For gay rights, is repeal of 'don't ask' military ban the end or the beginning?

'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' repeal victory not yet complete
The 66-31 Senate passage on Saturday of a stand-alone "Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT)" Repeal is definitely cause for celebration among LGBT and all fair-minded Americans, but that celebration should be tempered by a number of sobering shortcomings. First and foremost, although DADT Repeal has now passed both the House and the Senate, the discriminatory policy itself has not yet ended.  In order for it to be safe for gay and Lesbian Military personnel to serve openly, the Repeal must first be...

More Gay Rights Policy Hurdles Ahead
WASHINGTON — The Republican senator from North Carolina was blunt. “Because she’s a damn Lesbian,” Jesse Helms snapped, explaining to The Washington Times why he would vote against Roberta Achtenberg, President Bill Clinton’s nominee for assistant housing secretary. Later, he clarified, calling her “a Militant, Activist, mean lesbian.” Senator Jesse Helms, top, in 1989, spoke against a Clinton nominee who was a lesbian. The latest on President Obama, t...

US gay activists celebrate fall of their 'Berlin wall'
WASHINGTON (AFP) – Rights Activists are comparing the lifting of a ban on gays openly serving in the US Military to the fall of the Berlin Wall, hoping the move could pave the way for the legalization of Gay Marriage. "For the first time in our country's history our government sent a very strong message that you don't have to hide if you are gay or Lesbian," said Fred Sainz, spokesman for the Human Rights Campaign, the country's main Lesbian, gay, Bisexual and trans...

Military will write the rules on repeal of gay ban
WASHINGTON – No public displays of affection. No separate bathrooms. No harassment and no special treatment. As the U.S. Military begins to map out how it will implement the new edict allowing gays to serve openly, the first order of business is drafting the regulations. The rule changes under discussion won't dictate how Troops feel about the change, but will strictly enforce how they act on it. From small wording tweaks and training programs to more complex questions about benefits and...

Why Don't Ask Don't Tell Repeal is Not the Brown v. Board of Ed for Gay Rights - Newsweek
With the timely reversal of a handful of Senate Republicans, a bill to Repeal the ban on gays and Lesbians serving openly in the Armed Forces passed the super-majority threshold to defeat a Filibuster. The measure then passed the Senate by a 65-31 vote. Having already passed the House of Representatives by a 250-175, and President Obama is certain to sign it. Gay-rights supporters are, naturally, elated. The National Gay and Lesbian Taskforce issued a statement saying, "We celebrate this i...

DADT Repealed After 17 Years This Wednesday (VIDEO)
17 years after DADT was enacted by Democratic President Bill Clinton, Democratic President Barack Obama will add its Repeal to his list of accomplishments. The House voted in favor of the Repeal on December 15th with a vote of 250 to 175, and the Senate followed suit this past Saturday, December 18th with a vote of 65 to 31. Every Republican voted against it except for 8, 1 of which, interestingly enough, was newly elected Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts who as you might recall was hastily ...

Military will write the rules on repeal of gay ban
WASHINGTON (AP) — Gays and Lesbians will be treated just like any other Soldiers, sailors, airmen or Marines, the new rules say. But commanders will have some flexibility when they believe it’s needed to maintain order and discipline in their units. As the U.S. Military begins to map out how it will implement the new edict allowing gays to serve openly, the first order of business is drafting the regulations. The rule changes under discussion won’t dictate how Troops feel about...

Military will write the rules on repeal of gay ban
WASHINGTON—Gays and Lesbians will be treated just like any other Soldiers, sailors, airmen or Marines, the new rules say. But commanders will have some flexibility when they believe it's needed to maintain order and discipline in their units. As the U.S. Military begins to map out how it will implement the new edict allowing gays to serve openly, the first order of business is drafting the regulations. The rule changes under discussion won't dictate how Troops feel about the change, but w...

Military will write the rules on repeal of gay ban
Gays and Lesbians will be treated just like any other Soldiers, sailors, airmen or Marines, the new rules say. But commanders will have some flexibility when they believe it's needed to maintain order and discipline in their units. As the U.S. Military begins to map out how it will implement the new edict allowing gays to serve openly, the first order of business is drafting the regulations. The rule changes under discussion won't dictate how Troops feel about the change, but will strictly enfor...

Military will write the rules on repeal of gay ban
WASHINGTON (AP) - Gays and Lesbians will be treated just like any other Soldiers, sailors, airmen or Marines, the new rules say. But commanders will have some flexibility when they believe it's needed to maintain order and discipline in their units. As the U.S. Military begins to map out how it will implement the new edict allowing gays to serve openly, the first order of business is drafting the regulations. The rule changes under discussion won't dictate how Troops feel about the change, but ...

Military will write the rules on repeal of gay ban
Source: AP By LOLITA C. BALDOR, Associated Press – 2 hrs 46 mins ago WASHINGTON – No public displays of affection. No separate bathrooms. No harassment and no special treatment. As the U.S. Military begins to map out how it will implement the new edict allowing gays to serve openly, the first order of business is drafting the regulations. The rule changes under discussion won't dictate how Troops feel about the change, but will strictly enforce how they act on it. From small wording tweaks and ..

Lawmaker seeks to block gays from Va. National Guard
Del. Robert G. Marshall says he will seek to bar gays from serving in the Virginia National Guard. The Republican lawmaker from Prince William County argues that the U.S. Senate vote to Repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" to allow gays to serve openly in the U.S. Military will weaken recruitment and increase pressure for a draft. "After 232 years of prohibiting active, open Homosexuals from enlisting in our military, President [Barack] Obama and a majority in Congress are conducting a social experime...

