You are here: Home » Featured » Rep. Skelton Doesn’t Want To Disrupt Military By Repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell

Rep. Skelton Doesn’t Want To Disrupt Military By Repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell

01/29/10-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
Representative Ike Skelton believes that Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell should not be repealed because it would cause too much stress on the military in a time of war. What Skelton never quite answers in his objection to repealing the law is what effect how does loosing thousands of able bodied troops under this law help the military? While some conservative groups are opposed to ending the law, the majority of Americans are in favor of scrapping it. As many as three quarters of those who have been polled believe that it is time to end DADT, as the law is known.

“We’re in the middle of two wars. And I don’t want anything that is disturbing or upsetting to the troops,” the Missouri Democrat said to reporters in Kansas City. Skelton stated that he plans on having a subcommittee hold hearings regarding this issue, but it is not clear when. Senator Carl Levin, Skelton’s Senate counterpart, has already scheduled hearings regarding DADT for 2 February. Skelton is currently the chair of the House Armed Services Committee.

“We ask people to lie about their orientation, serve silently and compromise their honor and integrity on a daily basis. And it’s time for this to stop,” Beth Schissel stated regarding Skellton’s announcement. She was discharged from the military for being lesbian. She and a group of activists and politicians protested Skelton’s announcement.

Many LGBT Americans have been vocally disappointed that President Barack Obama was unwilling to push for a fast solution to discharges under DADT such as issuing an executive order stopping discharges until after the law was repealed; however, they did applaud his mentioning of DADT in his State of the Union speech.

Currently, Representative Skelton is siding with Senator John McCain. Many Democrats, including Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Representative Joe Sestak are oppose to the law and want Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell repealed. Sestak is a former Admiral, and has testified before his own party regarding the deleterious effects of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. The Military Readiness Enhancement Act is intended to repeal DADT.

Skelton is in middle of debate on ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’