Milbloggers Urge Repeal Of 'Don't Ask Don't Tell'

A group of prominent military bloggers blasted out a statement Wednesday calling on Congress to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and allow gays to serve openly in the military.

As Ben Smith notes, the increasingly influential milblogger community is hard to pin down politically, but the below statement -- whose signatories represent such major milblogs as the U.S. Naval Institute Blog, Blackfive, Outside the Wire, and Q&O, couldn't be more clear.

"Homosexuals have always served in the US Military, and there have been no real problems caused by that," the statement reads, asserting that "very little will actually change" with "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" gone. "The US Military is professional and ready to adapt to the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell without compromising its mission. Echoing Sec. Def. Gates and ADM Mullen, we welcome open and honorable service, regardless of sexual orientation."

Read the full statement:

We consider the US military the greatest institution for good that has ever existed. No other organization has freed more people from oppression, done more humanitarian work or rescued more from natural disasters. We want that to continue.

Today, it appears inevitable to us that the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy and law restricting open homosexual behavior from serving will be changed. And yet, very little will actually change. Homosexuals have always served in the US Military, and there have been no real problems caused by that.

The service chiefs are currently studying the impact and consequences of changing the DADT policy, and how to implement it without compromising the morale, order and discipline necessary for the military to function. The study is due to be completed on Dec. 1st. We ask Congress to withhold action until this is finished, but no longer. We urge Congress to listen to the service chiefs and act in accordance with the recommendations of that study.

The US Military is professional and ready to adapt to the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell without compromising its mission. Echoing Sec. Def. Gates and ADM Mullen, we welcome open and honorable service, regardless of sexual orientation.

Comments

[jeremyfive]

09:32 AM on 05/13/2010

Don't Ask Don't Tell has been a blight on the military in the U.S., ever since the wrongful policy was formulated. It has been the catalyst for blackmail, rape and even murder--open season on gay citizens who wish only to serve their country.

It offends me that my tax dollars are going to some senior military personnel who, in recent years have defended "Don't Ask Don't Tell" but have shown themselves near wholly incapable of winning a war. It is offensive that they engage in glaring discrimination of this sort. The increasing instance of inappropriate behavior and even rape at our military bases, more akin to out-of-control frat parties, is a clear indication that these senior officers, the bigoted ones, are headed far off in the wrong direction--and against the tide of diversity that enables all Americans to participate in a just system. These hold-out bigoted oafs are taking advantage of every benefit the military has to offer for themselves while highly skilled gay linguists, code-breakers, weapons experts and other skilled soldiers are having their careers terminated unjustly. My gay tax dollars should not be going to support bigotry or the abuse of my own people.

Time to end DADT? This abomination should never have existed in the first place.

[txrunner]

10:19 AM on 05/13/2010

You can thank Bill Clinton for DADT...

[cminca]

07:46 PM on 05/13/2010

It was supposed to be Don't Ask, Don't Tell, and Don't Pursue. But somehow the armed forces seem to overlook the last part of the equation.

Maybe something to do with the type of leaders who use terms like "crusade" and say that their god is stronger than a muslim god.

IMHO

[arlandbaee]

11:51 PM on 05/12/2010

when do you think someone will come out and discount the military opinion when it isn't what they expect?

[LiberalSocioCapitalist]

11:32 PM on 05/12/2010

I wander if the enemies of the united states segregate which soldiers are ok to shoot at?. That would be the only reason this law is needed. They fight together, they bleed together, and some die together. All in the name of stars and stripes..... what they do in their bedroom on the other hand is sooo taboo, we have to make them hide who they are coz we might piss some bigot off

[Susan Katz Keating]

11:23 PM on 05/12/2010

And another milblogger weighs in...

http://www.susankatzkeating.com/2010/05/stand-alone-milblogger-issues-single.html

[kcflood]

10:25 PM on 05/12/2010

It is time to end DADT right NOW! 70% of America agrees

[david5000]

12:05 AM on 05/13/2010

Whatever makes the soldiers happy I'm all for it.Once the cat is out of the bag, the military will be harmonious and relaxed.

[kirbybc]

10:21 PM on 05/12/2010

I see that symbol everywhere (the flag the guy is waiving) What does it mean?

[VikThor]

11:35 PM on 05/12/2010

Human Rights Campaign
http://www.hrc.org/

[pranksalot]

08:53 PM on 05/12/2010

I hope Senator Levin is successful in obtaining 15 votes to add the DADT repeal into the Defense Spending Bill in the upcoming weeks/months. So far he got 12 definite votes, 3 more are needed.

