Change in Military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Policy Is Put on Hold
Legislation to allow gays to serve openly is delayed pending Obama's decisions on Iraq withdrawal timing
Lawmakers planning to take advantage of a Democrat in the White House to overturn the Clinton-era "don't ask, don't tell" policy targeting homosexuals are on hold until President Obama decides what to do in Iraq. Lawmakers and their aides say that there will be a legislative move to overturn the gay ban, but that it won't happen for several months.
At issue: What does Obama plan to do in Iraq. Foes of the ban don't want to complicate Obama's plan to begin withdrawing troops by introducing the gay issue until after the troops begin coming home.
After that decision is made, the legislation will be introduced and very likely given a quick hearing and timely vote, said the officials.
In Congress, the issue of allowing gays to serve openly in the military is being led by Democratic Reps. Barney Frank of New York and Ellen Tauscher of California.
- Read more on gay rights issues
Reader Comments
Patience!
With all due respect to Rep. Hastings, I would beg you to believe that no one's heart hurts worse than the President's on the bigoted issue of "Don't Ask Don't Tell". I fully understand why everyone who wishes to see this outrageous policy outlawed would expect it to have been addressed from the day President Obama said, "So help me God."
But may I respectfully suggest there's far more at peril here than even the thousands of wonderful servicemen who have been unceremoniously evicted from the military because they are gay, there are rather 50 million Americans without health insurance and 14,000 more losing their policies DAILY.
The President cannot afford to add even a single point to his disapproval rating at a time so critical, and that he'll definitely do by moving at this time on ANYTHING other than health reform.
It is a time for not only Blacks but all destitute Americans to understand that this man is inches from engineering the greatest reform in American history in a century. If he should somehow fail, it is likely his entire administration could suffer.
We all need to look beyond our personal selves just now. For every gay kicked out of the Army there is a gay kicked out who also has no insurance. For every gay kicked out who has no insurance there is a gay kicked out who has no insurance and is missing two legs. For every gay kicked out who has no insurance and is missing two legs there is a gay kicked out with no insurance, missing two legs, has no job, has no degree but the one he invested as a career in the military, etc., etc., etc.
You get the point.
We all need to see how incredibly close we are to catching up to rest of the free world of which a huge number have national health, meaning they pay NOTHING. Obama's plan isn't extreme. We all still have to pay something. It's just if you're poor you won't have to pay 3x what you don't have and be left in the cold.
People in our country with no insurance have a great deal more to cry about than gays who have lost the investment of a lifetime. Cold as that may seem to sound, it is not -- at least not compared to those who are sick and have no money to see a doctor.
Mcbzqwhc
97buHH comment5 ,
repeal for justice
i don't think the don't ask, don't tell policy is fair. I mean i know alot of gay guys serving our country right now. The serve our country with their life and i they deserve to live free as well. free to show their feelings and not to have to hide cuz thats just brutal. And some of the greatest, smartest, and responsible soldiers are gay. Just like our alexander "the great". he was gay and yet served the country with his life and he was a great fighter ,brave,and strong.
advertisement
