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From MSNBC:

WASHINGTON – The military’s top uniformed officer declared Tuesday that gays should be allowed to serve openly in uniform, arguing that it is “the right thing to do.”

It was the strongest statement yet from the Pentagon on this volatile issue.

Adm. Mike Mullen told the Senate Armed Services Committee he is deeply troubled by a policy that forces people to “lie about who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens.”

Text continues after gallery…

Mullen said he knows many will disagree about abandoning the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy and said there are practical obstacles to lifting the 1993 ban. But he said he thinks the military can handle it. Mullen is chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and chief military adviser to President Barack Obama.

Before Mullen’s statement, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said he is tapping his chief legal adviser and a four-star Army general to lead a landmark study on how the military would lift its ban on openly gay service members.

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RELATED STORIES

Obama Reaffirms Pledge To End “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”

Gay Rights Marchers Pressure Obama To Keep His Promises

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[9:08 a.m. - 2/12/2010] – Source: Defense Officials To Declare “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Policy Shift

From the Washington Post:

President Obama’s top defense officials will tell the Senate on Tuesday that the military will no longer aggressively pursue disciplinary action against gay service members whose orientation is revealed against their will by third parties, sources say.

In testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Michael Mullen also are expected to announce the creation of a group to assess how to carry out a full repeal of the decades-old “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, which requires gay soldiers to keep their sexual orientation secret.

But Gates and Mullen are also expected to tell senators that it could take years to integrate gay men and lesbians fully into the military, defense officials said. Two appointees will be named to oversee a group that will draw up plans for integrating the armed forces, according to sources familiar with the Pentagon’s deliberations on the subject. The planning effort is expected to take up to a year.

Among the issues to be addressed by the group: whether gay soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines will face any restrictions on exhibiting their sexual orientation on the job; whether the Pentagon will be obligated to provide for their domestic partners; and whether straight military personnel could be compelled to share quarters with gays.

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  • http://www.blackinfo.net/?p=12035 Source: Defense Officials To Declare “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Policy Shift | Black Info.Net

    [...] more here: Source: Defense Officials To Declare “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Policy Shift Posted in The 411 Tags: military, nation, people, racism, soldiers, sphere « Where Are [...]

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/CaliFemme23/ CaliFemme23

    *SIGH*…I know Im going to hear some ish about this…

    “Among the issues to be addressed by the group: whether gay soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines will face any restrictions on exhibiting their sexual orientation on the job; whether the Pentagon will be obligated to provide for their domestic partners; and whether straight military personnel could be compelled to share quarters with gays.”

    This is some ole bullshyt. I am sick and tired of the gay community and all of their “I need special treatment, but treat me as an equal” whinin and bytchin. The military has been ran like it has been for ages now and it takes some ‘victim’ azz gay people to come in and change the entire system. Hell yeah they should face MUCH restriction exhibiting their sexual orientation on the job…No no, before yall hang me….This is EXACTLY how the gay community got out of control in civilian society…Im sorry, but once you give a gay person an inch (NO! NO PUN INTENDED!), they will reach, complain, bytch, and temper tantrum for MILES. It starts with something seemingly simple as acceptance, then providing for their ‘domestic’ partners, which I dont agree with either because domestic partner is NOT the equivalency of married. So if the military doesnt acknowledge straight members girlfriends/boyfriends, then hell naw, damn a domestic partner. It begins with these seemingly small steps, then they will have to incorporate gay/lesbian appreciation day, then they will be trying to march around with the gay pride banners, insignia and parades…HELL YES they will because that is EXACTLY how it started in ‘regular’ society. I have teen neices/nephews who now have gay pride day at their H.S, its disgusting to me because there is no ‘black pride, hispanic pride, italian pride’ designated day at school. It is a day that gay people just have the pass to act a fool. And when in hell did we feel the need to ‘honor’ people JUST because they chose to be with the same gender? I have been heterosexual my entire life and not nan time have we had a ‘heterosexual’ appreciation day! We dont have special rules and reg’s JUST because we date the opposite sex.
    NOR should any straight personnel be forced/compelled to share quarters with knowingly gay people. I mean im sure its happening anyway, but as a straight person I would want the option to say ‘hell no’ I dont wanna sleep shoulder to shoulder with a gay person. Sorry folks but some people just arent with the whole gay explosion and WE should be taken into account just like they want to be, OUR mindsets and level of comfort shouldnt be second place to theirs. They chose to be gay, they chose to ‘come out’ so deal with the consequences that everyone may not be accepting. And for those who will say..”But they fight for their country just like straight people do”…Right, my point exactly! If gay people are fighting side by side with straight people in any and every situation…then why treat them any different in any other situation. If they dont get special treatment in the field, then they shouldnt get it any where else…

