Perhaps it’s just me, but I can’t help but thinking that the Pentagon and the White House are making the idea of repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” a lot more difficult than it needs to be. While the Pentagon is busily tying itself in knots trying to figure out how to survey gay troops (a challenge when you consider that gays aren’t allowed to self-identify), there really is a very simple solution that’s very readily available. With the stroke of a pen on an executive order, Barack Obama could relegate DADT to the ash heap of history, which is where it belongs. Good night. Game over. Drive home safely. Simple, eh?
Apparently, it’s far too simple for the Pentagon brass, who apparently can’t go the the latrine without orders.
It’s really not that difficult to do the right thing. By simply putting the Presidential imprimatur on the idea that our armed forces don’t discriminate, the sorry legacy of DADT and the careers it’s ruined could be rendered a bad memory of a sad and ugly period in our nation’s history. I even have an idea for the executive order. It’s simple, concise, and drives home the point that our armed forces are no place for discrimination and oppression. I’m not an attorney, so the lawyers will have to translate this into legalese, but I think you’ll get my drift. Perhaps if it went something like this:
This Executive Order repeals the policy known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”. All Americans should know that their armed forces welcome all who are willing and able to stand in defense of their country. Our armed forces do not, and will not, discriminate based on race, gender, creed, political belief, sexual orientation, or any other factor. Any American willing to conduct him- or herself in a manner that’s professional, respectful of unit cohesion and the primacy of the mission, and in line with the Uniform Code of Military Justice is welcome in any of the uniformed services.
Again, I’m not an attorney, but I think that pretty much sums up what should be the official policy of our military. Discrimination and oppression should, and must, have no place in the organization we depend upon to preserve our safety and security. Creating an environment that neither tolerates nor advances discrimination and oppression as official policy really shouldn’t be difficult. Just do it. There’s no wrong way to do the right thing, eh?
Tune in tomorrow, when I’ll win the war on terror….
