On Thursday, Defense Secretary Robert Gates presented new rules regarding the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT) policy to top military officials. The new rules mean that it will be easier for gay and lesbian service members to serve. It does not mean, however, that homosexuals can serve openly in the military. There is a measure in congress, however, to repeal don’t ask don’t tell. The Military Readiness Enhancement Act of 2010, introduced by Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-CT), would repeal DADT.
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) has been a strong activist for the repealing of DADT. They say that the policy is an infringement on their human rights and freedoms, specifically freedoms of choice and speech.
Marine General James Conway stated this week that repealing DADT would be detrimental to the cohesion of the Marine Corps. The corps is the only military branch that shares barracks. Gen. Conway argued that repeal DADT would require the Marines to build new, one-man, barracks in order to accommodate the new policy. Conway said that openly gay service members would cause other Marine members to be uncomfortable.
Is DADT an infringement on the rights of gay military members, because they are not forced into any situation? Or, would repealing DADT be infringement on the rights of straight service members, it what Gen. Conway says is true, and they would feel uncomfortable in their living situation?
The DADT is an infringement on the rights of gay military members. The argument used by Gen. Conway was also used regarding women in the Marine Corps and has proved unfounded. All one does is simply have a women's floor (similar to the doorms). And to the "threat" that gays and lesbians would need extra special separations, one can know this is ridiculous since DADT means that non-openly gay individuals ARE sharing rooms with straight peers. Honesty between troops will not lessen social cohesion.
ReplyDeleteIf anyone is curious about this issue, there will be a discussion of it this evening (Monday, March 29th) at 6:30pm in the Union from Voices of Honor. This group features veterans advocating for the repeal of "Don't Ask Don't Tell."
ReplyDelete