the promise to allow all citizens to serve in the military regardless of sexual orientation

Congress overrode Clinton by including text in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1994 (passed in 1993) requiring the military to abide by regulations essentially identical to the 1982 absolute ban policy. The Clinton Administration on December 21, 1993, issued Defense Directive 1304.26, which directed that military applicants were not to be asked about their sexual orientation. This is the policy now known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell".

Yeah...

"Comprise measure" meaning giving into the stupid rhetoric of the right wing who would rather ban gays than actually compromise, as shown by the GOP's "comprise" with the recent tax cut fiasco.

So, again, go ask a republican why they hate gays so much, not Bill Clinton.

I know a guy who's retired from the army, who's gay, and is one of the most gung ho gun freaks I ever met. He bought a house in a beautiful wooded area and chopped all the trees down and installed motion sensors all around the perimeter. I asked him once if any of his fellow soldiers knew he was gay, he said some did, but it wasn't a problem for them. He was in Vietnam for two tours of duty, he's got medals. He's also got a recurring skin condition on his hands and arms from exposure to Agent Orange. Repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell, I'd say this is is a good thing.

Originally posted by Ferris.Bueller.II
Bill Clinton is a Republican?

That was really funny! Good job.

Originally posted by Whyhi
"Comprise measure" meaning giving into the stupid rhetoric of the right wing who would rather ban gays than actually compromise, as shown by the GOP's "comprise" with the recent tax cut fiasco.

So, again, go ask a republican why they hate gays so much, not Bill Clinton.

Exactly! Clinton didn't want a complete ban and DADT was his compromise with the GOP. Blaming Clinton for DADT is like crediting the GOP for its repeal today. It was their concession in the compromise, not what they really wanted.

Full disclosure.

I am retired military.

I knew of many members both male and female that were gay or lesbian.

It just wasn't a issue to us.

I am still friends and correspond with a woman who is a lesbian.

She was a good worker and just did her job.

She actually works as a heavy equipment mechanic for the government.

My niece is in the Army stationed in Iraq.

She "came out" a couple of years ago.

From what I can tell she has never hid her sexual orientation,even of her Facebook page.

She just does not throw it in your face.

But,in reality it is not a issue of sexual orientation.

It is a matter of having a safe blood supply.

Do you know that 51% of new HIV+ cases in the U.S. are gay men?

The military has never released the data of how many military test HIV+ each year.

When they first tested for HIV in the military in 1986 they expected maybe a 1000 would test positive.

It was actually 10,000!

These members are eventually discharged and end up being treated through the V.A.

Allowing women to serve on ships has severely effected the Navy's ability to fully man their warships.

There is always a large number of pregnant women sitting around each home port that the Navy can not use for anything.

This sounds like a easy political correct solution,but the fact of the matter is this.

The military is NOT a open door organization.

They can and do discharge thousands each year for a variety of reasons.

They also refuse to enlist thousands for a variety of reasons too.

It maybe true that the present generation is more tolerant of those with alternate life style choices.

We will all see how this works out.

beatcha to it OPs:

ATS Thread Here

Originally posted by SaturnFX
beatcha to it OPs:

ATS Thread Here

This is the thread announcing the passage of the repealment of DADT by The US House, this thread's purpose is to announce that both chambers of Congress have passed it and now it's on it's way to being signed by Obama.

Edit:

deleted to move comments to existing thread.

I was very surprised to find out a year or so ago that the US Army, an organisation that I thought was quite modern still outlawed homosexuals.

I am in the British Army - 25 years service so far so I have seen both sides of the coin so to speak, the time when it was 'illegal' to be gay and serve (yes, we used to lock up homosexuals) and from about 2000/2001 when it became legal.

I do have to admit that when the law changed an awful lot of us 'straight' soldiers feared the worst but to be honest, ten years later there is absolutely no problem whatsoever.