Uganda MP urges death for gay sex
A Ugandan MP has proposed creating an offence of "aggravated Homosexuality" to be punishable by death. Ruling party MP David Bahati wants the death penalty for those having gay sex with disabled people, under-18s or when the accused is HIV-positive. Homosexual acts are already illegal, but the Anti-Homosexuality Bill proposes new offences and urges the toughening of existing penalties. Earlier versions of the bill were widely criticised by rights groups. The BBC's Joshua Mmali, in t...

Making good history
There was premature talk of a post-racial nirvana after the election of President Barack Obama. But the election was nonetheless a singularly significant event in a continuum of significant events that began with "All men are created equal" on to the Emancipation Proclamation, through the Civil Rights struggles of the 1960s to present day. When Obama signs a bill repealing the Military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" rule, it will be an event as significant for Gay Rights as Pres...

Pentagon: No timeline yet on ending gay ban...
A Gay Rights Activist sporting a shirt supporting Gays in the Military. The... The Pentagon on Monday said it was unclear how soon the Repeal of a ban on Openly Gay Troops could be carried out after Congress scrapped the law in a ground-breaking vote. Defense officials had to first review and revise policies and make other preparations to reflect the change adopted Saturday by the Senate, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell told reporters. "I don't think anybody has any idea yet how long th...

Human Rights Campaign to Rest After DADT Repeal?
“If you can fight and die for your country, there’s absolutely no reason why you can’t be granted the full set of rights” that others have, including the ability to marry a same-sex partner, said Fred Sainz, a vice president at the Human Rights Campaign, a Gay Rights group. With the Military’s policy repealed, he said, “Americans will deduce that on their own. We won’t have to say a thing.” Ah, yes, your work is done. Seriously, who even thinks tha...

What's Next for the Gay Rights Movement?
(Credit: AP / CBS) Just days after Saturday's historic passage of a stand-alone Senate Bill repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," David Brock, founder and CEO of the liberal Watchdog group Media Matters for America, has announced the launch of Equality Matters - a New Media initiative that aims to promote Lesbian, gay, Bisexual, and Transgender equality. The initiative, which Brock describes in a Press Release as a "communications war room for gay equality," comes as Activists start to shift the...

Gay ban repealed, but restrictions remain
WASHINGTON – While President Barack Obama this week is expected to clear the way for gays to serve openly in the Military, the new law won't go into effect immediately and unanswered questions remain: How soon will the new policy be implemented, will it be accepted by the Troops and could it hamper the military in Afghanistan and Iraq? The historic action by Congress Repeals the requirement, known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," that for the last 17 years has allowed gays and Lesbians to ser...

So long, `don't ask, don't tell'
The U.S. Senate struck a blow for Equal Rights on Saturday by repealing the 17-year ban on gays and Lesbians serving openly in the Military. The 65-31 vote will make it much easier for untold numbers of men and women who want to serve their country to do just that without having to lie about their Sexual Orientation. On the same day, however, the Senate crushed the hopes of hundreds of thousands of Young People here illegally through no fault of their own. The DREAM Act, which would create a pat...

"Don't Ask" Repeal Set - but Next Steps Unclear
Like this Story? Share it: The Senate has voted to Repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" clearing the way for gay men and women to serve openly in the Military. Whit Johnson has the story behind the Controversial policy. The Senate has voted to Repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," allowing gays to serve openly in the Military. Whit Johnson explains how this 17-year-old policy is coming to an end. (AP) While President Barack Obama this week is expected to clear the way for gays to serve openly in the U.S. mi...

Militarys Ban on Homosexuals Repealed, But Restrictions Remain for the Time Being
Monday, December 20, 2010 A sign outside ABC Television's Times Square studio in New York announces that the U.S. Senate approved the Repeal of the law banning Homosexuals from Military service on Saturday Dec. 18, 2010. (AP Photo/Tina Fineberg) Washington (AP) - While President Barack Obama this week is expected to clear the way for gays to serve openly in the military, the new law won't go into effect immediately and unanswered questions remain: How soon will the new policy be implemen...

Political Scene
WHITE HOUSE Obama plans to sign DADT Repeal The White House says President Obama plans to sign the repeal of the Military's ban on Openly Gay service members on Wednesday, four days after the Senate voted to abolish the policy. Mr. Obama's signature would end the Pentagon's 17-year, "don't-ask, don't tell" policy and fulfill a 2008 Presidential Campaign promise. The policy has allowed gays and Lesbians to serve, but only if they were silent about their Sexual Orientation. Press Secretary Robert ...

With the end of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," where will the gay rights movement go?
The New York Times reports on a Media Matters project called Equality Matters. It will be run by Richard Socarides, a former domestic policy adviser to President Bill Clinton who has been deeply critical of President Obama’s record on Gay Rights. A well-known gay Journalist, Kerry Eleveld, the Washington correspondent for The Advocate, will leave that magazine in January to edit the new group’s Web site, equalitymatters.org, which is to go online Monday morning. “Yesterday was...

Clinton, Obama Both Get Credit on 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Repeal
Maybe it takes a Congress undergoing post-election traumatic syndrome to do the right thing and allow gays and Lesbians in the Military to do their jobs without the added stress of lying about who they are. Maybe it’s something about the Holiday Season that led lawmakers to acknowledge that there’s something very distasteful about asking people to feel ashamed about whom they love. [See a roundup of editorial cartoons about 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.] The more alarming trend is that t...

With Equality Matters, Media Matters Takes a More Activist Approach
Media criticism and social change Activism are two different things. Sometimes the first can be oriented toward the second, but Watchdogs groups that work the refs. are in general far less effective than the sort of Activists who take direct action against their cultural opponents and organize for change -- Activists who have been a critical part of every rights-based social change movement in the past century. So it is interesting to see this week that Media Matters for America, a well-funded ...