Rick Raw: "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" Abysmal Failure–Supreme Court Setback–Obama Flip-Flops on Issue

By Rick Grant Commentary www.rickgrant01@comcast.net

When Obama was elected President, he promised to end the absurd military policy established during the Clinton administration called "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell," because if you do, you are out of the military. The recent Supreme Court’s refusal to hear a gay Ohio Soldier, James Pietrangelo II’s challenge to the law was a bitter setback for gays wishing to serve openly in the military.

Gays and lesbians serving openly in the U.S. military has been a contentious issue for years. Many fine officers including Army Captains in the field, Air Force and Navy pilots, Marine Colonels, and even Generals have resigned over this matter. We know that throughout the history of the U.S. military at least 10% or more gays are at one time serving proudly and effectively, while keeping their sexual orientation secret.

These decorated military heroes have proven time and time again that their sexual orientation has absolutely nothing to do with their exemplary service to their country. Yet, here we are in 2009, and the military brass, whose ranks ironically include gays and lesbians, refuse to deal with the issue for fear of breaking their own prejudice or opening a Pandera’s Box. It’s unconscionable.

Indeed, on the battlefield, no one cares about soldiers’ sexual orientation, they are too busy trying to stay alive and protect their fighting companions. Everyone who has ever served in the U.S. Military, including me, has known gay colleagues. It was an unwritten policy that they were accepted. We knew who they were, and they had their own friends and social life, which had no effect on our life off-base.

In the past, perhaps they were talked about behind their backs but no one really cared. They went to their bars and we went to our bars. But the hard-core homophobic brass fear change might cause problems. Not true!

Nonetheless, the President should have stepped in and signed an executive order to allow gays to serve openly. Peirangelo has a right to be angry at Obama, saying, "He’s a coward, a bigot, and a pathological liar." Well, I wouldn’t go that far. But for some strange reason, Obama backed off his promise after consulting with the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The old excuse of worrying about discipline and cohesion is ridiculous, since the gays who now serve are excellent soldiers. Their concerns are based on the assumption that there are no gays presently serving. And, we know that isn’t true.

Clearly, when the U.S. military needs recruits, having an open gay policy would help bring in more men or women into the ranks. For gays, serving in the military is a great career. The gays who have served in the past have been lifers serving right up until retirement. But today, gays don’t want to keep their sexual orientation a secret. Why should they, when they have probably come out to their parents and friends long before joining the military.

By upholding the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy, Obama has filp-flopped again from his campaign rhetoric. Obama’s staff has sent out E-mails saying that the President is too busy dealing with the collapse of the economy and two wars to handle the gay ban right away. Bullshit? He could just step in and keep his promise.

When elected officials go back on their word, it substantiates the adage that politicians will say anything to get elected, and then when they take office, they do what they want. Obama has already shown that he is willing to break promises on important issues that got him elected.

One thing for sure, the gay community will be up in arms pressuring the administration to end the ban. And more military gays will come out and lose their careers. Time will tell if Obama is true to his word. If not, well–we will not be surprised. He will be just like any other mealy-mouthed politician–a lying sack of dung.