[Vision2020] Ex-Generals, Admirals: Repeal Policy on Gays

Wed Nov 19 10:14:49 PST 2008

I don't know and don't care. They all served and should be honored. I do not see any point in highlighting any group, be they, gay, irish , cathodic, moslem, etc
Roger
-----Original message-----
From: Tom Hansen thansen at moscow.com
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:05:38 -0800
To: keely emerinemix kjajmix1 at msn.com,  vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Ex-Generals, Admirals: Repeal Policy on Gays

> Question, Visionaires -
> 
> Of the 58,195 names on the Vietnam Wall, how many do you figure belong to 
> gay/homosexual soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines?
> 
> Pro patria,
> 
> Tom "straight, but not narrow" Hansen
> Moscow, Idaho
>  
> "Patriotism is not a short and frenzied outburst of emotion but the 
> tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime." 
>  
> -- Adlai E. Stevenson, Jr. 
> 
> 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > No, I haven't been in the military and I don't pretend to be an expert
> on>  its affairs, but many heterosexual and homosexual veterans and current
> s> ervice members believe this to be a bad policy, and many of our nation's
> > finest live in fear of being found out.  It seems the question of "should
> g> ays serve in the military?" is ridiculous, given that they always
> have,>  and have done so more often than not with distinction.
> > 
> > I hope these people who have served so admirably are heard by those
> > currently in charge and that lesbians and gay men in the military can
> > finally serve openly.  This "don't ask/don't tell" policy, and the
> > "keep it secret no matter what" one before it, is ludicrous. 
> > 
> > Keely
> > http://keely-prevailingwinds.blogspot.com/
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > > To: vision2020 at moscow.com
> > > From: thansen at moscow.com
> > > Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 22:41:29 +0000
> > > Subject: [Vision2020] Ex-Generals, Admirals: Repeal Policy on Gays
> > > 
> > > >From the Army Times at:
> > > 
> > > http://www.ArmyTimes.com
> > > 
> > > --------------------------------------------------
> > > 
> > > Ex-generals, admirals: Repeal policy on gays
> > > 
> > > By Brian Witte - The Associated Press
> > > Posted : Tuesday Nov 18, 2008 5:43:13 EST
> > >    
> > > ANNAPOLIS, Md. — More than 100 retired generals and admirals called
> M> onday 
> > > for repeal of the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy
> o> n gays so 
> > > they can serve openly, according to a statement obtained by The
> Associa> ted 
> > > Press.
> > > 
> > > The move by the military veterans confronts the incoming administration
> o> f 
> > > President-elect Barack Obama with a thorny political and cultural 
> issue 
> > > that dogged former President Bill Clinton early in his administration.
> > > 
> > > “As is the case with Great Britain, Israel, and other nations that
> > allow 
> > > gays and lesbians to serve openly, our service members are
> professional> s 
> > > who are able to work together effectively despite differences in
> race,>  
> > > gender, religion and sexuality,” the officers wrote.
> > > 
> > > While Obama has expressed support for repeal, he said during the 
> > > presidential campaign that he would not do so on his own — an
> indicatio> n 
> > > that he would tread carefully to prevent the issue from becoming a drag
> o> n 
> > > his agenda. Obama said he would instead work with military leaders to 
> > > build consensus on removing the ban on openly gay service members.
> > > 
> > > “Although I have consistently said I would repeal ‘don’t ask,
> don> ’t tell,’ 
> > > I believe that the way to do it is make sure that we are working 
> through
> > a 
> > > process, getting the Joint Chiefs of Staff clear in terms of what our 
> > > priorities are going to be,” Obama said in a September interview
> with>  the 
> > > Philadelphia Gay News.
> > > 
> > > Tommy Vietor, a spokesman for Obama’s transition team, declined
> com> ment.
> > > 
> > > The issue of gays in the military became a flash point early in the 
> > > Clinton administration as Clinton tried to fulfill a campaign promise
> to>  
> > > end the military’s ban on gays. His efforts created the current
> comprom> ise 
> > > policy — ending the ban but prohibiting active-duty service members
> fro> m 
> > > openly acknowledging they are gay.
> > > 
> > > But it came at a political cost. The resulting debate divided service 
> > > members and veterans, put Democrats on the defensive and provided
