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Wednesday, January 28, 2009
President Obama Pushes to Deliver on Gays in the Military
1. The Obama White House
Within minutes of the Inauguration, the White House website posted this:
Support for the LGBT Community
"Support Full Civil Unions and Federal Rights for LGBT Couples: President Obama supports full civil unions that give same-sex couples legal rights and privileges equal to those of married couples. Obama also believes we need to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and enact legislation that would ensure that the 1,100+ federal legal rights and benefits currently provided on the basis of marital status are extended to same-sex couples in civil unions and other legally-recognized unions. These rights and benefits include the right to assist a loved one in times of emergency, the right to equal health insurance and other employment benefits, and property rights.
- Oppose a Constitutional Ban on Same-Sex Marriage: President Obama voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment in 2006 which would have defined marriage as between a man and a woman and prevented judicial extension of marriage-like rights to same-sex or other unmarried couples.
- Repeal Don't Ask-Don't Tell: President Obama agrees with former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff John Shalikashvili and other military experts that we need to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" policy. The key test for military service should be patriotism, a sense of duty, and a willingness to serve. Discrimination should be prohibited. The U.S. government has spent millions of dollars replacing troops kicked out of the military because of their sexual orientation. Additionally, more than 300 language experts have been fired under this policy, including more than 50 who are fluent in Arabic. The President will work with military leaders to repeal the current policy and ensure it helps accomplish our national defense goals."
The White House statement advocating repeal of the 1993 law is straight out of the gay activists' playbook. The "key test" it mentions implies that there is a right to serve in the military. The truth is that sometimes there is an obligation, but there is no right to serve in the military. Many people who are capable and patriotic are not eligible for military service.
- The issue of discharges of homosexuals is addressed here.
- And the "Arabic linguist" issue is addressed in the July 23, 2008, testimony of Elaine Donnelly, on pages 23-25.
- With regard to family status and housing of gays in the military. It is entirely possible that if the 1993 law is repealed, the DoD could order acceptance of civil unions or something comparable to marriage so that there would be no "discrimination" against same-sex couples.
- In Britain, which is supposed to be our role model, same-sex couples are living in family housing, and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) is meeting with LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) activist groups to discuss ways to include transgenders in the military. Contrary to suggestions that all is well in the gay-inclusive British military, gay activists are working with the MoD to reduce what they call "bullying." Britain is having problems with recruiting, even though officials have allowed gay service members to march in uniform in gay parades. (See Donnelly's testimony, pages 17-18 and footnotes 41 and 42.)
- Comment of Interest: Fox News' Megyn Kelly, who was reporting from the Commander-in-Chief's Inaugural Ball, said that the active duty and wounded people who were present were largely supportive of the new president, Barack Obama. She pointedly mentioned, however, that more than a few military people told her that they did not agree that "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" should be repealed.
2. Congress
- According to Politico, the issue of gays in the military will be the first of five "Top Lobbying Fights to Expect" in this Congress. This report contradicts other claims that action on the repeal bill will not occur until 2010.
3. News Reports
Anna Mulrine of US News & World Report, in a January 16 article titled "Obama to Confront Limits on America's Overstretched Military" reports that the Pentagon is "well underway" with a plan to grow the ranks of the military. The plan is to increase the Army by 65,000 soldiers by 2010, bringing active duty forces to a total of 547,000. The Marine Corps plans to add 27,000 to its ranks, growing to 202,000 by 2011.
Due to poor economic conditions, recruiting and retention are presently meeting goals. And it is possible that passage of the Tauscher bill, which would invite homosexuals who were denied before to join-would attract an unknown number of professed homosexuals, including those who were discharged or denied induction before.
But has anyone thought about the cultural clash between American gay troops and Muslim allies in Iraq and Afghanistan? Training Muslim troops is part of the job-how will the culture clash work in the field?
The American military has modified many American practices and customs to avoid giving offense. Will the military have to exempt gay soldiers from deployment to these areas? Or will they operate with additional stress that undermines trust and the training mission? These are only a few of the many questions that President Barack and members of Congress need to think through.
4. Message from the Field
The "Confidential Contact" feature on this website offers a way for active duty men and women to communicate with CMR in confidence. On January 15, we received this message from a serviceman in the field. His message is important and being conveyed to people in a position to make a difference.
"Ms. Elaine Donnelly:
I am writing you again to let you know that I am following this military personnel/social issue as closely as I can. Myself and the majority of my fellow Captains that I talk with about this issue are in agreement that the law needs to remain in place and be enforced. Quite frankly I am a little taken back of the notion that we could have an open acceptance of homosexuality in the U.S. Military. Whatever happened to morals and social boundaries?
I am praying that good decent people make the right decisions regarding this issue. This issue has far reaching implications for our military and our entire nation. I am saddened to see our nation slowing degrade its moral authority.
I thank you for standing up and protecting our military. I hope that my Generals will do the same. We are going to need a very large movement of the American people calling and writing their representatives in Congress about this issue."
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Interested readers, including members of the military, are invited to comment through the "Confidential Contact" site on this website, www.cmrlink.org. Nothing in the CMR SITREP Blog is intended to aid or hinder elections or the passage of legislation before Congress.
