Over the weekend more disturbing remarks were made by Admiral Michael Mullen, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, and former Secretary of State Colin Powell that suggest that the Obama administration is going to break its campaign promise of repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Powell's comments are particularly ironic since at the time President Harry Truman integrated the military there were many racist whites who viewed blacks much the same way gays are viewed by homophobic bigots. Using Powell's analysis, Truman should not have made the move he did - waiting instead for the country to be ready for the change. Living around the military as I do, it is likely the most anti-change institution there is save perhaps the bitter old queens at the Vatican. First, here are highlights of Mullen's comments via the San Francisco Chronicle:*
The nation's top military officer said Sunday he has advised President Barack Obama to move "in a measured way" in changing the "don't ask, don't tell" policy that bans gays from serving openly in the military. . . . "I've had conversations with him about that. What I've discussed in terms of the future is I think we need to move in a measured way," Mullen said.
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Mullen said he has discussed with his staff what steps might be taken to implement a change in the policy. "I haven't done any kind of extensive review. And what I feel most obligated about is to make sure I tell the president, you know, my — give the president my best advice, should this law change, on the impact on our people and their families at these very challenging times," he said.
Mullen said he has discussed with his staff what steps might be taken to implement a change in the policy. "I haven't done any kind of extensive review. And what I feel most obligated about is to make sure I tell the president, you know, my — give the president my best advice, should this law change, on the impact on our people and their families at these very challenging times," he said.
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WTF does whether gays serve openly have to do with military families? And as for "challenging times," the military is now accepting recruits with criminal records and deficient education credentials rather than qualified gays which would seem to raise far greater issues for "our families." As for Powell, he made the following remarks:
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Former Secretary of State Colin Powell said on Sunday that the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy he helped craft should be revisited, but he would not go so far as to call for a full repeal of the compromise.
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"I was withholding judgment because the commanders of the armed forces of the United States and the Joint Chiefs of Staff need to study it and make recommendations to the president, and have hearings before the Congress before a decision is made," he added. "It is not just a matter of old generals who, you know, are just too high-bound. There are lots of complicated issues with respect to this, and I think all of those issues should be illuminated. And I hope that the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the commanders working with the secretary of defense will give this the greatest consideration and make their recommendation to the president and to the Congress."
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By not calling for full repeal, the former Secretary of State and prominent Obama endorser doesn't really do the Obama administration many favors. During the campaign, the president called for overturning "Don't Ask Don't Tell." But he has been slow to act since taking office, even as 250 military servicemen have been dismissed for disclosing their sexuality.
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In effect both men seem fine with continuing religious based legal discrimination against LGBT Americans. Has Powell forgotten how the Bible was used to justify slavery in the past? Both men disgust me.
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