BluePirate Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Obama to End Military's 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Policy FOX News / Wednesday, January 14, 2009 WASHINGTON — President-elect Barack Obama will allow gays to serve openly in the military by overturning the controversial "don't ask, don't tell" policy that marred President Clinton's first days in office, according to incoming White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs. The startling pronouncement, which could re-open a dormant battle in the culture wars and distract from other elements of Obama's agenda, came during a Gibbs exchange with members of the public who sent in questions that were answered on YouTube. "Thadeus of Lansing, Mich., asks, 'Is the new administration going to get rid of the "don't ask, don't tell policy?'" said Gibbs, looking into the camera. "Thadeus, you don't hear a politician give a one-word answer much. But it's, 'Yes.'" The Obama transition team declined to elaborate on that one-word answer when asked by FOX News on Wednesday about a timetable for repealing the policy, which was enacted by Clinton after a protracted public debate. Obama officials also would not explain which lawmakers or Pentagon officials would attempt to repeal "don't ask, don't tell." Clinton, who initially sought to overturn the longstanding ban on gays in the military, ended up enacting the "don't ask, don't tell" policy as a compromise that made it illegal for commanders to ask about the sexual orientation of service members, who were also barred from announcing they were homosexual. If a service member's homosexuality becomes known anyway, he or she is expelled. Clinton is widely viewed as having stumbled during his first days in office by getting caught up in the raging controversy, which detracted from the rest of his agenda. It is not yet clear whether Obama would face a similar debacle. For years, Obama has said he generally opposes the "don't ask, don't tell" policy. Last summer, he told a gay magazine he can "reasonbably" see it being repealed. But that was a far cry from Gibbs' unequivocal promise that the policy will indeed be ended. The gay community is eager for a quick repeal of "don't ask, don't tell," but fears it could be months before the new administration reaches a consensus with lawmakers and the military. Others think Obama could do it quickly, but is leery of the kind of fallout Bill Clinton faced when he tackled the divisive issue. FOX News' Carl Cameron contributed to this report. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,479952,00.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Five0pd310 Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Now our military wil not only be well equiped, they will be marrrvelous in their pink duds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KirtFalcon Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Hopefully this won't fly this time around either. The military is against it, as is I believe the majority of Americans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveTV1 Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 I see this as a possibility of passing. I think many would give a second thought about enlisting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Immortal13 Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 I don't have a problem with it as long as they bunk em with the women soldiers, where they belong. :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldSchool Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 No wonder they want to start a draft link Last I heard enlistments were up, and reenlistments as well. Why a draft? Do they know they are gonna screw up the Military like Jimmie Carter did, and we will need a draft? Not only to libs want to get gays in military, but MAKE you be roomates with one, once you are drafted. Sheesh, this is gonna be a hilarious four years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
applebutter Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 "Don't ask, don't tell" was Clinton's first big snafu, the one that set the stage for the "Contract for America" along with Miss Hillary's health care debacle. Let's see how this works out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clawsnstripes Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Recruiter: Now, are either of you homosexuals? John Winger: [John and Russell look at each other] You mean, like, flaming, or... Recruiter: Well, it's a standard question we have to ask. Russell Ziskey: No, we're not homosexual, but we are *willing to learn*. John Winger: Yeah, would they send us someplace special? Recruiter: I guess that's "no" on both. Now if you could just give Uncle Sam your autograph... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Straw Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Recruiter: Now, are either of you homosexuals? John Winger: [John and Russell look at each other] You mean, like, flaming, or... Recruiter: Well, it's a standard question we have to ask. Russell Ziskey: No, we're not homosexual, but we are *willing to learn*. John Winger: Yeah, would they send us someplace special? Recruiter: I guess that's "no" on both. Now if you could just give Uncle Sam your autograph... Haha Stripes was hilarious! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bleeds Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 Change. Obama ran on change. Bill Clinton's first order of business was to initiate "Don't Ask, Don't Tell". Now, Obama's first item of business will be to let those of which we didn't ask, or tell, to come out of the closet. Change. Haven't seen any indication of change yet. BTW, does anyone other than me see how potentially dangerous to homosexuals in the military this could be? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Locutus Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 Ok, I need someone to explain this to me. We have a don't ask, don't tell policy now. So we have gays in the military. Obviously this system works fairly well. So if we go to where you can be known to be gay and in the military is everything going to fall apart? Are those "gays" going to all of a sudden going to start coming on to everyone, is it not going to be safe to bunk with them. Are the gays going to go crazy? Am I not going to trust them now to do their job? I love women, I do. But I am around them all the time, people know I love women, but I never let that influence or become a part of my job. I never never never let that present itself. I certainly do not run around like I can't control myself. I have not and would never be involved with someone who was a part of my job. So why do we think that gays are going to behave that way? Or am I missing something here. Because, I do have a tremendous amount of respect for anyone who is willing to pick up a weapon and stand watch for our country. Who is willing to give up their life to protect our land. If he/she is gay, I don't agree with his/her decision for sexual preference, but I respect the willingness to serve our country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medman7 Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 Maybe since the bombs and bulets hasn't stopped the terrorist the thought of being "taken" by a gay soldier will make them run for the hills???? One more thing to make us a liberal mockery! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
