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The military's backward policies on gays and lesbians

Below on this page: Soulforce protests "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy | Push to overturn "Don't Ask Don't Tell" | Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman calls homosexual acts immoral | In the News | Pentagon stops calling homosexuality a "disorder"

Push to overturn "Don't Ask Don't Tell"

Top Military Nominee: Gay Military Ban Up To Congress

by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff, August 1, 2007

(Washington) President Bush's nominee to head the Joint Chiefs of Staff told a Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearing that whether or not to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell", the ban on gays serving openly in the military, should be up to Congress. Continue.

Dodd Calls for a "Complete Repeal" of "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell"

The Hill, March 20, 2007

In this recent campaign video, Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) reacts to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Peter Pace’s remarks last week that homosexuality is immoral and his opposition to the "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" policy.

"At a time when we need to be recruiting some good, talented people," Dodd said, "At a time of war"the idea that we’d exclude a whole bunch of people that may otherwise qualify based on sexual orientation I think is wrong." Continue

Bill To Repeal 'DADT' To Be Introduced Next Week In Congress

by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff, February 22, 2007

(Washington) Congressman Marty Meehan (D-Mass.) announced Thursday he will reintroduce a bill next week to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" the law preventing gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military. Continue.

The Pentagon sings a different tune

Recent statements by retired general John Shalikashvili are a sure sign that attitudes inside the Pentagon are changing and that the military’s exclusion of out lesbian, gay, and bisexual Americans will soon end.

Commentary by Steve Ralls (director of communications for Servicemembers Legal Defense Network), Advocate.com, January 31, 2007

A recent New York Times op-ed by Gen. John Shalikashvili, the retired chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, quickly became the shot heard round the world in the debate over gays in the military. Shalikashvili, who was a staunch supporter of the ban in 1993, wrote that he now believes “that if gay men and lesbians served openly in the United States military, they would not undermine the efficacy of the armed forces” and concludes that “we must welcome the service of any American who is willing and able to do the job.”

The general’s remarks were not just a refreshing change of pace in the battle to repeal “don’t ask, don’t tell.” They were a sure sign that attitudes inside the Pentagon are changing and that the military’s exclusion of out lesbian, gay, and bisexual Americans will soon end. Continue.

Former Defense Secretary Joins Call For End To DADT

by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff, January 3, 2007

(Washington) Former Secretary of Defense William Cohen is the latest high profile person to call for an end to the ban on gays serving openly in the military.

"It’s time to start thinking about it and starting to discuss it," Cohen told CNN. Continue.

Second Thoughts on Gays in the Military

Op-Ed By John M. Shalikashvili, January 2, 2007

Shalikashvili, who supported the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy against gays in the military when he was Bill Clinton's chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, writes in this op-ed that he now supports lesbians and gays serving openly in the military. But he advises postponing legislation to overturn the discriminatory policy until later in the legislative year in order to avoid divisiveness. Click here.

Constitutional Experts Call For Overturn Of Ban On Gays In Military

by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff, November 27, 2006

(Boston, Massachusetts) Ten of the nation's leading constitutional law experts have told a federal court that it should grant an appeal of a lower court's dismissal of a lawsuit challenging "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" the ban on gays serving openly in the military.

The professors, including Akhil Reed Amar of Yale Law School, Andrew Koppelman, a Professor of Law at Northwestern Law School and Visiting Professor of Law at the University of Chicago Law School and Kathleen M. Sullivan the former Dean at Stanford Law School, filed a brief Monday in support of twelve military veterans battling DADT. Continue.

Congress Has Power to Bar Homosexuals from Military, Says Observer -- Not the Courts

Chad Groening, Agape Press, December 4, 2006

A Michigan-based military watchdog says she's not surprised that openly homosexual Congressman Barney Frank intends to once again try to push through legislation aimed at repealing the ban on homosexual men and women serving in the military. But she also doesn't think the new liberal-led Congress will go along with it.

