Anti-Gay Activists Still Attack DADT Repeal As New Poll Finds Even Less Impact On Military

Anti-gay activist groups continue to attack the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, now almost two years into the repeal process, even as a new study finds even less impact on the military’s troops than original studies anticipated. 69% of America’s military troops report they have felt “no impact,” up from a 59% last year who anticipated, pre-repeal, they would feel no impact. Yet, anti-gay activists are still sticking to their guns, claiming in Pat Robertson fashion they never stated how long their dire predictions would take to come true.

READ: Top 10 “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” Repeal Lies That Never Came True

“Elaine Donnelly, head of the Center for Military Readiness, an organization that strongly opposes allowing gays, lesbians and bisexuals to serve in the military, said it’s still too soon to assess the full impact of repeal,” the Military Times noted, and added, “The Center for Military Readiness warned of ‘harmful consequences’ in the week after top Pentagon officials certified that the military was ready for repeal, as required by Congress.”

“No one predicted anything would happen immediately, so that prediction is true,” she said. “I’ve heard from military people who have no way of registering what they feel about this. They’re just quietly leaving, but they’re not leaving right away. No one predicted that they would.”

She noted that once the 2012 presidential election is past, the Obama administration could launch efforts to overturn laws such as the Defense of Marriage Act, which prevents same-sex couples from receiving federal marriage benefits, including those commonly available to military spouses.

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The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, in contrast, said repeal was “a significant step toward equality for all who want to serve their country in uniform,” one that would no longer force gay, lesbian and bisexual service members to “hide a part of themselves.”

But neither prediction is being realized, based on responses to the 2012 Military Times Poll from the 25 active-duty service members who indicated that they are gay, lesbian or bisexual.

Only one had come out of the closet at work since repeal; the rest either said their unit members knew about their orientation before repeal, or they continue to keep their orientation private.

The impact among heterosexual service members is also less significant than expected.

In the 2011 Military Times Poll, 59 percent of active-duty respondents said they did not believe they would be affected by the repeal. When service members were asked this year how they were affected after the repeal, 69 percent said they had felt no impact.

Although units where someone disclosed they are gay, lesbian or bisexual after repeal felt more of a change, 59 percent still said the repeal had no noticeable effect.

In addition, although 10 percent of 2011 respondents said they would be less likely to remain in military housing after DADT repeal, just 2 percent said this year that they moved.

In 2008 Donnelly said that lifting the ban would lead to “inappropriate passive/aggressive actions common in the homosexual community,” “forcible sodomy” and “exotic forms of sexual expression.”

In 2010, Donnelly added, “If this kind of agenda is forced on the Marine Corps, if it’s okay for the Marines, why is it not okay for the local school, the local marriage bureau, ultimately all of civilian life will be affected.”

Watch Elaine Donnelly in this video, below, from January, 2012, explain why gays should not be allowed to serve at all in the military. Forward to about 17:02 for her speech to start.