Face it, there has always been gays in the services and no laws or rules will prevent this. The only difference now is that if they wish they can be open about it. Lots of girls have 'come out' but very few men comparatively. At least now it is their own choice whether or not they want people to know their sexuality.

Originally posted by Oneolddude
It is a matter of having a safe blood supply.

How does repealing DADT change the status of the military's blood supply? Gay people are already serving. Now, they'll just be able to be themselves while serving.

Allowing women to serve on ships has severely effected the Navy's ability to fully man their warships
..
There is always a large number of pregnant women sitting around each home port that the Navy can not use for anything.

I'm failing to see what these situations have with the repeal of DADT. I'm sure I'm missing something.

Originally posted by Whyhi
Yeah...

"Comprise measure" meaning giving into the stupid rhetoric of the right wing who would rather ban gays than actually compromise, as shown by the GOP's "comprise" with the recent tax cut fiasco.

So, again, go ask a republican why they hate gays so much, not Bill Clinton.

Hmmm. A nice bit of rhetoric on your own part. Can you answer me which current taxes, other than Social Security withholding which was cut for everyone, was cut with the recent 'tax cut fiasco' you mentioned? From what I've been reading, the current rates are being extended for 2 more years. If I give you something you already have, did I actually give you anything?

I know the left loves to blame everything on Republicans, but did not Bill Clinton sign 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' voluntarily?

reply to post by Ferris.Bueller.II


By "tax cut fiasco" I meant the GOP blocking everything that didn't deal with passing their version of the extension of the Bush-era tax cuts, and instead of compromising on them, they blocked it twice until people gave in to their demands, kind of like holding a hostage.

From what I've been reading, the current rates are being extended for 2 more years. If I give you something you already have, did I actually give you anything?

You would be giving me an extension, or reinstating the past legislation.

but did not Bill Clinton sign 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' voluntarily?

Depends on the definition of voluntary, he didn't want it, he tried to stop it, tried to get around it, and ultimately had to compromise to the influence and pressure being put on him to enact the DADT policy instead of banning gays outright.

reply to post by Whyhi


Funny how the Republicans in the minority in both the House and Senate were able to bully the Democrats and impose their will so effectively since Obama got elected. As I said earlier, the left loves to blame everything on the Republicans, even when they don't have the power or numbers to do what is blamed on them by themselves. Well, I'll let you get back to your blindered stumble through the old political blame game. Enjoy!

Senate Passes Repeal of `Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Ban on Gays in Military

The U.S. Senate voted today 65-31 to repeal the “don’t ask, don’t tell” law and allow gays and lesbians to serve openly in the armed forces.

The legislation next goes to President Barack Obama for his signature. Before the new policy takes effect, the Defense Department must draft regulations and the president certify the policy won’t hurt the nation’s war efforts.

More than 14,000 service members have been discharged for being gay since the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy was enacted in 1993, according to the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, a gay-rights advocacy group.

reply to post by Ferris.Bueller.II


Thank you for pointing out the obvious, it seems all of these threads like to blame the republicans, and yet the dems have the majority, I guess it's easier to blame them than accept the failures of their own party. Chalk up another waste of time energy and money to the dems when they could actually be doing somthing constructive.

Originally posted by Ferris.Bueller.II
reply to post by Whyhi

 

Funny how the Republicans in the minority in both the House and Senate were able to bully the Democrats and impose their will so effectively since Obama got elected. As I said earlier, the left loves to blame everything on the Republicans, even when they don't have the power or numbers to do what is blamed on them by themselves. Well, I'll let you get back to your blindered stumble through the old political blame game. Enjoy!

I want you to look up the word filibuster.

once you have a understanding of what that is, I want you to research how many filibusters have been enacted in the last two years

once your done with that, research how many filibusters have been done in the last...since the starting of America.

See the problem...the minority has used something that is typically used sparingly and only in really big cases as a standard...like using an abortion as a regular form of birth control every month.

I find it say that people don't pay attention to politics. No wonder soo many things are soo shyte and people randomly misplace their anger at politicians without having a clue whats going on.