You are here: Home » Featured » White House Source Doubts That Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Will Be Repealed This Year

White House Source Doubts That Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Will Be Repealed This Year

01/29/10-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
The majority of Americans want an end to Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, and many Congressmen and Senators want it done away with as well. The President wants it repealed, but now someone close to the White House is saying that the repeal probably won’t happen this year. Comedian Jon Stewart compared repealing the law to eating rice pudding at a large dinner. Compared to the other things on the agenda, repealing DADT should be something simple and easy to do. Of course, some politicians like Senator John McCain, who lost to Obama in the 2008 election, and Representative Ike Skelton feel that repealing DADT right now would put a strain on America’s military during a time of war without ever addressing the consequences of having thousands of soldiers discharged from the military under that law.

This morning on Morning Rundown with Chuck Todd and Savannah Guthrie, the subject of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell came up. Guthrie asked “The proof will be in the pudding. Is this something they try to move forward with with all deliberate speed. Are they going to slow walk it? So, I think in the coming days and weeks we’ll know how serious they are about it.” To this Eugine Robinson, a frequent guest on MSNBC, stated “What I heard this morning from somebody at the White House was probably not this year. But, maybe we would be hearing from military brass at some point.”

The law was enacted largely to be able to allow the older generals time to adjust to the idea of gays and lesbians serving openly in the armed services. The law, which was signed by President Clinton, was also intended to be a compromise between those who felt that gays and lesbians should not be allowed to serve in the military at all and those who wanted them to serve openly. Under the pressures of war, the politicians have been under pressure to repeal the law so that the military does not lose soldiers that it needs during a time of war. Many Christian groups, to which the Republican Party has looked to for votes, are opposed to any and all laws or actions which grant gays and lesbians more freedoms and recognition. Thus, the Republican Party was severely opposed to the repeal of DADT. Current polls show that around two thirds of Americans believe that the law should be scrapped.

The source close to the White House contradicts President Barack Obama’s promise to work with Congress to repeal the law. Anger over Obama’s lack of movement regarding major LGBT issues such as DADT and the Employment Non-Discrimination Act has caused many LGBT Americans to question whether voting for the Democrats is worth it.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Rep. Skelton Doesn’t Want To Disrupt Military By Repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (lezgetreal.com)