Elaine Donnelly, president of the Center for Military Readiness (CMR) in the Detroit suburb of Livonia, says she was recently watching a television news program featuring the Massachusetts lawmaker. The self-identified homosexual, she says, offered up comments about legislation to repeal the law that was passed in 1993 barring homosexuals from military service. Continue

Soulforce protests "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy

More Arrests As Military Gay Protests Spread To Florida

by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff, October 7, 2006

(Tampa, Florida) A national campaign opposing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" the ban on gays serving openly in the military saw four of its members arrested Friday in a small community east of Tampa.

As demonstrators marched in front of a military recruiting office at a mall in Brandon four members of the group entered the building an attempted to enlist in the Navy.

They were told that gays and lesbians cannot serve under the Clinton-era law and asked to leave. When they refused the recruiting officer stepped outside and waved to a police officer in a patrol car who had been monitoring the protest. Continue.

Right To Serve Campaign arriving in Los Angeles

Right to Serve Campaign, Los Angeles, September 2006

Tuesday, September 26, 2006 College and High school students, church members, LGBT organization members, previously discharged service-members, and activists alike are going to a military recruitment center in Los Angeles to protest the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy of the military. A youth-led action, gay, lesbian, and bi-sexual young adults will attempt to enlist while being open about their sexual orientation and when they are rejected because of it, their supporters will sit-in to protest the government-sanctioned discrimination.

To find out more visit the website, www.righttoserve.org and www.soulforce.org. Everyone is welcome, to be a part of the action contact righttoservela@gmail.com.

9 DADT Protestors Arrested In N.C.

by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff, September 21, 2006

(Greensboro, North Carolina) Nine people were arrested Thursday at a military recruiting station in Greensboro, North Carolina where they were protesting the military ban on gays serving openly.

The demonstrators were all members of the Right to Serve campaign organized by the LGBT nondenominational group Soulforce. Continue.

Openly gay woman tries to enlist in Army as protest of policy

AP, Advocate.com, September 15, 2006

The possibility of arrest served to curtail a protest against the U.S. military's policy on gay soldiers. Nichole Rawls, 27, tried to enlist at an Army recruiting office in northwest Norman, Okla., on Wednesday, but a police officer who arrived there told Rawls and others participating in the demonstration that they could be arrested if they stayed at the office after being asked to leave.

"I am aware of the Army's 'don't ask, don't tell' policy, but I don't agree with it. I want to serve my country, but I am not willing to hide who I am in order to do so," said Rawls, a Shawnee resident who is openly lesbian. Continue.

DADT Protests Spread

by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff, August 31, 2006

(Madison, Wisconsin) Three young gay men have been refused enlistment in the Army when they attempted to join at a recruitment center in Madison, Wisconsin on Wednesday in the latest of a national protest campaign against "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," the ban on gays serving openly in the military.

Derek House, John Alaniz, and Justin Hager said they wanted to follow in the footsteps of relatives who have served in the armed forces but that they were not prepared to return to closet to do so.

The three are members of Souflorce, an LGBT nondenominational group that is staging demonstrations against DADT nationwide. Continue

Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Peter Pace calls homosexual acts immoral

Top general calls homosexuality 'immoral'

By Aamer Madhani, The Chicago Tribune, March 12, 2007

Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Monday that he supports the Pentagon's "don't ask, don't tell" ban on gays serving in the military because homosexual acts "are immoral," akin to a member of the armed forces conducting an adulterous affair with the spouse of another service member.

Responding to a question about a Clinton-era policy that is coming under renewed scrutiny amid fears of future U.S. troop shortages, Pace said the Pentagon should not "condone" immoral behavior by allowing gay soldiers to serve openly. He said his views were based on his personal "upbringing," in which he was taught that certain types of conduct are immoral.

"I believe homosexual acts between two individuals are immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts," Pace said in a wide-ranging discussion with Tribune editors and reporters in Chicago. "I do not believe the United States is well served by a policy that says it is OK to be immoral in any way. Continue.

Gen. Pace: Don't focus on 'personal moral views'

AP, USA TODAY, March 14, 2007

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon's top general said Tuesday he should not have voiced his personal view that homosexuality is immoral and should have just stated his support for the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy in an interview that has drawn criticism from lawmakers and gay-rights groups.

