News Reel

9/30/2009 4:12:36 PM

Joint Force Quarterly-By Om Prakash

Though the epigraphs echo arguments made against homosexuals serving openly in the Armed Forces, they are the words of Senator Richard Russell of Georgia and General Omar Bradley in opposition to Pr

Though the epigraphs echo arguments made against
homosexuals serving openly in the Armed Forces, they are the words of Senator Richard Russell of Georgia and General Omar Bradley in opposition
to President Truman's 1948 executive order
to racially integrate the U.S. military.
The discourse has gone beyond what is best for the
combat effectiveness of the military to become
a vehicle for those seeking both to retract and
expand homosexual rights throughout society.
It has used experts in science, law, budgeting,
and military experience in an effort to settle
an issue deeply tied to social mores, religion,
and personal values.
A turning point in the debate came in
1993. Keeping a promise made during his
campaign, President Bill Clinton attempted
to lift the ban on homosexuals serving in the
military. After strong resistance from the
leadership in both the Pentagon and Congress,
a compromise was reached as Congress passed
10 United States Code 654, colloquially
known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT).
This law, which allowed homosexuals to serve
as long as they did not admit their orientation,
survived the Clinton and Bush administrations
essentially unchanged. Repealing the
ban on homosexuals serving openly was also a
campaign promise of Barack Obama, though
his transition team stated that they did not
plan to tackle the issue until 2010. As this
debate reignites, it is worthwhile to reexamine
the original premises that went into forming
the DADT policy, explore the cost and effectiveness of the law, and finally, with 16 years of societal drift, revisit the premises on which it is based...to read more please click the link below.