Don't ask, don't tell: no more.

[pohibaba]

(01-13) 20:21 PST -- President Obama will end the 15-year-old "don't ask, don't tell" policy that has prevented homosexual and bisexual men and women from serving openly within the U.S. military, a spokesman for the president-elect said.

Obama said during the campaign that he opposed the policy, but since his election in November he has made statements that have been interpreted as backpedaling. On Friday, however, Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs, responding on the transition team's Web site to a Michigan resident who asked if the new administration planned to get rid of the policy, said:

"You don't hear politicians give a one-word answer much. But it's 'Yes.' "

Source

I didn't vote for President-elect Obama, but I absolutely approve of this move. Don't ask don't tell was one of the most moronic ideas that ever came through the walls of the White House, and I'm glad that it's gone.

[archibaldcrane]

Sweet.

[Elvis]

I don't really care personally, but in and of itself it's a good thing. /cheer!

[Mizango]

I don't really care personally, but in and of itself it's a good thing. /cheer!

My sentiments exactly.

[SephYuyX]

For every word he speaks, there are 10 more people in the south who want to kill him I bet.

[Tokitoki]

Im sure this probably earned him 100.

[Kuya]

Well, i guess that's nice.

[noblemountain]

speaking as former military, i agree this was a dumb policy...but it won't go over well w/ the armed forces honestly. i knew of quite a few gay people in the army (mostly women...but a few men) and they were pretty much pushed aside even though "nobody was gay". being open about it isn't going to help the situation...maybe just make it volatile in basic training.

[Correction]

Integrating blacks into the military didn't go over so well in 1948, either. Waiting for acceptance never got anybody anywhere, you kind of have to force it.

[Zilong]

For every word he speaks, there are 10 more people in the south who want to kill him I bet.

Well, aren't we due for another civil war?

Maybe that'd show those bastards how capable are gay soldiers are.

[Alleya]

speaking as former military, i agree this was a dumb policy...but it won't go over well w/ the armed forces honestly. i knew of quite a few gay people in the army (mostly women...but a few men) and they were pretty much pushed aside even though "nobody was gay". being open about it isn't going to help the situation...maybe just make it volatile in basic training.

I know many gay people, and despite the popular belief, they don't care if you know they're gay or not. Being "out" is not a big deal to them, and many of them see "coming out" as something silly teenagers do.

The problem with don't ask don't tell is now and has always been that the military is discharging qualified people who just want to serve their country based on discriminatory, bigoted, and ignorant views. This is the same bullshit with the marriage argument. They flail their arms in the air and scream about how everything will fall apart if there's a gay guy with an M-16 out there, but in truth not a goddamn thing will change if/when this goes into effect. Well, I take that back. We'll stop discharging qualified people from the military that's already stretched thin and hemorrhaging manpower.

Maybe things wouldn't be so "volatile" if our governmental institutions weren't the ones propagating the idea that gay people are different and are to be excluded with policies like don't ask don't tell.

Edit: And to that point, look at the history of integration in the military. The same arguments are being made now against the gays that were made against blacks and latinos. What happened when the forces were integrated was...soldiers, overall, had more positive views about people of different races after completing basic than they did going in. *gasp*

[Plow]

I know many gay people, and despite the popular belief, they don't care if you know they're gay or not. Being "out" is not a big deal to them, and many of them see "coming out" as something silly teenagers do.

The problem with don't ask don't tell is now and has always been that the military is discharging qualified people who just want to serve their country based on discriminatory, bigoted, and ignorant views. This is the same bullshit with the marriage argument. They flail their arms in the air and scream about how everything will fall apart if there's a gay guy with an M-16 out there, but in truth not a goddamn thing will change if/when this goes into effect. Well, I take that back. We'll stop discharging qualified people from the military that's already stretched thin and hemorrhaging manpower.

Maybe things wouldn't be so "volatile" if our governmental institutions weren't the ones propagating the idea that gay people are different and are to be excluded with policies like don't ask don't tell.

Edit: And to that point, look at the history of integration in the military. The same arguments are being made now against the gays that were made against blacks and latinos. What happened when the forces were integrated was...soldiers, overall, had more positive views about people of different races after completing basic than they did going in. *gasp*

Somehow I think you're missing the entire issue people have with gayness in the military.

It's not like marriage where they're supposedly going to take over the world and make everyone gay, it's a legitimate concern with sexual tension, be it straight or gay.

[Tricen]

What was wrong with don't ask don't tell? (Serious, I never really looked into it)

[Correction]

Somehow I think you're missing the entire issue people have with gayness in the military.

It's not like marriage where they're supposedly going to take over the world and make everyone gay, it's a legitimate concern with sexual tension, be it straight or gay.

This was exactly the argument made to keep women out of West Point.

It's still fucking bullshit. Gays aren't enlisting to spread the Gay Agenda.

[Elvis]

Co-ed showers like in Starship Troopers should solve all this tomfoolery.

[Churchill]

Eh.

While I agree it was a dumb policy, well, regardless of any kind of EO type of policies, they'll still be pushed to the side. If people know you're gay you're going to be discriminated against in ways that would be hard to prove to anyone. Promotions, schools, opportunities. You would never make it to my unit if the cadre knew you were gay, lol.

Plus, the military hasn't kicked people out for being gay in awhile, at least not the Army.

[Julian]

Somehow I think you're missing the entire issue people have with gayness in the military.

It's not like marriage where they're supposedly going to take over the world and make everyone gay, it's a legitimate concern with sexual tension, be it straight or gay.

THEY GONNA RAPE YOU IN YOUR SLEEP LOL

[Vandalhart]

You know.. just because you're gay doesn't mean you're going to want to ride every member of the same sex you meet. Gays have standards too!

The only reason there would be sexual tension is because people are too worried about it. I would assume in the military/navy/air forces have some sort of professional attitude, if they do, then they be out trying to hump the other members of their own platoon/unit.

[Tomk]

I agree that the policy sucks but if Clinton had suddenly thrusted the military from "Wumin iz nerses onry! Gais is da devil!" to Starship Troopers if would have failed. It took some time to get to this point.

[MrW]

Of all the gay men and women I've met, the only people they're scared to tell in most cases is their parents. In college I had 3 gay roommates. All were openly gay, just not in the presence of family (no clue how they couldn't figure it out). But I think this is a good move by Obama. Points awarded.