The Repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"
Yesterday (December 18, 2010), President Barack Obama followed through on a campaign promise as Congress passed legislation which repeals the controversial "Don't ask, don't tell" policy in the United States Military.
Under Don't Ask Don't Tell (DADT) the United States military was prohibited from attempting to discover or reveal closeted gay, lesbian, and bisexual service members or applicants. The policy continued to bar those who are openly gay, lesbian, or bisexual from military service. This policy prohibited people who, according to the language used in it, "demonstrate a propensity or intent to engage in homosexual acts" from serving in the armed forces of the United States. It said that such persons "would create an unacceptable risk to the high standards of morale, good order and discipline, and unit cohesion that are the essence of military capability."
DADT also prohibited any homosexual or bisexual person from disclosing his or her sexual orientation or from speaking about any homosexual relationships, including marriages or other familial attributes, while serving in the United States armed forces.It specified that service members who either disclosed their homosexuality or engaged in homosexual conduct would discharged from the service except when a service member's conduct was "for the purpose of avoiding or terminating military service" or when it "would not be in the best interest of the armed forces."
The policy was introduced in 1993 by President Bill Clinton. He campaigned on the promise to allow all citizens to serve in the military regardless of sexual orientation, but reached what he saw as a compromise with an uncooperative congress. At the time, homosexuality was prohibited in the military. Persons who engaged in homosexual acts or stated that they are homosexual or bisexual were discharged from the service. Here is a YouTube video of President Clinton announcing the policy in 1993:
Efforts to repeal the policy increased following the election of President Barack Obama. In 2008, he advocated a full repeal during his election campaign. Following is a YouTube video of President Obama speaking on this issue:
In 2010 the House of Representatives passed an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011 that would repeal DADT. When this measure was stalled in the Senate, a stand-alone bill for repeal was introduced in that body. The House passed a stand-alone bill with identical language on December 15, 2010. Following a successful closure vote in the Senate on December 18, 2010, the bill was passed. It is expected that President Obama will sign the bill into law this coming week.
Under Don't Ask Don't Tell (DADT) the United States military was prohibited from attempting to discover or reveal closeted gay, lesbian, and bisexual service members or applicants. The policy continued to bar those who are openly gay, lesbian, or bisexual from military service. This policy prohibited people who, according to the language used in it, "demonstrate a propensity or intent to engage in homosexual acts" from serving in the armed forces of the United States. It said that such persons "would create an unacceptable risk to the high standards of morale, good order and discipline, and unit cohesion that are the essence of military capability."
DADT also prohibited any homosexual or bisexual person from disclosing his or her sexual orientation or from speaking about any homosexual relationships, including marriages or other familial attributes, while serving in the United States armed forces.It specified that service members who either disclosed their homosexuality or engaged in homosexual conduct would discharged from the service except when a service member's conduct was "for the purpose of avoiding or terminating military service" or when it "would not be in the best interest of the armed forces."
The policy was introduced in 1993 by President Bill Clinton. He campaigned on the promise to allow all citizens to serve in the military regardless of sexual orientation, but reached what he saw as a compromise with an uncooperative congress. At the time, homosexuality was prohibited in the military. Persons who engaged in homosexual acts or stated that they are homosexual or bisexual were discharged from the service. Here is a YouTube video of President Clinton announcing the policy in 1993:
Efforts to repeal the policy increased following the election of President Barack Obama. In 2008, he advocated a full repeal during his election campaign. Following is a YouTube video of President Obama speaking on this issue:
In 2010 the House of Representatives passed an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011 that would repeal DADT. When this measure was stalled in the Senate, a stand-alone bill for repeal was introduced in that body. The House passed a stand-alone bill with identical language on December 15, 2010. Following a successful closure vote in the Senate on December 18, 2010, the bill was passed. It is expected that President Obama will sign the bill into law this coming week.