Monday, January 26, 2009
LGBT Left Pressing Obama for Gays in the Military
1. Military Times Poll Setback for Gay Rights Activists
The year 2009 brought an unexpected setback to gay activists who are determined to repeal the 1993 law making homosexuals ineligible for military service. In an article for National Review Online titled Military Times Poll: Troops Oppose Gay Agenda for the Military, CMR President Elaine Donnelly analyzed strong opposition to repeal of the law among the current active-duty forces.
For the fourth year in a row, 58% of active duty Military Times subscribers (almost 2,000 in the 2008 poll) indicated support for current law. In response to a new survey question, 10% of respondents said that if the 1993 law is repealed, they would not re-enlist. Another 14% said that they would consider ending their careers.
This PDF shows the original Military Times article, complete with graphs, and Elaine Donnelly's letter to the editor that translated those percentages into potential numbers. As the letter published in the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps Times notes, the 2008 survey is not an exact prediction, but personnel losses anywhere close to those indicated by the Military Times poll would devastate the volunteer force.
2. Pressure on the Joint Chiefs
Several articles have reported that organizations pushing for repeal plan to apply pressure on the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). They are hoping that one of the chiefs will say something-anything-that could be interpreted as support for their cause:
- In a Nov. 25, 2008 article titled "Obama Team Denies it will Delay 'Don't Ask,' Repeal", the Washington Blade reported that "A member of Barack Obama's transition team is denying media reports that the president-elect has decided to delay efforts to repeal 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' until 2010." An Obama transition team spokesperson, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said decisions on how to proceed would be made after more experts have joined the Obama administration. Translation: Gay activists are recommending "experts" for appointment to key mid- to high-level positions. These officials will be in place to push the gay agenda when Bush Defense Secretary Robert Gates steps down and is replaced with President Obama's own man.
- Lawrence Korb, who has been campaigning for gays in the military for years, has suggested that the Pentagon should set up some sort of study group that would make recommendations on personnel issues, including the gay ban. Such a "study," of course, would have a pre-determined outcome. Another option may be the commissioning of a pre-determined RAND report, similar to the discredited one that RAND produced in 1993.
- A December 22, 2008, National Public Radio interview titled "Will Obama Press to End DADT?", quoted Aubrey Sarvis of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) saying, "I would say, continue to reach out to the Pentagon and the Joint Chiefs to seek a favorable recommendation from them for the House bill."
- Newsweek (Jan. 12, 2009) has reported that Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen is under intense pressure from California liberal Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher, who "has held long talks on gays and the military with Mullen and other members of the joint staff. She says they understand how times have changed. "'They don't want to find themselves crosswise with the new commander in chief.'"
- In 1993, a Defense Department Working Group was charged to come up with recommendations to implement Bill Clinton's plans for professed gays in the military. White House advisors George Stephanopoulos and Counsel Bernard Nussbaum coordinated the project and other activities so that Bill Clinton could deliver on his campaign promises. Working Group members met with gay activists to get their advice. Only when the Washington Times reported on the closed door meetings did the Working Group invite opposing voices, including Elaine Donnelly, to speak to them. Days later Donnelly and the others learned that the Working Group had already completed its flawed report recommending the flawed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) concept.
2. Congress
- Activists for repeal have told some reporters that the Obama administration and liberals might back off a bit on the Tauscher legislation. Others have correctly reported that the cause of gays in the military remains a top priority.
- This article in Agence France Presse, titled "Obama Era Expected to End Taboo on Gays in US Military", and featured on the Drudge Report on January 7, quoted several advocates who showed no sign of letting up on their drive for gays in the military. It also quoted Obama's Transition website indicating that the administration will try to impose a pure "civil rights" ideology on the military that would assign special rights to homosexuals.
3. The Obama Transition Team & Administration
On Friday, January 9, the incoming White House Press Secretary, Thomas Gibbs, responded to a question from "Thaddeus" who asked, "Is the new administration going to get rid of the 'don't ask, don't tell' policy? Said Gibbs, "Thaddeus, you don't hear a politician give a one-word answer much, but it's 'Yes.'"
On the now-closed website www.change.gov there was a spot called "Your Seat at the Table." According to lists posted under "Civil Rights," representatives of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the largest gay activist group in the country, met with the Transition Team on Dec. 5, Dec. 8, Dec. 10, and Jan. 6. The Dec. 10 meeting included a host of like-minded gay activist groups, including the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN).
Media people keep repeating the "spin" that Obama is trying to avoid the "mistakes" of Clinton in pushing too hard and too soon for gays in the military. The Transition Team records, to the contrary, indicate that he is doing more than Clinton-the only difference being that meetings are behind closed doors instead of in the open, with Washington Post photos of gay activists meeting with the president in the Oval Office.
4. Administration Nominations/Appointees
Leaders of opposition groups are meeting with high-level members of the Obama Transition Team and pushing hard for the appointment of people who support their causes. The Washington Times recently reported that some activists want the administration to appoint the first Secretary of the Navy who is openly gay. Donnelly's NRO article on that possibility appears here: Military Nominees and the Homosexualist Agenda
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Interested readers, including members of the military, are invited to comment through the "Confidential Contact" site on this website, www.cmrlink.org. Nothing in the CMR SITREP Blog is intended to aid or hinder elections or the passage of legislation before Congress.
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