National Media Follows the Latest on Proposed ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Repeal
March 18, 2010
This morning, the Senate Armed Services Committee held an informal hearing on ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ where they heard testimony from Former U.S. Navy Lieutenant Junior Grade Jenny Kopfstein and Air Force Major Mike Almy, both Iraq/Afghanistan veterans who explained the detrimental effect of the current law on the strength of their units and their own lives.
Servicemembers Legal Defense Network executive director Aubrey Sarvis stated in this morning’s press release, “Not only did they explain how the archaic ban is harming military preparedness, but they illustrated the generational divide on the issue” – referring to the opposing stance of some older members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
In testimony before the same committee just two days ago, however, General David Petraeus said “the time has come to consider a change” to the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy, according to CBS News. With these sentiments, Gen. Petraeus joins the ranks of Adm. Michael Mullen, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, and Gen. Colin Powell calling for a thorough review of the policy.
On the Senate floor, the historic bill Military Readiness Enhancement Act authorizing the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ introduced by Senators Joseph Lieberman and Carl Levin has picked up 25 cosponsors in two weeks.
Across town this afternoon, ABC News reported that Lieutenant Dan Choi and Captain James Pietrangelo II chained themselves to the front gate of the White House in protest of the policy, resulting in their arrest – which ABC News captured on video.
GLAAD will continue to keep you updated on mainstream media coverage of the push to repeal ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’.
Related Posts:UPDATE: Military Board Recommends Dismissal of Lt. Dan Choi
July 1, 2009
On Tuesday, a military administrative board recommended that Lt. Dan Choi – Iraq war veteran, Arabic linguist, and member of the LGBT service member’s organization Knights Out – be discharged from the National Guard under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”. The panel of military administrators heard Choi’s testimony and, after four hours of deliberation, submitted their recommendation.
Lt. Choi became one of the leading advocates for the repeal of DADT after coming out in March in the Army Times newspaper and on The Rachel Maddow Show.
In a statement to MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show, Lt. Choi responded to the decision saying, “I’m disappointed but I need to send a message to my soldiers that if you get knocked down, get yourself back up and keep fighting. What kind of officer or leader would I be if I gave up?”
Lt. Choi’s case now goes to the First Army commander and the chief of the National Guard Bureau for review. If discharged, Lt. Choi will become the 266th service member to be dismissed under DADT since President Obama took office in January 2009.
News of Lt. Choi’s dismissal comes after a slew of media coverage of DADT in the past week:
Defense Secretary Robert Gates issued a statement indicating that he wants to make the implementation of DADT “more humane” until Congress can address its possible repeal. Secretary Gates stated he has lawyers studying ways the law might be “selectively enforced.”
The White House also issued this response to a question regarding the timetable for the repeal of the policy:
Lt. Col. Victor Fehrenbach appeared on Tuesday’s CNN Newsroom to discuss his own pending dismissal. The 19-year veteran spoke with President Obama at this week’s White House reception celebrating the 40th anniversary of Stonewall. Although the Lt. Col. was hopeful for President Obama’s movement on DADT, he did not appear as hopeful for his own pending case:
“I think that I may end up being discharged at the end of the day, but if the law’s repealed, then that’s—that’s for the greater good. I hope that, if it is repealed, then maybe I can come right back in the military and finish out my career.”
On Monday’s Hardball with Chris Matthews, Chuck Todd interviewed openly gay Rep. Jared Polis of Colo. During the interview, Rep. Polis voiced his support for the repeal of DADT saying:
“Really, the only area where I have seen any disagreement over this is under the Capital dome. I think we need to make a lot of progress on that. The American people and the military are more than ready.”
Keith Olbermann brought on writer and LGBT advocate Dan Savage on Countdown to discuss President Obama’s addressing of DADT during the White House reception in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots.
Savage brought up the interesting comparison between Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano’s suspension of the “widower’s penalty” – a policy which requires the deportation of non-citizen widowers of U.S. citizens – to the reluctance of the Obama administration to halt DADT dismissals. Savage sarcastically joked, “[Napolitano] seems to have authorities and powers that the President, her boss, Commander-in-Chief does not.”
We’ll keep you updated as Lt. Choi’s case progresses.
Related Posts:Media Spotlights ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ as Congresswoman Reintroduces Legislation to Lift the Ban
March 4, 2009
This week U.S. Representative Ellen O. Tauscher of California introduced legislation to repeal the ban on allowing qualified gay and lesbian people to serve openly in the armed forces. The bill is called The Military Enhancement Readiness Act.
This action prompted sizable national mainstream news and blog coverage including a feature story on CNN’s The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer and two segments by MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow.
On Monday, Maddow reported:
“The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network says an average of two people get kicked out of the military under ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ every single day. Their research indicates that three thousand men and women every year decide not to enlist or not to re-enlist because of this law.”
Last night, Maddow interviewed Dr. Nathaniel Frank, a Senior Research Fellow at the Palm Center and author of the book Under Fire: How the Gay Ban Undermines the Military and Weakens America. You can check out the clip below:
In addition to the television coverage Politico’s Jen Dimascio posted an item about the issue which unfortunately played up the potential “controversy” this bill could create for President Obama, while leaving out key polling data that shows overwhelming public support for repealing the military ban.
A July 2008 ABC News/Washington Post poll found that 75 percent of Americans favor allowing gays to serve openly in the military – up from 44 percent in 1993. And a December 2008 Harris Interactive Poll commissioned by GLAAD found that almost two-thirds (64%) of U.S. adults favor allowing openly gay military personnel to serve in the armed forces.
The San Francisco Chronicle gave the issue sizable coverage in both a news piece and an editorial. The news article provided a comprehensive overview of the issue, quoting Representative Tauscher as saying, “I believe that this is one of the last civil rights battles we have in this country.” The San Francisco Chronicle editorial strongly criticized the ban and urged its repeal.
“A Government Accountability Office report found that the policy had chased out 12,000 troops since its inception. Nearly 800 were considered especially valuable to the Pentagon, including 300 critically needed specialists in Arabic and other languages. This exclusion came as the military attempted to fill its ranks by lowering standards and admitting noncitizens. The rule has backfired to the nation’s detriment.”
Steve Ralls, Communications Director for Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), wrote an excellent critique on the issue for The Huffington Post, arguing that countries around the world have lifted such bans with no problems and the United States is lagging far behind on this issue.
And finally the blog PageOneQ weighed in on the issue, focusing on a March 3 breakfast briefing by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi with progressive bloggers and writers. PageOneQ reports that Pelosi is not setting a date for the House to consider the measure but said it is a priority “when we have the votes.”
Pelosi also told progressive writers and bloggers that Hate Crimes and Employment Non-Discrimination legislation are top priorities as well as the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.
From Page One Q:
“‘The American people want us to have the best defense possible,’ she said and then listed a number of prominent retired senior military officers and politicians who have supported the repeal or a review of the law, including former chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, John Shalikashvili, former Secretary of State Colin Powell and former Senator Sam Nunn.”
Whether the legislation goes to the House floor this year or not the story is likely to get more media play in the months ahead. GLAAD encourages fair coverage that avoids overstating any so-called “controversy” about the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” and includes polling data that shows the huge growth in public support for allowing gay and lesbian people to serve openly in the U.S. armed forces.
