Now is the Time. Iraq War Vet and US Rep. Pat Murphy Pushes for Repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell
By MichaelSolender on February 2, 2010 in Miscellaneous
At least one Congressman has got some balls. Pennsylvania Representative Patrick Murphy, the first Iraq War veteran elected to the House is clearly NOT homophobic. He has sponsored the only bill before Congress that would repeal the idiotic Clinton hold-over “don’t ask – don’t tell” policy that the US armed services currently operate under.
With no less than the Secretary of Defense, William Gates and President Obama’s White House behind the legislation, you’d think there would be a good chance that it would move out of the lower chamber. According to today’s Wall Street Journal, the bill is just 32 votes shy of the 218 needed to ensure passage. In other words, 187 Congressmen and women are supporting this legislation and calling for qualified personnel, regardless of sexual preference to serve and support US interests as we fight not one but two wars currently.
Where is the rub? Like everything else in this grid-locked nation of ours, it can be found across the aisle in yet another decidedly partisan position of opposition. Ike Skelton, (R)Missouri (isn’t that the “Blow-me state?) chair of the powerful House Armed Services Committee, is dead set against repealing the ban and has stated he won’t allow for a hearing of Murphy’s bill.
The beef? “Allowing openly gay ( I guess it’s OK if they stay in the closet) would threaten the military’s ability to attract and retain talented soldiers,” says Elaine Donnelly, president of the Center for Military Readiness. They bill themselves as a non-partisan advocacy group formed to take a “leadership role in promoting sound military policies.”
I guess The Bush appointed Defense Secretary and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen, both apparently OK with a measured approach to removing the ban, don’t count for anything.
What about the deterrent effect in attracting and retaining talented and qualified individuals into the military who just happen to be gay? Does anybody see the ironies here? Fighting for Democracy, equal rights, freedom of choice?
We’ve got a military force that is being taxed and depleted to its very limit and Uncle Sam has been putting out the Not Welcome mat for too long to many who want to actively serve.
It’s not red, white and blue in America anymore. It’s just red and blue. I’m getting pretty tired of it.
mjs
Thank you for supporting the repeal of DADT …. wish you were my representative
When the eyes of hypocrisy are made to see, then shall shine that light that quiets ignorance into that confounding sleep…..
The 21st century has arrived. Time to just step up and claim what should be claimed – that the whole of the law states directs us to do as we will, and the true face of grace shall smile upon us as individuals, and upon the rest as a whole.
Let’s hope it is passed (as it eventually must be) without too many stalling tactics.
For a country so forward, even aggressive, in many aspects, they have certainly dropped the ball here.
Discrimination because of sexual orientation has no place in today’s society and should be discontinued with regards to military service or any other area for that matter. Hopefully we will actually turn the corner this time and not just come away with another worthless compromise and detracts from our freedom rather than enhancing it.
RVA
Here! Here! The whole idea is so stupid. You’d think we’d be over any type of discrimination, but if it isn’t one group, it turns to another. And the thing is –These people want to be there, they have very specialized jobs, and the government forces them to lie, which goes against their very oathes as military soldiers. Thank you Michael!