    No, im not jealous (I mean really, jealous of what??),Yes, I am anti-gay…you may quote me on that…

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Splash_Waters253/ Splash_Waters253

    Don’t forget their need to feel they should be parents while you at it. I agree let them go to war and keep some of our straight men here. If they die overseas fighting for this country, so be it. Thats one less f****t we gotta have here b/itching and whining about equality.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/doing_me74/ doing_me74

    This can possible break the stereotype that black DL men look like thugs when they be professional etc.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/doing_me74/ doing_me74

    To CaliFemme23 you don’t think feminism wasn’t about women crying for special treatment the gay thing is just the opposite side of the corn now you see how some men feel about special treatment women get in society an we men get treated equal.I’m sure their might be other women that feel the same way you do now lets see how women going to deal with this special treatment like men deal with the special treatment women get in society through feminism.America is a society for all remember an that were diverse right so why complain its the loose country of the world.I wonder how many people still love America Lmao.This is just payback to me because what go’s around comes around this country is going to fry itself.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/CaliFemme23/ CaliFemme23

    doing_me74,

    I agree with you bruh…Women do and have done what they wanted to do for rights and such and at the same time DONT want to be held accountable at other times, they pull the ‘Im a woman’ card when its convenient. Thats my entire point…Dont holler foul when your special treatment would entail more than you bargained for and thats what Gays and women do. I know MANY women who cry about men who dont open doors, who dont pull out their chairs etc…BUT when a man asks for a home cooked meal she says..”I aint cho’momma, I aint cookin for no man!”…I dont approve of it, dont use your ‘card’ subjectively…Same thing with gays…They want to have every right known to the free world..BUT they also want to say ‘Aww im gay, treat me special!”.
    Like the ‘domestic partner’ thing…why should the military recognize anything for gays other than marriage as with the straight people? What is any unmarried couple other than just ‘boyfriends/girlfriends’? Why should gays be allowed that privilage because they are gay? And they will come with ” I didnt choose to be gay, I was born this way”..yeah well I didnt choose to be black or female either I was born this way and I have to roll with the punches, injustices just like er’body else…Get over it

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/typeflow/ typeflow

    gay is the new black

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/ambitious_balla/ ambitious_balla

    ”I didnt choose to be gay, I was born this way”..yeah well I didnt choose to be black or female either I was born this way and I have to roll with the punches, injustices just like er’body else…Get over it”

    Califemme, you continue to amaze me. You spoke volumes with that one.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/sweet-n-evil-89/ sweet-n-evil-89

    Either the officials are really stupid or they just dont want to admit it but, making gays and lesbians serve openly is gonna cause some real problems.
    For the most part I agree with you Califemme (other than being anit-gay) but the whole “special treatment” thing for them is going a little to far. They can’t ask to be treated as equals and then get mad if someone treats them injustly… that’s something we all have to deal with.
    & They have “gay pride day” in HS now?? WTF is up with that?

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/JB_thereal_3000/ JB_thereal_3000

    Dont ask dont tell works. I dont want to know if a dude is gay in the military. Its the military. I like the way our military is, strong, disciplined and free from any civilian B.S. wtch my back not my a 5 5

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/doing_me74/ doing_me74

    To
    Califemme23

    Why cant gays get married since America is supposed to be about equality why cant gays serve openly in the military etc. Why get mad when gays want special treatment when America is about equality I mean this aint my fault America is America get rid of the politics in this country an democracy then you have a Totalitarian government.So the way I see it is that we got to roll with punches because at the end of the day this democracy .So now we get mad at gays for wanting something just like whites get mad at blacks for wanting something see the thing is this country doesn’t have no balance because at the end of the day I bet the military is going to be openly gay.I see the future of America coming to a transition like never before.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/CaliFemme23/ CaliFemme23

    doing_me74,
    You missunderstood. I never said gays shouldnt get married, and I never said they shouldnt serve openly in the military either. Dont miss quote me if youre going to debate me. I dont think the military should give gays special treatment by providing their ‘domestic partners’ with the ‘perks’ that ONLY MARRIED couples should receive. If the military doesnt recognize a man and woman in a relationship other than marital, then why should they do it for two men or two women together? Thats that special treatment Im talking about. And I’m not mad (why is anyone in opposition of anything these days automatically mad??), I just have my opinion and I dont agree with all of the facets of this issue. Sorry im not that peace and love hippie liberal that EVERYONE seems to be these days. And I agree, I know the military will accept the ‘openly gay’ members and I have no opposition to that…I just know its going to lead to the face of the military changing unfairly against the principles and morals of straight service members.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/registheone/ registheone

    Gay people out to be able to serve and die just the rest of America. I hate it when people discriminate against one group of people for whatever reason. Black folks like myself should be the last group of people to discriminate. I believe this is why we don’t prosper well as a people….we haven’t learned to live and let live.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/CaliFemme23/ CaliFemme23

    registheone,
    Youre right…Now tell me…When has the world ever let black people just ‘live and let live’???

