Gates eases ban on gays in the military

[Tx4obama]

Source: CNN

Washington (CNN) -- Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced Thursday that the Pentagon will start to ease its enforcement of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy prohibiting homosexuals from serving openly in the military.

Among other things, Gates said the Pentagon is raising the threshold for what constitutes an appropriate level of information necessary to launch a "credible inquiry" into allegations of homosexual behavior.

The change, which will take effect in 30 days and apply to all current cases, is a reflection of "common sense" and "common decency," Gates said. "These changes reflect some of the insights we have gained over 17 years of implementing the current law, including the need for consistency, oversight and clear standards."

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/03/25/military.gays/index.html?hpt=T2

[MindandSoul]

1. I guess it's a "baby step" in the right direction. . .but I want more!

[zipplewrath]

3. two ways to look at it

1) Moving in the right direction

2) Trying to take the pressure off to prevent actual end to the law.

I'm guessing 1 but wanna keep an eye on the DoD, not to mention this White House.

[aquart]

It's a LAW?

[awoke_in_2003]

5. so do I. nt

[DURHAM D]

6. Yep - this is just eye shadow on a pig. nt

[RKP5637]

2. It's a start. n/t

[defendandprotect]

24. I don't know . . . Stupak-two step? Delaying until Repugs gain more control?

This delay and the whole thing should disappear before 2011 . . .

too much game-playing --

and don't trust Gates, for another reason!

[RKP5637]

26. My concern too, "Delaying until Repugs gain more control?" We speak of

freedom and equal rights being a virtue of America, yet we seem to have endless obstacles toward equity for all for all walks of life.

[defendandprotect]

27. We're a schizophrenic nation re "equality/democracy" . . .

especially under Capitalism which is based on exploitation, even of

human beings --

Have to be underdogs in order for there to be an elite class!!

[RKP5637]

29. Good points, no comparison if no underdog. One of my chief complaints

about capitalism, run amuck as today, is it encourages competition rather than cooperation across the board. Greed and oneupmanship eventually run ramped. And similar extrapolates from financial to social... so you get a society wherein an underclass financially and socially must exist to define the differences and those at the artificially defined top can stroke their egos.

And eventually you get those falling out of society starting to rally around ignorance and damn proud of it... So in a nation that professes such freedom and equality, the model eventually leads to repression.

One of the unique results today is the ability of the Rs to frame usury such that have-nots embrace the R party as the have-nots get ripped off... voting in those with diametrical agendas to the have-not needs.

Sorry if rambling here, I just woke up, and it's still early here.

[defendandprotect]

30. Agree . . .however....

takes an even weirder twist in the DADT because the homophobia results in costly

dismissals of service people -- including many interpreters who were involved in

intelligence work. Seems to be a double play going on there somewhere!!

This kind of policy also helps the right wing bring fanatics like Rumsfield to power!

[RKP5637]

31. Yep, I Agree 1000% +++ n/t

[aquart]

4. How do you "ease" a BAN?

[Tx4obama]

7. Did you read the article...

You ease the ban by slowing down people getting kicked out.
This is a good step for now until CONGRESS can vote to repeal DADT later this year once and for all.

Rome wasn't built in a day!

[zipplewrath]

8. Or apparently a year

I'm a tad suspicious that this won't get "done" for another 2 years. There's alot of motion going on to create the appearance of progress. At some point it's not motion, it's just going in circles.

[Tx4obama]

10. Well...

It will get done, Obama has said so :)
If McCain/Palin had won then it would never have been done at all.

Patience is a virtue.

[FreeState]

11. And if it doesn't you will apologize to the GLBT community here for dismissing our concerns? n/t

[zipplewrath]

12. You're left with more trust than I

Cadiallac taxes, etc. I've reached the "I'll believe it when I see it" stage. And, I check the fine print. But I am cautiously optimistic that ultimately this will get done. It's a generational thing and the next generation is taking over in the military.

[Hissyspit]

15. There's no reason not to do it now.

[aquart]

23. The McCain/Palin excuse is horseshit. Really.

There is waaaaaay too much "Eat shit and like it, because the Republicans wouldn't have given you anything."

The qualitative difference is too often too small to be measured.

[optimator]

9. so gays can now kill women and children like straights do

woohoo !
sarcasm.

[Hissyspit]

13. A reflection of "common sense" and "common decency" would be a total revocation of DADT.

Duh.

[FreeState]

17. +1

[saigon68]

14. Why the FUCK is Bushes BUTT BOY in charge of the DoD?

ANSWER: its more CHANGE we can believe in !!!

[defendandprotect]

25. To keep an eye on things for Cheney?

[Kolesar]

28. Phase out the nukes

Kill the F22, and get us out of Iraq.

[no limit]

16. So Microsoft is now making decisions about gays in the military? Fuckin wonderful!

But seriously why not just eliminate that stupid policy?

[Synicus Maximus]

18. I thought DADT was a law. If it is a law how can the pentagon

ease enforcement of a law.

[no limit]

19. From what I read the president can't get rid of it using a simple executive order

I dont feel like looking it up, so my apologies for that. But I'm pretty sure of this.

[Tx4obama]

21. Yes and No

President Obama could reverse it by Executive Order ... but executive orders are not actually permanent because the next president could come along and reverse the order.
So the best way to move forward is to have Congress vote to repeal DADT, which will be done this year imho :)

[Toucano]

20. The law charges the Sec. of Defense with implementation.

Also, the president is the final arbitrator of all military dismissals.

This is how stop-gap extensions of duty calls have been implemented.

[Heywood J]

22. The same way states and cities make marijuana arrests

the lowest priority of anything. They can't change federal law on their own, but they can (for example) enforce DADT only if homosexuality is blatantly rubbed in their faces.