Topics in the News: Gays in Military
Sam Brownback on Homeland Security
: Sep 17, 2007
Don't-ask-don't-tell is a good policy
General Peter Pace, recent chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stood up for the "don't ask, don't tell" policy in the US when criticized for that. It was part of his faith, and he believed that this was the right thing to stand up for.
I stood up for General Pace, because we should stand up for other people when they will stand up for these basics that's saying that "don't ask, don't tell" is a good policy, and it's saying that this is the right thing for us to do in the military.
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Source: 2007 GOP Values Voter Presidential Debate
Duncan Hunter on Homeland Security
: Sep 17, 2007
Resisting gays in military is why we have best military
We have important institutions in this country that we most support and fortify and continue to support and fortify. One of them is the military. We had a major fight a couple of years ago to allow practicing homosexuals into the military.
I led the opposition to that attempt, and I think it's only because we have been able to resist that particular attempt that we have the very best military in the world today.
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Source: 2007 GOP Values Voter Presidential Debate
Barack Obama on Homeland Security
: Aug 26, 2007
Repeal Don't-Ask-Don't-Tell
Obama believes we need to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" policy in consultation with military commanders. The key test for military service should be patriotism, a sense of duty, and a willingness to serve.
Obama will work with military leaders to repeal the current policy and ensure we accomplish our national defense goals.
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Source: Campaign website, BarackObama.com, "Resource Flyers"
John Edwards on Homeland Security
: Aug 9, 2007
Don't-ask-don't-tell is discriminatory & bad for military
Q: Since the don't-ask-don't-tell ban cannot be lifted by executive order, you need more--how do you do it?A: Oh, I think the president can get rid of "Don't ask, don't tell." If the president of the US believes that "Don't ask, don't tell" is bad for
America and in fact bad for our military, and it's discriminatory, all of which is true..
Q: And when General Colin Powell says no, you can't do it?
A: I'm not sure Colin Powell would say no [now; he only said so] back then. But it doesn't matter.
It's not the job of the generals to make this determination. It is the job of the president. And I can tell you
I am firmly committed to eliminating "Don't ask, don't tell." "Don't ask, don't tell" is not just wrong now, it was wrong when it began. It's been wrong the entire time
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Source: 2007 HRC/LOGO debate on gay issues
John Edwards on Civil Rights
: Aug 9, 2007
Get rid of DOMA; get rid of don't-ask-don't-tell
I believe we desperately need to get rid of DOMA. I think we need to get rid of "don't ask, don't tell." "Don't ask, don't tell" is not just wrong now, it was wrong when it began.
It's been wrong the entire time, as is true with DOMA, exactly the same thing's true with DOMA.
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Source: 2007 HRC/LOGO debate on gay issues
Bill Richardson on Homeland Security
: Aug 9, 2007
Voted against don't-ask-don't-tell; get rid of it now
We need to redress some of the gross imbalances of the past. If I'm elected president, I would get rid of "Don't ask, don't tell." I didn't vote for it when I was in Congress. When you have an
America that is asking men and women to fight and die, the last thing you need to do is give them a lecture on sexual orientation. Even though I was the deputy whip, "don't ask, don't tell" made no sense to me. I voted against that,.
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Source: 2007 HRC/LOGO debate on gay issues
Joe Biden on Homeland Security
: Aug 9, 2007
Don't Ask Don't Tell is antiquated & unworkable
Q: Would you support a repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy which would allow gay, lesbian, and bisexual soldiers the right to serve openly in the military?A: Sen. Biden supports ending the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy. It is antiquated and
unworkable. According to recent polls, 3/4 of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan said that they had no problem serving with openly gay people. 24 of the nations serving alongside US forces in Iraq permit open service which has had no negative
impact on these forces or the morale of our brave soldiers. Finally, the US does not have enough troops to fulfill our current missions--it is ridiculous to turn away brave and patriotic Americans who volunteer to serve solely because of their sexual
orientation--especially in light of the Defense Department's recent decision to extend tours of duty in Iraq. Sen. Biden believes that we should treat everyone serving in the military by the same standards regardless of orientation.
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Source: 2007 HRC/LOGO debate--written questionnaire
Chris Dodd on Homeland Security
: Aug 9, 2007
Supports repealing Don't-Ask-Don't-Tell
Q: Would you support a congressional repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"?A: Support.
Q: Do you support modifying the Social Security System to pay survivor benefits to the same sex partners of gay and lesbian people?
A: Support.
Q:
Do you support fair and equal tax treatment of same sex couples on the same basis as married couples?
A: Support.
Q: Do you support domestic partner coverage for gay and lesbian employees of the civilian federal workforce?
A: Support.
