Causecast

by PHILIP ROSS, Causecast Editor

Since its establishment in 1993, more than 13,000 gay and lesbian service men and women have been discharged from the military under the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (shortened DADT) law. One thousand of these held “critical occupations," such as engineers and translators. United States Secretary of the Army, John McHugh, is urging President Obama to follow through with the promises he made during his campaign to repeal this unfair and unfounded mandate.

There are a number of financial, practical, and moral reasons why this ban is a hindrance to the United States. The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has estimated that it costs the federal government $10,000 to discharge and replace a service member. At 13,000 discharges, that’s approximately 130 million dollars in the past 16 years – a steep price to pay to simply replace able-bodied men and women, willing to risk their lives for their country, because of their sexual orientations.

Couldn’t that money go to something more obligatory, like, let’s say, ending child sex slavery abroad as well as here in the U.S.? Putting food on the plates of those going without? Helping to pay off the hospital bills of those in debt from the high cost of health care in our country? No, pulling homosexuals out of military service is a far more prudent use of our federal funding.

Obama has recently stated that he still intends to propose the appeal to congress, but has yet to specify when he intends to do so. Since his presidency started, hundreds of men and women have been discharged from the service under DADT.

From Change.org:

Really, what it sounds like is that Obama wants “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” overturned, but on his timeline. And that’s the problem — ending discrimination only fits well into a timeline if you’re not the one being victimized by it. Meanwhile, for the tens of thousands of gay soldiers who’ve been discharged from the military or told they’re not good enough to get in, the time is now for an immediate repeal.

The fear is that, if we wait much longer, proponents of the ban would have more time to organize and possibly sway public opinion which, according to recent surveys, is far more in favor of appealing the ban than ever before.

You can show your support by signing Care2’s petition to repeal DADT. Also, send a message to your Congressional representatives urging them to support the repeal of this discriminatory policy.

Photo by The U.S. Army, flickr.