Commentary....
'Don't ask, don't tell' must go
Too many valuable soldiers have been lost to this discriminatory policy.
By Joe Sestak, Congressman....Posted on Mon, Jul. 13, 2009 from his editorial in the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Last week, an Army board recommended that Lt. Daniel Choi be discharged from the Army National Guard under the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy. Choi - a West Point graduate, Arabic speaker, and Iraq veteran who has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to the nation's values - was the most recent example of the thousands of servicemen and women affected by the policy.
I understand that the military must follow the law as it's written. But Choi's discharge further underscores the need for President Obama and Congress to work together now to change this discriminatory policy.
In both the current and the previous Congress, I have been a cosponsor of legislation to repeal "don't ask, don't tell" and permit gay, lesbian, and bisexual service members to serve their nation openly, honestly, and honorably.
"Don't ask, don't tell" is discriminatory and detrimental to national security. It was a flawed compromise that should never have been enacted, and I continue to regret every instance of its enforcement I witnessed as an officer in the Navy.
During my 31 years in the military, I served alongside and in command of men and women of all backgrounds, beliefs, and identities who fought valiantly and selflessly. When a man or woman puts on a military uniform, he or she immediately assumes a commonality of purpose with all fellow service members. I cannot and will not turn my back on anyone who serves this nation honorably.
I can remember several instances when outstanding servicemen, with all the qualities I could ever ask for as a commanding officer, approached me about these issues. I did not want to lose any of these sailors. My only thought was that the nation needed their skills, talent, and patriotism.
Failing to treat everyone with the same level of dignity is counter to our national values and to the concept of brotherhood and sisterhood that is essential to the spirit of our armed forces. How can we say someone who went to war for his country doesn't deserve equal rights?
Since 1993, more than 11,000 men and women have been discharged from military service under the "don't ask, don't tell" policy. Rather than receiving the gratitude of their nation, they had their careers ruined and their reputations assailed.
I am not alone among former officers in wanting to end discrimination in our armed forces. Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff John Shalikashvili and more than 50 other retired generals and admirals believe it is time to end "don't ask, don't tell."
And the American people agree: 75 percent of the public favors repeal, according to a recent Washington Post report.
Moreover, our military is stretched to its limits by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. We face a persistent threat of terrorism. And our modern military depends on highly skilled, meticulously trained troops, ranging from front-line soldiers to computer technicians to linguists. It jeopardizes our national security to dismiss exceptional service members.
As evidenced in Israel and more than 20 other nations that allow openly gay service members, changing our policy will not negatively impact our military readiness.
There are those in the Washington establishment who say that, even though repealing "don't ask, don't tell" is a worthy cause, we cannot act on it in the short term because of political considerations. I am aware of the numerous challenges facing Congress, but I wholeheartedly reject this excuse.
I understand that time is of the essence as we work on long-overdue reforms of our health-care and energy policies. However, once critical legislation on those issues has been passed, we must address "don't ask, don't tell." I will fight to overturn the policy this year.
This is not akin to highway appropriations or the acquisition of one weapons system or another. It is a civil-rights issue that concerns the ideals on which our nation was founded, and it cannot be ignored.
It is a matter of equal justice under law, human rights, and the honor of America's fighting men and women. Our president - our commander in chief - must be with Congress at the forefront in overturning this discriminatory ban.
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This is why (one of the reasons) I will be volunteering to help Joe get elected from PA to the US Senate!
