Less than one week ago, President Barack Obama stood in front of America and said the magic words — words he has said many times before, but words this time we believed: “This year, I will work with Congress and our military to finally repeal the law that denies gay Americans the right to serve the country they love because of who they are.”
Many of us believed that was that, especially when just a day later, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said he would have a major announcement at Tuesday’s hearing in front of Carl Levin’s Senate Armed Services Committee hearing.
Now, mere hours before Secretary Gates’ testimony and announcement, we learn the following:
“Defense Secretary Robert Gates is expected to name a team of advisers to recommend steps the U.S. military should take to comply with an eventual repeal of its “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy…” (Reuters)
Then there’s this via The Washington Post:
“[Gates will announce the] military will no longer aggressively pursue disciplinary action against gay service members whose orientation is revealed against their will by third parties.”
And then, here’s the bombshell:
“But Gates and Mullen are also expected to tell senators that it could take years to integrate gay men and lesbians fully into the military, defense officials said. Two appointees will be named to oversee a group that will draw up plans for integrating the armed forces, according to sources familiar with the Pentagon’s deliberations on the subject. The planning effort is expected to take up to a year.”
Up to a year. Just to plan the repeal. To say nothing of implementing it.
The Post continues:
“Among the issues to be addressed by the group: whether gay soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines will face any restrictions on exhibiting their sexual orientation on the job; whether the Pentagon will be obligated to provide for their domestic partners; and whether straight military personnel could be compelled to share quarters with gays.”
And then this point, which so points to exactly points to the military’s backward point of view and approach:
“I don’t think anyone is underestimating the seriousness of the issue, or the complexity of it,” said a senior military official.”
Underestimating?
How about overestimating? The military is way over-estimating the effects.
Here’s what they need to do.
1. Your Commander In Chief has now ordered that sexual orientation and gender identity are not issues we will be concerned with. That’s an order.
2. No one will be harassed or treated in any different manner for their sexual orientation or gender identity. That’s an order.
3. No one will be kicked out or reassigned because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. That’s an order.
4. The above is effective immediately.
See how easy that was? And yet the military, bless their hearts, is, as John Aravosis mentions, talking about gay marriage, segregated showers, and waiting until we’re out of Iraq.
“There is no gay marriage at the federal level, and DOMA forbids the federal government from providing marriage benefits. So why is DOD even bringing up gay marriage…”
One point, however. Aravosis is saying that WhiteHouse.gov talks about “changing” DADT instead of repealing it. I believe many months ago that “tweak” was made, but I’ve been watching WhiteHOuse.gov for a while and I see everything consistently calls for repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
But then, everything you read on the Internets is true…