Box Turtle Bulletin
News and commentary about the anti-gay lobby“Now you must raise your children up in a world where that union of man and box turtle is on the same legal footing as man and wife…”
News and commentary about the anti-gay lobbyFebruary 15th, 2010
In an interview the ABC’s This Week, Dick Cheney said that it is time to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell
KARL: OK, “don’t ask/don’t tell” — you’re a former defense secretary — should this policy be repealed?
CHENEY: Twenty years ago, the military were strong advocates of “don’t ask/don’t tell,” when I was secretary of defense. I think things have changed significantly since then. I see that Don Mullen — or Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has indicated his belief that we ought to support a change in the policy. So I think — my guess is the policy will be changed.
KARL: And do you think that’s a good thing? I mean, is it time to allow gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military?
CHENEY: I think the society has moved on. I think it’s partly a generational question. I say, I’m reluctant to second-guess the military in this regard, because they’re the ones that have got to make the judgment about how these policies affect the military capability of our — of our units, and that first requirement that you have to look at all the time is whether or not they’re still capable of achieving their mission, and does the policy change, i.e., putting gays in the force, affect their ability to perform their mission?
When the chiefs come forward and say, “We think we can do it,” then it strikes me that it’s — it’s time to reconsider the policy. And I think Admiral Mullen said that.
This is not the first time that Cheney has indicated skepticism for anti-gay attitudes in the military. As early as 1991, Cheney (then Secretary of Defense under George H.W. Bush) called the military policy that considers gay servicepersons a security risk is “a bit of an old chestnut.”
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Andrew
February 17th, 2010
Well, its about time!
David
February 17th, 2010
Actually, if Dick said that the earth is round, it would be a good reason to doubt it! (Given his record in power)…..
He is NOT a person I like to have on my side….
Ignoring him would be a much better response!
Chris McCoy
February 17th, 2010
David said:
People do not need to agree on every subject in order to be allies on another issue. In a time when we have so few allies on the far right, someone as respected by that group as Cheney is a welcome ally – on this issue.
I think we would have more success in equality if we stopped dismissing potential allies because we disagree with their stances on unrelated topics. We are not so comfortable in our margin for victory that we can afford to throw someone off the equality bandwagon because they’re not Leave It To Beaver perfect on 137 talking points.
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