> canno> n 
> > > fodder for social conservatives and Republican critics who questioned 
> > > Clinton’s patriotism and standing with the military.
> > > 
> > > Retired Adm. Charles Larson, a four-star admiral and two-time 
> > > superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy who signed the statement with
> 10> 4 
> > > other retired admirals and generals, said in an interview that he
> belie> ved 
> > > Clinton’s approach was flawed because he rushed to change military
> cult> ure.
> > > 
> > > Larson said he hoped Obama would take more time to work with the
> Pentagon> .. 
> > > Joining Larson among the signatories was Clifford Alexander, Army 
> > > secretary under former President Jimmy Carter.
> > > 
> > > “There are a lot of issues they’ll have to work out, and I think
> th> ey’ll 
> > > have to prioritize,” Larson said, noting that the new
> administratio> n will 
> > > immediately face combat-readiness issues and budget concerns. “But I
> ho> pe 
> > > this would be one of the priority issues in the personnel area.”
> > > 
> > > The list of 104 former officers who signed the statement appears to
> signa> l 
> > > growing support for resolving the status of gays in the military. Last 
> > > year, 28 former generals and admirals signed a similar statement.
> > > 
> > > Larson, who has a gay daughter he says has broadened his thinking on
> th> e 
> > > subject, believes a generational shift in attitudes toward
> homosexualit> y 
> > > has created a climate where a repeal is not only workable, but also
> an>  
> > > important step for keeping talented personnel in the military.
> > > 
> > > “I know a lot of young people now — even people in the area of
> having>  
> > > commands of ships and squadrons — and they are much more tolerant,
> an> d 
> > > they believe, as I do, that we have enough regulations on the books
> t> o 
> > > enforce proper standards of human behavior,” Larson said.
> > > 
> > > The officers’ statement points to data showing there are about 1
> millio> n 
> > > gay and lesbian veterans in the United States, and about 65,000 gays
> > and 
> > > lesbians currently serving in the military.
> > > 
> > > The military discharged about 12,340 people between 1994 and 2007 for 
> > > violating the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, according to
> th> e 
> > > Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, a military watchdog group. The 
> > > number peaked in 2001 at 1,273, but began dropping off sharply after
> > the 
> > > Sept. 11 attacks.
> > > 
> > > Last year, 627 military personnel were discharged under the policy.
> > > 
> > > Political observers say that even though the issue may not be as 
> > > controversial as it was when Clinton addressed it, it’s impossible
> to>  
> > > forget what happened then.
> > > 
> > > Larry Sabato, a political scientist at the University of Virginia,
> sa> id 
> > > Obama is unlikely to tackle the issue early on. Sabato said he expects 
> > > Obama to focus on economic recovery and avoid risking the spark of a 
> > > distracting “brush fire” controversy at the outset.
> > > 
> > > “I can’t imagine that he will do this right in the beginning,
> given>  the 
> > > Clinton precedent,” Sabato said.
> > > 
> > > Aaron Belkin, who has studied the “don’t ask, don’t tell”
> pol> icy as 
> > > director of the Palm Center at the University of California at Santa 
> > > Barbara and organized the officers’ statement, said how Obama
> address> es 
> > > the issue will be the first test for the new president on gay rights.
> > > 
> > > “Everyone is going to be interested to see how he responds,”
> Belkin>  said.
> > > 
> > > --------------------------------------------------
> > > 
> > > Seeya round town, Moscow.
> > >  
> > > Tom Hansen
> > > Moscow, Idaho
> > >  
> > > "Patriotism is not a short and frenzied outburst of emotion but the 
> > > tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime." 
> > >  
> > > -- Adlai E. Stevenson,
> > > Jr.
> > > 
> > > ---------------------------------------------
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> > > 
> > > 
> > 
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> 
> 
> "Jesus was a community organizer and Poncius Pilate was a governor."
> 
> - Marilyn Trail, sister of Representative Tom trail (September 8, 2008)
> 
> ----
> 
> "We're a town of about 23,000 with 10,000 college students. The college 
> students are not very active in local elections (thank goodness!)."
> 
> - Dale Courtney (March 28, 2007)
> 
> 
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