The written statement by Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, did not apologize for his stance on homosexuality. In a newspaper interview Monday, Pace likened homosexual acts to adultery and said the military should not condone it by allowing gays to serve openly in the armed forces. Continue.

SLDN Condemns Joint Chiefs Chairman and Demands Apology for Remarks About Gay Personnel

News release from Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, March 12, 2007

Washington, DC – Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) today strongly condemned remarks by General Peter Pace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, calling lesbian and gay personnel “immoral.” In an interview with The Chicago Tribune, Pace said that "I believe homosexual acts between two individuals are immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts.” He went on "It is inappropriate for the Chairman to condemn those who serve our country because of his own personal bias. He should immediately apologize for his remarks." Continue.

Defense secretary Gates sidesteps question on Pace apology

Associated Press, Advocate.com, March 20, 2007

Defense secretary Robert Gates declined to say Sunday whether the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff should apologize for his remark that homosexual acts are immoral or whether it was a slur on gay members of the armed forces. Marine Corps general Peter Pace made the remark last Monday in an interview with the Chicago Tribune. The next day, following criticism from several lawmakers and gay rights groups, Pace said he regretted having stated a personal opinion but did not apologize.

"I think General Pace has made pretty clear that he wished he had avoided his personal opinion," Gates said on Face the Nation on CBS. The secretary said he did not plan to ask Pace to do anything more in regard to the remark. Continue.

Jewish and Christian Leaders Deliver Letters of Support for Pace to Bush

News release from Faith and Action, March 15, 2007

WASHINGTON, Mar. 15 /Christian Newswire/ -- Representatives of the National Clergy Council, the Rabbinical Alliance of America, the Union of Orthodox Rabbis and the Christian Defense Coalition held a news conference in front of the White House on March 15 to urge President Bush to retain and support Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Gen. Peter Pace.

Gen. Pace expressed his personal view that homosexual acts and adultery were "immoral" during a newspaper interview on March 12 when asked about the U. S. military's policy of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" that allows gays to serve in the armed forces under the condition that their orientation remain private. Many homosexual activist groups have called on Pace to apologize and a few are seeking his resignation or removal. Continue.

Joint Chiefs Chairman Calls Homosexual Acts 'Immoral'

Gay-advocacy groups demand apology for general's remarks about

Stephen Adams, Citizen Link (Focus on the Family), March 13, 2007

Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the nation’s highest-ranking military officer, is taking unfriendly fire for calling homosexual acts "immoral" and likening them to heterosexual adultery.

"I believe that homosexual acts between individuals are immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts," Pace told the Chicago Tribune on Monday. "I do not believe that the armed forces of the United States are well served by saying through our policies that it’s OK to be immoral in any way. Continue

Push to protect Pace underway

Chad Groening, OneNewsNow.com (Focus on the Family), March 16, 2007

A pro-family organization [American Family Association] is encouraging citizens to e-mail President Bush in support of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Peter Pace.

Several homosexual groups are trying to force the Marine general out of the military because of recent comments. In an interview with the Chicago Tribune, Pace called homosexual acts immoral, and likened that lifestyle to adultery. He said the military should not condone homosexuality by allowing gays to serve openly in the armed services.Continue

Romney faulted for not defending general's comments on homosexuality

Jim Brown,OneNewsNow.com (Focus on the Family) via NewsBull.com, March 20, 2007

A former Republican presidential candidate says former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney has hurt his run for the White House by not supporting America's top general over remarks the military leader made that homosexual acts are "immoral."

Governor Romney told CNN's Larry King that the condemnation of homosexuality by Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman General Peter Pace was "inappropriate for the public discourse." Romney went on to say "in a governmental setting, the right way to go is to show more of an outpouring of tolerance."

Gary Bauer, who ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 2000, says Romney's decision not to back Pace was "a mistake" that will probably come back to bite him. Continue

In the News

Congress presses Pentagon on gay linguist dismissals

Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press, Advocate.com, May 24, 2007

Washington lawmakers who say the military has kicked out 58 Arabic linguists because they were gay want the Pentagon to explain how it can afford to let the valuable language specialists go.

