With a vote of 16 for and 12 against, the Senate Armed Services Committee approved a repeal of "Don’t Ask Don’t Tell" the 1993 policy put in place by Bill Clinton which allows gays and lesbians to serve in the military only if they conceal their sexual orientation. The proposal will next go the House for approval, with many objections and veiled threats of filibusters already making the rounds.
Some are worried about the reaction of the soldiers, who’ve already been told that their opinions will be taken into account while conducting a nearly yearlong study of the possible effects of the repeal, which is scheduled to be completed in December of this year.
Republican Howard McKeon of California and the top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee stated that through the actions of the Senate the soldiers are now being basically told…"Your opinion, your views, do not count." I find it one of the most disingenuous acts for people to believe the soldier’s opinions on this issue matter at all. The military has historically made their own rules and soldiers are expected to abide by and follow them without question. Suddenly, now that gay and lesbian soldiers might be treated equally, they’re concerned with the feelings of the soldiers?
Give me a break.
Still, many are unhappy with this recent development in DADT, since it basically states that nothing has to be done formally until at least December, when the study will complete. Additionally, this proposal apparently turns over the strategy and timeline of the repeal implementation to the military, rather than Congress.
This is all mixed with the nut balls on the right who are now saying things like the repeal of DADT will create gay rape in the military, risk of infection through "HIV tainted" blood from gay soldiers, and that Hitler surrounded himself with gay soldiers, so what does that tell you?
Voting Breakdown:
Yes: Carl Levin (Michigan), Robert C. Byrd (West Virginia), Joseph I. Lieberman (Connecticut), Jack Reed (Rhode Island), Daniel K. Akaka (Hawaii), Bill Nelson (Florida), Ben Nelson (Nebraska), Evan Bayh (Indiana), Claire McCaskill (Missouri), Mark Udall (Colorado), Kay R. Hagan (North Carolina), Mark Begich (Alaska), Roland W. Burris (Illinois), Jeff Bingaman (New Mexico), Edward E. Kaufman (Delaware), Susan M. Collins (Maine) – only Republican
No: Jim Webb (Virginia) – only Democrat, John McCain (Arizona), James M. Inhofe (Oklahoma), Jeff Sessions (Alabama), Saxby Chambliss (Georgia), Lindsey Graham (South Carolina), John Thune (South Dakota), Roger F. Wicker (Mississippi), George S. LeMieux (Florida), Scott Brown (Massachusetts) Richard Burr (North Carolina) David Vitter (Louisiana)
