[Vision2020] Ex-Generals, Admirals: Repeal Policy on Gays

[Tom Hansen]

Question, Visionaires -

Of the 58,195 names on the Vietnam Wall, how many do you figure belong to 
gay/homosexual soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines?

Pro patria,

Tom "straight, but not narrow" Hansen
Moscow, Idaho
 
"Patriotism is not a short and frenzied outburst of emotion but the 
tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime." 
 
-- Adlai E. Stevenson, Jr. 


> 
> 
> 
> No, I haven't been in the military and I don't pretend to be an expert
on>  its affairs, but many heterosexual and homosexual veterans and current
s> ervice members believe this to be a bad policy, and many of our nation's
> finest live in fear of being found out.  It seems the question of "should
g> ays serve in the military?" is ridiculous, given that they always
have,>  and have done so more often than not with distinction.
> 
> I hope these people who have served so admirably are heard by those
> currently in charge and that lesbians and gay men in the military can
> finally serve openly.  This "don't ask/don't tell" policy, and the
> "keep it secret no matter what" one before it, is ludicrous. 
> 
> Keely
> http://keely-prevailingwinds.blogspot.com/
> 
> 
> 
> 
> > To: vision2020 at moscow.com
> > From: thansen at moscow.com
> > Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 22:41:29 +0000
> > Subject: [Vision2020] Ex-Generals, Admirals: Repeal Policy on Gays
> > 
> > >From the Army Times at:
> > 
> > http://www.ArmyTimes.com
> > 
> > --------------------------------------------------
> > 
> > Ex-generals, admirals: Repeal policy on gays
> > 
> > By Brian Witte - The Associated Press
> > Posted : Tuesday Nov 18, 2008 5:43:13 EST
> >    
> > ANNAPOLIS, Md. — More than 100 retired generals and admirals called
M> onday 
> > for repeal of the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy
o> n gays so 
> > they can serve openly, according to a statement obtained by The
Associa> ted 
> > Press.
> > 
> > The move by the military veterans confronts the incoming administration
o> f 
> > President-elect Barack Obama with a thorny political and cultural 
issue 
> > that dogged former President Bill Clinton early in his administration.
> > 
> > “As is the case with Great Britain, Israel, and other nations that
> allow 
> > gays and lesbians to serve openly, our service members are
professional> s 
> > who are able to work together effectively despite differences in
race,>  
> > gender, religion and sexuality,” the officers wrote.
> > 
> > While Obama has expressed support for repeal, he said during the 
> > presidential campaign that he would not do so on his own — an
indicatio> n 
> > that he would tread carefully to prevent the issue from becoming a drag
o> n 
> > his agenda. Obama said he would instead work with military leaders to 
> > build consensus on removing the ban on openly gay service members.
> > 
> > “Although I have consistently said I would repeal ‘don’t ask,
don> ’t tell,’ 
> > I believe that the way to do it is make sure that we are working 
through
> a 
> > process, getting the Joint Chiefs of Staff clear in terms of what our 
> > priorities are going to be,” Obama said in a September interview
with>  the 
> > Philadelphia Gay News.
> > 
> > Tommy Vietor, a spokesman for Obama’s transition team, declined
com> ment.
> > 
> > The issue of gays in the military became a flash point early in the 
> > Clinton administration as Clinton tried to fulfill a campaign promise
to>  
> > end the military’s ban on gays. His efforts created the current
comprom> ise 
> > policy — ending the ban but prohibiting active-duty service members
fro> m 
> > openly acknowledging they are gay.
> > 
> > But it came at a political cost. The resulting debate divided service 
> > members and veterans, put Democrats on the defensive and provided
canno> n 
> > fodder for social conservatives and Republican critics who questioned 
> > Clinton’s patriotism and standing with the military.
> > 
> > Retired Adm. Charles Larson, a four-star admiral and two-time 
> > superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy who signed the statement with
10> 4 
> > other retired admirals and generals, said in an interview that he
belie> ved 
> > Clinton’s approach was flawed because he rushed to change military
cult> ure.
> > 
> > Larson said he hoped Obama would take more time to work with the
Pentagon> .. 
> > Joining Larson among the signatories was Clifford Alexander, Army 
> > secretary under former President Jimmy Carter.
> > 
> > “There are a lot of issues they’ll have to work out, and I think
th> ey’ll 
> > have to prioritize,” Larson said, noting that the new
administratio> n will 
> > immediately face combat-readiness issues and budget concerns. “But I
ho> pe 
> > this would be one of the priority issues in the personnel area.”
> > 
> > The list of 104 former officers who signed the statement appears to
signa> l 
> > growing support for resolving the status of gays in the military. Last 
> > year, 28 former generals and admirals signed a similar statement.
> > 
> > Larson, who has a gay daughter he says has broadened his thinking on
th> e 
> > subject, believes a generational shift in attitudes toward
homosexualit> y 
> > has created a climate where a repeal is not only workable, but also
an>  
> > important step for keeping talented personnel in the military.
> > 
> > “I know a lot of young people now — even people in the area of
having>  
> > commands of ships and squadrons — and they are much more tolerant,
an> d 
> > they believe, as I do, that we have enough regulations on the books
t> o 
> > enforce proper standards of human behavior,” Larson said.
> > 
> > The officers’ statement points to data showing there are about 1
millio> n 
> > gay and lesbian veterans in the United States, and about 65,000 gays
> and 
> > lesbians currently serving in the military.
> > 
> > The military discharged about 12,340 people between 1994 and 2007 for 
> > violating the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, according to
th> e 
> > Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, a military watchdog group. The 
> > number peaked in 2001 at 1,273, but began dropping off sharply after
> the 
> > Sept. 11 attacks.
> > 
> > Last year, 627 military personnel were discharged under the policy.
> > 
> > Political observers say that even though the issue may not be as 
> > controversial as it was when Clinton addressed it, it’s impossible
to>  
> > forget what happened then.
> > 
> > Larry Sabato, a political scientist at the University of Virginia,
sa> id 
> > Obama is unlikely to tackle the issue early on. Sabato said he expects 
> > Obama to focus on economic recovery and avoid risking the spark of a 
> > distracting “brush fire” controversy at the outset.
> > 
> > “I can’t imagine that he will do this right in the beginning,
given>  the 
> > Clinton precedent,” Sabato said.
> > 
> > Aaron Belkin, who has studied the “don’t ask, don’t tell”
pol> icy as 
> > director of the Palm Center at the University of California at Santa 
> > Barbara and organized the officers’ statement, said how Obama
address> es 
> > the issue will be the first test for the new president on gay rights.
> > 
> > “Everyone is going to be interested to see how he responds,”
Belkin>  said.
> > 
> > --------------------------------------------------
> > 
> > Seeya round town, Moscow.
> >  
> > Tom Hansen
> > Moscow, Idaho
> >  
> > "Patriotism is not a short and frenzied outburst of emotion but the 
> > tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime." 
> >  
> > -- Adlai E. Stevenson,
> > Jr.
> > 
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> > 
> > 
> 
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"Jesus was a community organizer and Poncius Pilate was a governor."

- Marilyn Trail, sister of Representative Tom trail (September 8, 2008)

----

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students are not very active in local elections (thank goodness!)."

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