Oh, the fun of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. Citizens for Repeal, a group of active duty queers, sent the Pentagon and Sec. Gates an open letter criticizing its 10-month review of the law, because, like, they aren’t asking any gays about their feelings. Of course, none of the 250-ish soldiers who supposedly joined the letter could sign their names, because then they’d be up for a discharge investigation. But they’re also sorely confused: The Pentagon is asking gay and lesbian troops about repealing DADT — that’s why the Pentagon is spending $4.4 million in taxpayer dollars to let an outside surveying firm ask soldiers if they’re fagalas. That firm is also asking straight soldiers’ families about DADT, though, so that’s something worth kvetching about.
rf
Sorry but I don’t understand the point of staying in the closet in the military anymore. The processing, costs, public outcry and news coverage of 250 discharges in the final 10 months of DADT would be a massive scandal when after DADT goes away (and assuming the pre-dadt discrimination against gays also goes away) they can all re-enlist.
And IF DADT gets voted down or out of the Defense Bill and the thing dies or becomes so onerous that the loopholes make repeal not happen–250 (and hopefully more) active duty soldiers banding together and making a stink, showing the costs and waste involved in this policy, when 80% of America wants DADT gone too, would likely kill it anyway.
Baxter
I’m just confused as to when our military became a democracy. I always thought that if you were given an order, you followed it and the leadership didn’t need to ask soldiers about their personal feelings first.
Ricky
even with the “outside” surveyers, there is serious concern that there could be detrimental ramifications if they come forward. I’m not saying it is the case, but there is a concern that this tactic could later be used for a witch hunt… especially when “DADT” isn’t overturned as promised.
One other thing: in the military, you have no privacy. These soldiers are justified with their concerns. Seriously.
jason
Do they go around asking good ol’ boys about whether they like serving next to blacks? I don’t think so. Why, then, are we gays accepting this offensive notion that, somehow, we may be offending others by our mere presence?
It’s beyond the pale that we are even accepting the need for this DADT review. It is an offensive review from the roots up. We need to make noises now – right now – about this. However, I don’t see much leadership coming from the GLBT community.
Tell the review process to go fuck itself.
jason
Mark my words, the homophobic military brass will interview as many homophobes and bigots as they can find. To them, it’s we who are the problem, not the soldiers who have a problem with us.
Note the reversal of blame that underpins this notion. It’s a similar notion to that which says that a victim is to blame for the injustice committed upon him.
Michael
Yeah, I bet their “findings” will be a lot less than the 70%/military, 80%/American public who have no problem with gays serving.
I’m beyond astonished our military has suddenly turned into Club Med giving a rat’s ass if service members are AOK with a policy. I bet you there are plenty of service members who smell a rat too since they’re only use to following orders and not AOK’ing a new policy.
Michael
So, the alternative to conducting the review would be, what?
Jon
I think that there is problem is that they aren’t asking enough gay service members. The only time I can recall them actively seeking out gay troops (actually it was vets) is back in May at the Pentagon. Even then, it was a few dozen queers compared to the few hundred (maybe even thousands?) straight service members they have already asked….