Joint Chiefs Chair: Repealing DADT Would Impact “Our People And Their Families”

Jim Burroway

July 5th, 2009

Now this is getting ridiculous. First, we had former Secretary of State Colin Powell say that repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” would result in “lots of complicated issues” without mentioning what those complicated issues might be. Now we have Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, tell CNN that repealing the ban on gays serving in the military would somehow affect their families as well:

“I haven’t done any kind of extensive review. And what I feel most obligated about is to make sure I tell the president, you know, my — give the president my best advice, should this law change, on the impact on our people and their families at these very challenging times,” he said.

What, are we showering with their families now? I had no idea I was such a threat whenever I shower at the gym. My powers truly know no bounds.

David C.

July 5th, 2009

Here are some things to keep in mind:

If gay service personnel are placed on the same legal (in the sense of UCMJ) footing as heterosexual personnel, then the “mates” of gay service personnel would be competing for benefits from the same (presumably limited) pool.

As the murder of Seaman August Provost shows, when DADT is repealed, new procedures and regulations must fill the gap to protect what would then be a far more visible gay service member population. Perhaps all the machinery used to enforce DADT could be retooled to improve the behavior of all military personnel.

I still think DADT should be repealed, and I think the President needs to show some leadership by establishing a timeline along which that will happen.

TomChicago

July 6th, 2009

We have to wonder why he has NOT given the matter any “extensive review”. Everyone else seems to have had plenty of time. Mullen and Powell both are exhibiting the same kind of bureaucratic cold feet, it seems to me, and nothing more.

GreenEyedLilo

July 6th, 2009

So *that* is why one of the women I swim with is getting a divorce–she has to shower off the chlorine alongside the likes of me in the locker room! I had no idea I had such power, either.

So now I have to apologize to her and her family, as well as the whole country for the crappy economy because I got married (per Sally Kern).

Burr

July 6th, 2009

It would affect families whose father gets arrested/discharged for being a murderous bigot.

Oh how I feel for them.

Glenn I

July 7th, 2009

One of the things DADT prohibits is the formation of families by gay servicemembers. Should DADT end gay servicemembers would no longer be required to sacrifice their personal lives to be military. Imagine that.

If the bitterly censorious DOMA remained the military would continue to resist any acknowledgment of these newly “out” families. Despite the additional burdens placed on them families would form, and kids would grow up in households headed by same sex couples. And Mommy would be a soldier. Or Daddy.

DADT is the government’s stoutest chain around the closet. And losing it terrifies them.

Why? Those of us who’ve long since left our closets to our clothes don’t know.

Leave A Comment

All comments reflect the opinions of commenters only. They are not necessarily those of anyone associated with Box Turtle Bulletin. Comments are subject to our Comments Policy.

(Required)
(Required, never shared)

PLEASE NOTE: All comments are subject to our Comments Policy.

 

Latest Posts

The Things You Learn from the Internet

"The Intel On This Wasn't 100 Percent"

From Fake News To Real Bullets: This Is The New Normal

NC Gov McCrory Throws In The Towel

Colorado Store Manager Verbally Attacks "Faggot That Voted For Hillary" In Front of 4-Year-Old Son

Associated Press Updates "Alt-Right" Usage Guide

A Challenge for Blue Bubble Democrats

Baptist Churches in Dallas, Austin Expelled Over LGBT-Affirming Stance

Featured Reports

What Are Little Boys Made Of?

In this original BTB Investigation, we unveil the tragic story of Kirk Murphy, a four-year-old boy who was treated for “cross-gender disturbance” in 1970 by a young grad student by the name of George Rekers. This story is a stark reminder that there are severe and damaging consequences when therapists try to ensure that boys will be boys.

Slouching Towards Kampala: Uganda’s Deadly Embrace of Hate

When we first reported on three American anti-gay activists traveling to Kampala for a three-day conference, we had no idea that it would be the first report of a long string of events leading to a proposal to institute the death penalty for LGBT people. But that is exactly what happened. In this report, we review our collection of more than 500 posts to tell the story of one nation’s embrace of hatred toward gay people. This report will be updated continuously as events continue to unfold. Check here for the latest updates.

Paul Cameron’s World

In 2005, the Southern Poverty Law Center wrote that “[Paul] Cameron’s ‘science’ echoes Nazi Germany.” What the SPLC didn”t know was Cameron doesn’t just “echo” Nazi Germany. He quoted extensively from one of the Final Solution’s architects. This puts his fascination with quarantines, mandatory tattoos, and extermination being a “plausible idea” in a whole new and deeply disturbing light.

From the Inside: Focus on the Family’s “Love Won Out”

On February 10, I attended an all-day “Love Won Out” ex-gay conference in Phoenix, put on by Focus on the Family and Exodus International. In this series of reports, I talk about what I learned there: the people who go to these conferences, the things that they hear, and what this all means for them, their families and for the rest of us.

Prologue: Why I Went To “Love Won Out”
Part 1: What’s Love Got To Do With It?
Part 2: Parents Struggle With “No Exceptions”
Part 3: A Whole New Dialect
Part 4: It Depends On How The Meaning of the Word "Change" Changes
Part 5: A Candid Explanation For "Change"

The Heterosexual Agenda: Exposing The Myths

At last, the truth can now be told.

Using the same research methods employed by most anti-gay political pressure groups, we examine the statistics and the case studies that dispel many of the myths about heterosexuality. Download your copy today!

And don‘t miss our companion report, How To Write An Anti-Gay Tract In Fifteen Easy Steps.

Testing The Premise: Are Gays A Threat To Our Children?

Anti-gay activists often charge that gay men and women pose a threat to children. In this report, we explore the supposed connection between homosexuality and child sexual abuse, the conclusions reached by the most knowledgeable professionals in the field, and how anti-gay activists continue to ignore their findings. This has tremendous consequences, not just for gay men and women, but more importantly for the safety of all our children.

Straight From The Source: What the “Dutch Study” Really Says About Gay Couples

Anti-gay activists often cite the “Dutch Study” to claim that gay unions last only about 1½ years and that the these men have an average of eight additional partners per year outside of their steady relationship. In this report, we will take you step by step into the study to see whether the claims are true.

The FRC’s Briefs Are Showing

Tony Perkins’ Family Research Council submitted an Amicus Brief to the Maryland Court of Appeals as that court prepared to consider the issue of gay marriage. We examine just one small section of that brief to reveal the junk science and fraudulent claims of the Family “Research” Council.

Daniel Fetty Doesn’t Count

Daniel FettyThe FBI’s annual Hate Crime Statistics aren’t as complete as they ought to be, and their report for 2004 was no exception. In fact, their most recent report has quite a few glaring holes. Holes big enough for Daniel Fetty to fall through.