Seizing on the latest discharges, involving three specialists, members of the House of Representatives wrote House Armed Services Committee chairman Ike Skelton that the continued loss of such ''capable, highly skilled Arabic linguists continues to compromise our national security during time of war.''

One sailor discharged in the latest incident, former petty officer 2nd class Stephen Benjamin, said his supervisor tried to keep him on the job, urging him to sign a statement denying that he was gay. He said his lawyer advised him not to sign it because it could be used against him later if other evidence ever surfaced. Continue.

Pentagon Advised To End Spying On Gay, Other Groups

by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff, April 26, 2007

(Washington) The new undersecretary for intelligence at the Department of Defense has recommended that the pentagon discontinue a controversial domestic surveillance program that was found to be spying on gay and anti-war groups.

The Threat and Local Observation Notices surveillance program, known as TALON, was launched in 2003 track and monitor domestic terror threats.

But it came under intense scrutiny after news reports revealed officials were collecting data on demonstrators and protestors, including those within the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Continue.

Federal Appeals Court To Hear DADT Challenge

by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff, March 1, 2007

(Boston, Massachusetts) A constitutional challenge to "Don't Ask, Don't Tell", the ban on gays serving openly in the military, will be heard next week by the First Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston.

The case comes as Congress considers lifting the ban that has resulted in the dismissal of more than 11,000 men and women over the past decade.

Twelve lesbian and gay veterans are suing the government, seeking reinstatement in the Armed Forces. They are represented by the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network. Continue.

Rice Pressed On Fired Gay Linguists

by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff, February 7, 2007

(Washington) Condoleezza Rice got a grilling Wednesday when she bemoaned "the foreign language deficit that we have" and how much the government needs Farsi and Arabic speakers during an appearance on Capitol Hill.

Rice was appearing before the House Foreign Affairs Committee justifying the State Department's proposed budget increases.

After she complained several times that the department was facing a problem finding translators an exasperated Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-NY) asked why the department had not hired any of the translators fired by the Pentagon because they are gay and lesbian. Continue.

New Poll Shows Military Personnel are Comfortable Serving with Gay Colleagues

News release, Service Members Legal Defense Network, December 18, 2006

WASHINGTON, DC – A new poll from Zogby International and the Michael D. Palm Center reveals that U.S. military personnel are increasingly comfortable serving with openly gay colleagues. The poll, released today, reveals that 73% of military members are comfortable with lesbians and gays. Nearly one in four (23%) service members report knowing for sure that someone in their unit is lesbian or gay, including 21% of those in combat units. Continue.

Gays In Military Warned Pentagon Snooping On Internet Usage

by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff, October 30, 2006

(Washington) LGBT military personnel are being cautioned about divulging personal information on the Internet following reports the Pentagon is monitoring what enlisted people do online.

The Army Web Risk Assessment Cell is monitoring official and unofficial blogs and other websites for anything that may compromise security. The team scans for official documents, personal contact information and pictures of weapons or entrances to camps.

But, warns the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, the information obtained could also be used under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" the ban on gays serving openly in the military. Continue.

'I Was Raped' Says Reichen

by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff, October 23, 2006

(New York City) Reichen Lehmkuhl has revealed for the first time that he was sexually assaulted by two fellow cadets while he was at the Air Force Academy in the early 1990s.

In a weekend interview with ABC News, Lehmkuhl said that homophobia was common at the Academy and little was done to combat it. He also said that while he felt forced to remain closeted because of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" a friend outed him. Continue.

Pentagon stops calling homosexuality a "disorder"

Pentagon Compares Homosexuality To Bedwetting

by The Associated Press, 365Gay.com, November 16, 2006

(Washington) Pentagon guidelines that classified homosexuality as a mental disorder now put it among a list of conditions or "circumstances" that range from bed-wetting to fear of flying.

The new rules are related to the military's retirement practices. The change does not affect the "don't ask, don't tell" policy that prohibits officials from inquiring about the sex lives of service members and requires discharges of those who openly acknowledge being gay. Continue.

Pentagon Apologizes For Calling Homosexuality A 'Disorder'

by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff, June 28, 2006

(Washington) The Pentagon on Wednesday apologized for classifying homosexuality as a mental disorder. Continue