Study affirms it’s time to end ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’

The Pentagon Comprehensive Working Group report on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal was released today, and shows the vast majority — an estimated 70 percent — of service members believe repeal of the ban on openly lesbian, gay and bisexual service members will have little or no effect on their units.

Top military officials today urged the Senate to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” during the lame duck session. As reported by the Washington Post today, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said:

This can be done, and should be done, without posing a serious risk to military readiness. Now that we have completed this review, I strongly urge the Senate to pass this legislation and send it to the president for signature before the end of this year.

Task Force Executive Director Rea Carey said of today’s report release:

The overwhelming majority of service members are fine with lesbian, gay and bisexual people serving openly in the military, according to the findings. Given that three-quarters of Americans believe it’s time to do away with ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ this should be of little surprise. The public is way ahead of our elected officials on this one. They know this policy is nonsensical, costly and unfair. It’s time for politicians to get with the program, stop playing politics with the lives of patriotic and qualified service members, and repeal ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’ There are no more excuses for continuing discrimination, the military agrees, it is time for the Senate to act.

Let’s keep the pressure on!

Please call both of your senators right now and urge them to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

Call the Capitol switchboard at 202.224.3121 and tell them what state you live in. They’ll
 connect you to one of your senators.

Get them on the line and let them know:
1. That discharging patriotic lesbian, gay and bisexual service members is simply unjust.
2. That we must repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” once and for all.
3. And finally, tell them “Senator, I want you to stand up for all of our troops by voting for the defense authorization bill during the Senate’s lame-duck session.”

Two phone calls – that’s all. Call the Capitol switchboard today! 202.224.3121