Repeal of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Was a Bi Partisan Effort

"It is time to allow gay and lesbian Americans to serve their country openly." - Pres. Barack Obama

(WASHINGTON D.C.) - The United State Senate today voted to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. The House of Representatives had previously voted to end this policy and the bill will now go the President for his signature.

Many are hailing the landmark vote; comparing it to some of the nation's greatest civil rights struggles.

It did not take long for the Senate to abolish the Pentagon's "don't ask, don't tell" policy today which had been in place for 17 years, forcing gay and lesbian members of the armed forces to keep their sexual orientation private.

The vote was 65-31 vote. The LA Times says it came after a charged and sometimes vitriolic debate. They noted that the vote was surprisingly bipartisan, with eight members of the GOP joining Democrats in voting to repeal the policy enacted during the Clinton-era.

President Obama said Saturday, "It is time to recognize that sacrifice, valor and integrity are no more defined by sexual orientation than they are by race or gender, religion or creed."

Joe Solmonese, president of Human Rights Campaign which has battled the anti-gay ban for years, said, "Our government has sent a powerful message that discrimination, on any level, should not be tolerated."

Senator Jeff Merkley, a cosponsor of the legislation, issued the following statement.

“This is a victory for equal rights. And it is a victory for our national security as well. All men and women serving our nation should be able to do so without hiding who they are. And our nation is well served by utilizing the talents of all Americans.”

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Duh-Mann December 20, 2010 9:55 am (Pacific time)

Unless the UCMJ is revised, sodomy will still be a crime, and gays will still have to worry about being involved in illegal behaviors.

Duh-Mann December 20, 2010 9:52 am (Pacific time)

This certainly was a "bi" partisan effort! Just making a bit of a joke to lighten spirits... I personally don't care if gays are in the military, and they were open about it in the 1980s when I served. I do think that, logistically, it is going to be a nightmare, since you can't really expect straight men and women to want to be housed with openly gay men and women and you can't put the gays together, because that would be similar to a co-ed living arrangement.

Anonymous December 19, 2010 2:48 pm (Pacific time)

The empire building group have think tanks..now that the wars are getting unpopular, they bring up gays as a distraction. they sit at roundtables in their think tanks coming up with this stuff, and YOU buy it...http://www.infowars.com/the-cave-%E2%80%93-how-man-is-controlled/

Anonymous December 19, 2010 2:37 pm (Pacific time)

this is a distraction, and it seems to be working..Why are we not talking about why our military is even fighting in the middle east.FOR CORPORATIONS THAT ARE ROBBING US BLIND!! And for resources to build their evil domination...Or why soldiers are dieing of DU...or why so many women in the military are complaining about sexual assault etc..etc.. wake up.

Kevin December 19, 2010 12:39 pm (Pacific time)

It will be interesting what happens in the future. My brother-in-law is career military and said he expects as per the UCMJ that the law that covers Sodomy will be frequently applied even for those who engage in that behavior at locations away from military bases. Will congress or the Joint Chiefs try changing the Sodomy law? Then he speculates that those in infantry specialties may get out if their retirement is way down the line, and that recruitment into combat specialties may be tough quotas to fill. Will this cause the need for a draft?Big difference between knowing someone is gay and if one starts acting out as gay to get a response. Also, how about living arrangements and dependency allowances? Then you have different on post and off post clubs, will this cause problems? When people are drinking, things happen. Time will give us answers to the above and more.

Amanda December 19, 2010 1:34 am (Pacific time)

Finally! And if any in the upper echelon still have doubts, as reported, it sure made no difference with women in the services.Therefore, sexual orientation is nothing less than hypocracy

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Repeal of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Was a Bi Partisan Effort

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