applebutter Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 Ok, I need someone to explain this to me. We have a don't ask, don't tell policy now. So we have gays in the military. Obviously this system works fairly well. So if we go to where you can be known to be gay and in the military is everything going to fall apart? Are those "gays" going to all of a sudden going to start coming on to everyone, is it not going to be safe to bunk with them. Are the gays going to go crazy? Am I not going to trust them now to do their job? I love women, I do. But I am around them all the time, people know I love women, but I never let that influence or become a part of my job. I never never never let that present itself. I certainly do not run around like I can't control myself. I have not and would never be involved with someone who was a part of my job. So why do we think that gays are going to behave that way? Or am I missing something here. Because, I do have a tremendous amount of respect for anyone who is willing to pick up a weapon and stand watch for our country. Who is willing to give up their life to protect our land. If he/she is gay, I don't agree with his/her decision for sexual preference, but I respect the willingness to serve our country. Its not a question of allowing a patriot to protect the country. It's a question of submitting straight sailors, soldiers, airmen, and marines to communal showers and sleeping arrangements with people that might enjoy it a little too much. And it doesn't matter that gays may not actually enjoy it, it's the perception in the ranks. But it's also for their own protection. An openly gay enlisted man is probably not going to be treated well. Maybe with all this excessive stimulus spending, we can afford to get everyone their own shower and their own bedroom. Want to cut down on enlistment? Want to force a draft? This could be a pretty good first step. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medman7 Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 Putting a gay man in a bunk house full of men is no less that putting a horney sailor in a bunk house full of women! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USNDocOfMarines Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 :thumbdown: :thumbdown: :thumbdown: If I don't ASK and he doesn't TELL, i'm fine with that. But if he wants to be open about it, he better be ready for plenty of discrimination and hazing. I will show no mercy for fairies. I guess that makes me a bigot or a "homophobe" , but I don't care. I don't agree with it and will NOT tolerate it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1stSuperScot Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 :thumbdown: :thumbdown: :thumbdown: If I don't ASK and he doesn't TELL, i'm fine with that. But if he wants to be open about it, he better be ready for plenty of discrimination and hazing. I will show no mercy for fairies. I guess that makes me a bigot or a "homophobe" , but I don't care. I don't agree with it and will NOT tolerate it. ...and therein lies the problem. Now every time the barracks queen gets assigned an unpopular task or mission or passed over for promotion he can run to the courts screaming discrimination. Such distractions are not what the military needs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medman7 Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Let's see if it ever makes the news the first time a sexual assault case happens in behind this allowance? The first time one of these openly gay people laid a single hand on you for anything then accuse him of sexual assault. Maybe that embarrassment would teach him to keep his sexuality to himself/herself! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KirtFalcon Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 There is also a huge potential for blackmail or outing someone who doesn't want to be outed. Imagine someone with access to classified information being blackmailed to give up classified documents or be outed. There are a lot of problems with openly gay or even closet gays people serving in the military that you don't have in society. In the military you have to trust those around you in many situations, sometimes with your life. There are countless military sensitive scenarios that could arise causing issues with gays openly serving in the military. I have seen, first hand, many problems during my 22 years in the military arise even with "Don't ask, Don't tell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medman7 Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Kirt you confirm what many of us have pondered for a long time. I hate it that the public cannot know about those kinds of things to shed light on why this should not be allowed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoboFan07 Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 But if he wants to be open about it, he better be ready for plenty of discrimination and hazing. I will show no mercy for fairies. I guess that makes me a bigot or a "homophobe" , but I don't care. I don't agree with it and will NOT tolerate it. I would like to know why you "show no mercy." Would you haze a black guy for the sole reason of being black in the military? I understand it might have to do with religion or whatever (not that I know anything about religion or care to know)....but it's their choice. We're all about freedom here and there in this country. It's their choice to do with what they want to with their lives. If they want to serve in the military so be it...and I don't think they should be hazed or discriminated against just for the sole reason of being gay. You might not agree with that choice...but it's not your choice nor is it your problem. They're trying to live their life as happy as can be..just as you are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medman7 Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 They can serve. Just keep their sexuality to themselves. Call them homophobes if you like but I do not know one Heterosexual guy that enjoys the thought of a gay guy being in the same bunk house with him not knowing how often he is looking them over in a manner of sexual arousal for himself. Like I said before, it is no less than letting a horny guy sleeping in the women's bunkhouse! You cannot say that it is any different and it is no less wrong! You are trying to turn this into something racist. Racism is discriminating against someone for something they cannot help such as race or gender. THis is a choice that someone made. How long are we going to have to make consignments for the choices people make. It would be like you owning a business and me coming to work for you then suing you because you did not accomodate a choice I made. Continuing to accomodate things like this is opening the door for people to become entitled for any and every abnormal choice they make in life. People will claim they believe things should be done a certain way and if you do not accommodate their way then they can sue you as being a racist for not accommodating their ways. The line on accomodating choices has to be drawn and it needs to start here to set a precedent! Otherwise there there will eventually be no rules to keep thing in a semblance of order! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Immortal13 Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 I would like to know why you "show no mercy." Would you haze a black guy for the sole reason of being black in the military? I understand it might have to do with religion or whatever (not that I know anything about religion or care to know)....but it's their choice. We're all about freedom here and there in this country. It's their choice to do with what they want to with their lives. If they want to serve in the military so be it...and I don't think they should be hazed or discriminated against just for the sole reason of being gay. You might not agree with that choice...but it's not your choice nor is it your problem. They're trying to live their life as happy as can be..just as you are. How do you think an openly gay player would be treated in your beloved Dallas Stars' locker room? I think not very well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoboFan07 Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 THis is a choice that someone made. And that is where we disagree, as I don't think it's a choice for most. How do you think an openly gay player would be treated in your beloved Dallas Stars' locker room? I think not very well. Does that make it anymore right? No it doesn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1stSuperScot Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 And that is where we disagree, as I don't think it's a choice for most. Does that make it anymore right? No it doesn't. What is wrong with don't ask, don't tell? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoboFan07 Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Nothing is wrong with it, just don't think they should be kicked out of the military just for being something different. It's nobody's business what type of sexuality you are, IMO, but yourself. All I asked was why he shows no mercy to homosexuals for being different than he is. Never questioned the system..and don't care to question it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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