Secretary of Defense to speak on Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell
Friday, January 29th, 2010Many within the gay community have written off Obama’s comments about repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT) this year. Now Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has announced that he will lay the Pentagon’s plan for repealing the unpopular policy next Tuesday, at a Senate Committee hearing.
DADT prevents military officials from directly asking servicemen or women about their sexual orientation, but does not prevent the military from discharging gay servicemen and women. The policy, which was instituted over fifteen years ago, forces those members of LGBT community who wish to serve their country, to do so in silence. It has long been criticized by the gay community, and increasingly by members of the military command as well. High ranking Pentagon officials have complained, off the record, that it is a failed policy.
Now they may have their chance to speak more publicly. The plan laid out by Secretary Gates on Tuesday will not be ambitious. Speaking on CNN he said the Pentagon will move “very, very cautiously” in implementing the repeal. However, already the language is shifting from “if” the policy is repealed to “when”.
Martin Luther King once said, “The arc of history is long, but it bends towards justice.” For the many patriotic gay men and women who have served our country, and for those who still do, the arc of history is finally bending their direction.
