Gays in the Military

President Barack Obama has stated that he plans to advocate repeal of the policy and allow gay and lesbian people to serve openly in the armed forces, agreeing with Gen. Shalikashvili and stating that the U.S. government has spent millions of dollars replacing troops expelled from the military, including language experts fluent in Arabic.[25][26] In November, 2008, Obama advisers announced that his plans to repeal the policy may be delayed until as late as 2010, because Obama "first wants to confer with the Joint Chiefs of Staff and his new political appointees at the Pentagon to reach a consensus, and then present legislation to Congress."[27] In the interim, the Obama administration is defending "don't ask, don't tell" in court.[28]

In regards to this proposal, the Obama administration has stated that it is Congress, not the president, which has the authority to lift the ban. However, in May 2009, a committee of military law experts at the University of California at Santa Barbara[29] concluded that it is within the authority of the executive branch to discontinue the policy.[30]

In July, the White House and other Democrats allegedly pressured Florida Rep. Alcee Hastings to withdraw an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 2647) that would have prevented the military from using money to carry out the provisions of its don't ask, don't tell policy.[31]

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don't_ask,_don't_tell)

President Barack Obama has stated that he plans to advocate repeal of the policy and allow gay and lesbian people to serve openly in the armed forces, agreeing with Gen. Shalikashvili and stating that the U.S. government has spent millions of dollars replacing troops expelled from the military, including language experts fluent in Arabic.[25][26] In November, 2008, Obama advisers announced that his plans to repeal the policy may be delayed until as late as 2010, because Obama "first wants to confer with the Joint Chiefs of Staff and his new political appointees at the Pentagon to reach a consensus, and then present legislation to Congress."[27] In the interim, the Obama administration is defending "don't ask, don't tell" in court.[28]

In regards to this proposal, the Obama administration has stated that it is Congress, not the president, which has the authority to lift the ban. However, in May 2009, a committee of military law experts at the University of California at Santa Barbara[29] concluded that it is within the authority of the executive branch to discontinue the policy.[30]

In July, the White House and other Democrats allegedly pressured Florida Rep. Alcee Hastings to withdraw an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 2647) that would have prevented the military from using money to carry out the provisions of its don't ask, don't tell policy.[31]

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don't_ask,_don't_tell)

We the undersigned want equal rights in the U.S. military.

One of the practical effects of the military's 'don't ask, don't tell' policy is that gays are in constant fear of being outed while those who violate gays' privacy, or who even attack gays, are not treated seriously. Gays in the military are second-class citizens, no matter what they do or how well they serve our country.

The Arizona Daily Star reports on what Pvt. Kyle Lawson has had to endure:

For weeks, the 19-year-old Tucson native has been sleeping on a cot in his drill sergeants office to protect him from further attacks because he is gay. Hes already had his nose broken and says he also was threatened with a knife after a friend let Lawsons secret slip at a party attended by members of the 309th Military Intelligence Battalion, a training unit at Fort Huachuca 75 miles southeast of Tucson.

Lawson didn't out himself to the military, someone else did.

Lawson was punched in the face by a fellow 309th soldier at the off-post party on Oct. 29, according to a police report of the incident. The soldier told police Lawson made sexually suggestive remarks. Sierra Vista police Officer Darryl Scott, who investigated and laid a charge of felony aggravated assault, said in an interview that there was no provocation.

The Army chose not to prosecute the charge, for reasons fort officials say they are not at liberty to explain.

A week after the first attack, Lawson said a second soldier threatened him with a knife outside a barracks as word spread about his sexual orientation. Lawson said the soldiers who accosted him received little punishment from the Army. Fort Huachuca officials say neither case was mishandled.

Perhaps the cases weren't mishandled because it's not official Army policy to treat assaults on gay soldiers as worthy of the same treatment as assaults on straight soldiers? The first person who assaulted Lawson was not provoked, that's the official police conclusion, but evidently the soldier hasn't been seriously disciplined. Why? Maybe because the army doesn't think he did anything very wrong. Ditto with the one who threatened Lawson with a knife. Had they done the same things to a Jewish or black soldier, do you think their cases would have been handled the same?

After all, now Lawson is leaving the military, and isn't that part of the point? If it takes a few physical assaults and threats of grievous injury to get those queers out of the military, isn't that justified? (http://atheism.about.com/b/2006/01/11/gay-soldier-leaving-army-afraid-for-life.htm)