DISCRIMINATORY "DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL" LAW REPEALED

FINALLY. 

After 18 years in force the hateful “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” – or DADT - law was finally repealed from the law books at 12:01 am Tuesday September 2011 and is no longer enforceable.  DADT  was a measure put in place in 1993 during the Clinton administration as a compromise on gays serving in the military between then President Clinton (who had campaigned on the promise that persons can serve in the military regardless of sexual orientation) and generals of the armed forces.  The policy was supposed to prohibit military personnel from discriminating against or harassing closeted homosexual or bisexual service members or applicants, while barring openly gay, lesbian, or bisexual persons from military service. 

However, the policy was abused by military officials during its tenure and was used as a tool to dishonorably discharge members of the armed forces solely on the suspicion that a soldier may be gay.  It also led to “witch-hunts” where persons suspected to be homosexual were monitored and persecuted until evidence was obtained to prove cause for dismissal. 

Over the life of DADT over 13 thousand service men were dishonorably discharged under this policy.  It has been reported and documented that a number of those discharged were personnel integral to the current fight against terrorists such as linguists, military analysts, trained pilots, etc. 

However support for the repeal of DADT grew over the years.  Now, up to 70% of polled Americans favor gays and lesbians openly serving in the military.  Then, after a few failed attempts, it was the Democrat-led 111^th Congress under the leadership of Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Ca) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nv) that got the bill for repeal passed through both houses of congress and sent to the president for signature.  In December 2010 President Obama signed the bill into law to began the repeal of DADT after certification of readiness was given from all generals and the Secretary of Defense.  Certification was completed in June 2011 and the date for final repeal set for September. 

Side-note: up to December 2010 doddering ol’ grandpa Senator John McCain (R-Az.) was against repealing DADT.  He was one of a small minority of elected officials (mostly Republicans) who voiced their concerns about repealing DADT – and even called for either its continuation, or the strengthening its measures. 

Yah know – I don’t want to go off-topic but John McCain has turned into a real classic DOUCHEBAG since the 2008 elections.  I will never, EVER, forgive him for unleashing that publicity-hungry bitch Sarah Palin on the American psyche. 

But back to the repeal of DADT.

From this point on, gay men and women can opening serve in the armed forces without fear of persecution or the need to conceal one’s sexuality.  This is a new frontier in the fight for EQUALITY, and another chapter in the fight for human rights.   

Now, about those ghastly military uniforms……….