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Source: 2007 HRC/LOGO debate--written questionnaire
Hillary Clinton on Homeland Security
: Aug 9, 2007
Wants to repeal don't-ask-don't-tell, but not until 2009
Q: You've said that you would like to repeal "Don't ask, don't tell." Now, since 2003, you've sat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, the committee that would decide this issue. Why haven't you introduced legislation to repeal this policy? A:
The very simple answer is we didn't have a chance with the Republican Congress and George Bush as president. And I want to get it done when I'm president. I want to do it and have it be successful. I don't want to try, in a Republican Congress,
with a very negative president, and have it defeated. We're talking, now that we have a Democratic Congress, about what steps we can take to sort of lay the groundwork so that when we do have a change in the White House, we will be able to move on that.
But I just want to sort of put it into a broader context, because it's one of my highest priorities. I came out against don't-ask-don't-tell in 1999. It was a transitional action that was taken back at the beginning of my husband's administration.
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Source: 2007 HRC/LOGO debate on gay issues
Hillary Clinton on Homeland Security
: Jul 18, 2007
1999: overturn don't-ask-don't-tell so gays can serve openly
Hillary told a group of gay contributors that the "don't ask, don't tell" policy enacted by her husband with the intent of making it easier for gay men and lesbians to serve in the armed forces, had been a failure. In her first public statement on the
issue, the Senate candidate said that if elected, she would work to overturn the policy, insisting that homosexuals be allowed to serve openly in the military. Stating that it was politically unrealistic to expect
Congress to make a change at the current moment, the first lady maintained that the Department of Defense should take immediate steps to reduce the number of instances of homosexuals being discharged from the military. "Gays and lesbians
already serve with distinction in our nation's armed forces and should not face discrimination. Fitness to serve should be based on an individual's conduct, not their sexual orientation."
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Source: God and Hillary Clinton, by Paul Kengor, p.188-189
Hillary Clinton on Civil Rights
: Jun 3, 2007
Don't ask don't tell was an important transition step
Don't ask don't tell was an important first step, But talking about this as though there is a reality out there that a president or a Congress can change with the snap with a finger does a grave disservice to the American people.
We have a political process. There's checks and balances, the Congress was adamantly opposed at the time to letting gays and lesbians serve openly. "Don't ask, don't tell" was the compromised policy.
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Source: 2007 Dem. debate at Saint Anselm College
Mike Gravel on Civil Rights
: Jun 3, 2007
Don't ask don't tell should have gone 20 years ago
Don't ask don't tell should have been gotten rid of 20 years ago.
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Source: 2007 Dem. debate at Saint Anselm College
Dennis Kucinich on Homeland Security
: Aug 1, 2003
End the ban on gays in military
End the ban on openly gay, lesbian and bisexual individuals serving in the US armed forces.
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Source: Campaign website, www.Kucinich.us, "On The Issues"
Al Gore on Homeland Security
: Sep 6, 2000
Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is unfair & hasn’t worked
Q: Do you support the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on gays in the military? A: The ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy has not worked. Furthermore, I believe that, as a matter of basic fairness, the policy should be changed. It is unacceptable
that patriotic men and women who serve their nation with distinction are not only discharged, but suffer persecution and even violence. They should be allowed to serve their country without discrimination.
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Source: Associated Press
Al Gore on Homeland Security
: Jan 11, 2000
Appointees must ENFORCE allowing gays; not AGREE with policy
Gore stated last week that he would require appointments to the Joint Chiefs of Staff to support a policy of allowing gays to serve openly in the military. Four days ago, Gore backed down from the position, saying he would not apply a “litmus test.”
Today, Gore suggested that he would apply a test of whether an appointee would follow orders. He said he would not demand that an appointee believe in allowing gays to serve openly, but he would ask for a commitment that he or she enforce that policy.
Describing a hypothetical interview with a potential appointee, Gore said that a person would not be disqualified if he or she was uncomfortable with the policy. But he said that after asking the person to explain the reservations,
he would “then ask, ‘Give me the reassurance that of course you’re going to do your best to implement it.’ And of course that goes without saying, because officers do that in our military.”
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Source: New York Times, p. A20
John McCain on Homeland Security
: Jan 7, 2000
Accepts gays in military under current policy
KEYES [to McCain]: I have signed the following pledge: In the interest of national security and the morale of our armed forces, if elected president of the US I pledge to reinstitute the ban on homosexuals serving in our nation’s military.
Would you join me, sir, in signing that pledge?McCAIN: No, I will not. [I agree when] military leaders that you and I respect say that this policy is a good one. I will support the present policy.
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Source: Republican Debate in West Columbia, SC
John McCain on Homeland Security
: Jan 6, 2000
Keep “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy - it works
Q. Would your Joint Chiefs of Staff support allowing gays to serve openly in the military? A: I would make sure that a policy that’s working and is working and should work was continued. Yes, [the policy] has troubles; yes, it needs some reviews or
changes, fine tuning; and I’ll be glad to support such a thing. But, I cannot change a policy that’s working. And our military leaders are the ones whose advise we should rely on.
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Source: Republican Debate in Durham, NH