'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Report Set for Release Today

Many of us in the LGBT community are waiting to see the details of the Pentagon's report on the repeal of DADT. Likewise, our principal enemies are waiting and fearful that the report may make it more difficult to retain the religious based discrimination which is the essence of DADT and which the gay-haters love to cite as a justification for their own anti-gay bigotry. Also watching and waiting, of course, are closeted gay teens across the country who like so many must be hoping that this vile policy is close to its final death rattles. Frankly, I worry that the failure of repeal to happen - even though supported according to polls by a significant majority of Americans - may send some folks over the edge since it will certainly under cut the "it gets better" meme. Obviously, repeal of DADT would be a huge deal in this heavily military area where LGBT servicemembers often live in fear daily. Here are highlights from the Washington Post on the impending release of the report:
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The report is expected to be released around midday, according to sources. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen and the report's co-authors, Defense Department General Counsel Jeh C. Johnson and Army Gen. Carter Ham, will meet with reporters shortly after its release.
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President Obama is expected to receive a copy of the report today and will certify its findings along with Gates and Mullen. He met Monday with members of the Joint Chiefs to discuss the report, according to White House officials who did not provide further details.
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The report is likely to enrage advocates for and against ending the ban, at least in part, but still provide enough fodder for their arguments.
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"It is likely that there will be some useful information in the report," said Elaine Donnelly, executive director of the Center for Military Readiness, a group opposed to ending the ban. Her group and other social conservatives plan to analyze the report and assign it letter grades based on factual accuracy, whether it fairly included the viewpoints of concerned troops and how Johnson and Ham reached their conclusions.
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Human Rights Campaign warned Monday against further delay. "The issues of gays serving openly in the military has been studied for 50 years, including by the military itself, always finding that letting known gays serve does not harm the military," the group said in a memo to reporters. . . . . "The relevant question is not whether some troops don't feel like serving with open gays, but whether doing so harms readiness, and the research shows it does not."
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Passage of the bill depends on securing support from a mix of 10 moderate senators of both parties who are waiting to read the report and hear from military leaders before deciding how to vote. Already Sens. Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) have signaled support, while Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), John Ensign (R-Nev.), James Webb (D-Va.) and others may join repeal efforts by week's end.
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Failing to vote on the issue would put the Senate at odds with a majority of Americans. A Pew Research Center poll released Monday once again found that most Americans support allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military.