[edgarcaycedoc]

08:23 PM on 05/12/2010

I served for six years (active duty) in the '70s, and I worked alongside some gays. During my entire six years, they did their job, and served honorably. When Clinton instituted DADT, I told my wife, "I thought that was always the policy." But no one should have to compromise their humanity because of their sexual orientation. Repeal the dadgummed thing.

[mstage1]

06:01 PM on 05/12/2010

We receive recurring anti-discrimination training in the military, but in my 27 years it has always rung hollow (even before DADT). To expect the members of any large organization to refrain from certain types of discrimination while the organization practices other types of discrimination is ridiculous. Repeal DADT.

[adoantarel]

05:26 PM on 05/12/2010

perfectly stated

[angrymanspokane]

03:32 PM on 05/12/2010

Stereotypes aside, I'm sure gay soldiers can do the same things straight soldiers can, otherwise they wouldn't have made it through in the first place. Gay, straight, whatever, if you do your job well, that should be all that matters.

Who cares really, if you don't hurt anyone else, and you have found a way to be happy, best of luck to you.

"They say marriage is an institution, well so is prison".

[tsull82751]

03:17 PM on 05/12/2010

Thank goodness for these bloggers. DADT needs to END NOW!

[bighat]

03:12 PM on 05/12/2010

Fantastic DADT should be repealed

But all those who entered the armed forced while DADT is a law should be given an opt out for fairness.

After, this is America. We should not force our beliefs on anyone.

[elijah24]

03:33 PM on 05/12/2010

By that logic, all of us who joined the military to defend our country, should have had an opt-out when President Bush used us as aggressors in Iraq. There should be no opt-out. People have to learn to live with people they dont understand. If a person can stand to be shot at, they can stand to be shot at while crouching next to a gay or lesbian who can also stand to be shot at.

[bighat]

04:11 PM on 05/12/2010

Afraid many will opt out. Personally I do not think any would. Or at least not enough to even make 1%. But you do

[edgarcaycedoc]

08:25 PM on 05/12/2010

There is a Lieutenant Colonel who is hoping that his Court Martial board will buy such an argument from him, when he refused to deploy because Obama is not a legal president.

[sanityismine]

04:01 PM on 05/12/2010

'We should not force our beliefs on anyone. " - like our belief of equality under the law?

[bighat]

04:12 PM on 05/12/2010

How would you force someone to believe in equality under the law?

[Tony Ramsey]

03:08 PM on 05/12/2010

Lets end it. All the arguments against ending DADT were made back when the military was integrated and were shown to be false. It's a ridiculous injustice that wastes tax dollars in its continuation and hurts the folks who make the commitment to serve.

[bighat]

03:14 PM on 05/12/2010

I do not know why the democrats ever segregated the military in WWI

[elijah24]

03:34 PM on 05/12/2010

probably because at that time, THEY were the conservative party.

[Charles Sommers]

03:44 PM on 05/12/2010

(??) The military was segregated long before WW-1, you need to read some history bighat, you could start by watching the movie "Glory."

[JessCostello]

02:27 AM on 05/13/2010

What were the arguments against integrating the Armed Forces?

[AKAGoldfish]

03:01 AM on 05/13/2010

It would erode unit cohesion, destroy moral, and that black soldiers weren't as capable as their white counterparts. If you've been paying any attention at all, you will know that each of these exact arguments has been used by those in favor of DADT.

[tssent]

03:02 PM on 05/12/2010

So more Sunday morning at dawn the Chinese invade the
San Francisco coast and the only thing between them and
the city's homo phobics is -- a battalion of gays.

I'm guessing they'll ask the Chinese to please half the
invasion long enough to replace the battalion with straights,
right?

Wrong. They'd be singing an entirely different tune coz
now it would be different somehow, not the same thing.
Right.

[sanityismine]

04:02 PM on 05/12/2010

"San Francisco ....-- a battalion of gays"

Now that is funny.

[bighat]

04:07 PM on 05/12/2010

Would these be executive transvestites like Eddie Izzard and would they be wearing pumps, make up but carrying guns?

[cminca]

07:43 PM on 05/13/2010

No, and it won't be a bunch of big, nasty leather daddies either.

It will be a bunch of well trained, professional soldiers--just like the ones who are getting needlessly kicked out of the armed forces on a daily basis.

But since you seem to think that all gays are limp wristed fairies, I'd like to invite you to attend the folsom street fair or "up your alley" sometime. See if you can hang with the big boys. LOL