Hundreds of Arabic, Farsi, and Chinese linguists and other critical intelligence specialists and medical personnel have been discharged solely because of their sexual orientation.
Times have changed drastically since the law was enacted in 1993. According to the latest CNN poll, nearly 80% of the American support repealing the DADT law. The American people are more concerned with having qualified, trained individuals with vitally needed skills defending our nation in these critical positions than maintaining an irrelevant intrusion into their sexual orientation. On a daily basis, gay and straight Americans serve alongside one another to defend our nation. Repealing this outdated policy would finally give all of our brave men and women the respect and dignity they deserve.
With the support of the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the repeal of the DADT law is almost upon us. The current DADT repeal language attached to the National Defense Authorization Act as an amendment completely respects the ongoing study process that was established by the Secretary of Defense to examine all issues involved in implementing repeal. The repeal amendment does not undermine that process in any way. The repeal would not actually go into effect until the ongoing study is complete, until the president, the Secretary of Defense, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff have all certified that sufficient regulations are in place to ensure a smooth transition. These mechanisms have been put in place to make sure that our military is prepared for any hiccups that may result from repealing this policy.
It is important to remember that the opposition will do anything necessary to attempt to kill this amendment, even if that means offering a seemingly moderate alternate amendment. Any competing amendment, however, is an attempt to kill the current reasonable amendment – an amendment that is completely respectful of the ongoing study process. Senators should vote against any motion to strike, modify, or replace the current amendment, and they should certainly vote against any attempt to filibuster the entire National Defense Authorization Act. It is their solemn responsibility to American people to ensure that the military has the ability to recruit and retain the most qualified people to protect our nation. A vote against repealing the DADT law, or a vote to water down the current amendment, would be an abdication of that responsibility.
The American public, our president, the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff are all on board with repealing this failed policy. Congress, however, is long overdue in stepping up and standing up for all of the men and women who fight everyday for our nation, regardless of sexual orientation.
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