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Jack_Stephen1/ Jack_Stephen1

    i can see it now…watching the news and seeing sailors/soldiers/marines returning home and instead of seeing just wives runnning to hug n kiss their husbands….you get the picture!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Gatekeepa/ Gatekeepa

    First, I have no heaven or hell to put anyone in and I’am very confident as a educated heterosexual african american male ..

    ..is homosexual and a lesbian GOD’s Best? no,

    ..do they exist and will exist, yes,

    ..is being heterosexual a reason to look down on homosexuality, NO,

    ..is heterosexual fornication a sin before marriage, yes,

    ..homosexual fornication a sin, yes,

    ..being a heterosexual male and fornicationg with 2 bisexual females at once a sin..yes.. so we all come SHORT before GOD..

    The article…

    I see this as another failed attempt to implement a ban which will never take place anytime soon..what better way to divert or dodge an issue by prolonging a definitive for years to come..

    ..in code..the military is saying..”Mr. President, we the military.. will no longer expel military personnel by means of third party HEAR-SAY with regard to sexual orientation..which is as far as we will go with it..at the moment…if there’s anything else you want.. we aren’t willing to go the distant without a fight”..

    ..IMO.. if you ask U.S. military troops under the age of 30 years or younger (the average age of the “fallen” as we continue to engage in two wars) .. the larger percentage of that age group have no problem serving with an open homosexual or lesbian(it’s a modern day thought for THIS generation’s future to NOT discriminate as this nation has in the PAST which CRIPPLES THIS NATION and THREATENS THIS GENERATIONS FUTURE OF THE PERILS FROM THE PAST)..

    ..this generation’s military concern is not the sexual orientation of their fellow enlisted .. their concern is whether their fox-hole partner is trust worthy, reliable and responsible to keep them alive doing combat…as top priority..

    It’s obvious… there’s been high ranking military personnel (although in the closet because of DADT=don’t ask don’t tell) …made decisions on behalf to protect this nation’s freedoms in times of war, past, present and will in the future.. not for one minute do I doubt- their- expertise for making the RIGHT decisions..on behalf to protect my freedoms.. openly gay or in the closet because of DADT..neither has nothing to do with the other protecting this nation..

    Here’s the problem.. a human mental fragility.. it has to do with the fact there are others in the military who refuse to engaged their discriminating minds with regard to homosexuals/lesbians…as rule of thumb for the military..

    My view — the majority view, I think — is that in most cases, discriminating against someone because he/she is gay is as despicable as discriminating against someone because he is black Or Catholic. Or short… or disabled..

    This nation made it illegal to discriminate on the basis of race,(RACISM) gender,(SEXISM) color, ethnic origin, and religion because there was a broad national consensus that it was necessary to do so. The 1964 Civil Rights Act was passed with bipartisan majorities in Congress, and only after most Americans had concluded that racial/ethnic discrimination was so harmful to the nation’s well-being that it had to be stopped, and so entrenched in the culture that it would take a law to stop it.

    So lets educate ourselves as BLACK FOLK can WE?.. you don’t have to like homosexuals/or lesbians..but you have sex with bi-sexual females in threesome which means you are engaging in homo-sex activity as heterosexual male=homosexual or vice versa .. so let us EDUCATE ourselves and know who we really ARE and what we are really doing and what we are really saying.. and know we as americans are living in a nation of FREEDOMS for all even if you don’t LIKE ALL..

    if you don’t like homosexuals/lesbians ..move..to a place like uganda where they are trying to pass a law to kill all homosexuals..all you have to do is be accused and your are killed.. WAKE UP PEOPLE and stop discriminating..and let GOD deal with what is immoral..and when you look at it that way.. you might find yourself living in a glass house..throwing stones..

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Da_Epitome_of_Thick_/ Da_Epitome_of_Thick_

    “Serve Openly”…. Why?… So you can ship they F****t ass off somewhere to get merked FIRST???… or to make it easier to find your D-Lo Homo F**k Buddy?… What happened to the “Don’t ask, Don’t tell Policy”… O’ I guess they got tired of Catching Their Boi’s “In The Head” giving each other head… The Military is a Contrived Farce… They recruit our Brothers, Sisters, Mothers & Fathers… Only to send them to Who knows where to fight a battle that is Not ours but, for their own personal gain & profit…”War is and always will be BIGG BUSINESS”… Not to mention it is the First and oldest form of population control… The more people they brain wash into fighting for the country… The more lives they can take legally… As they send out hundreds of Thousands of letters each year to the families of their loved ones… As a Pat on the Back… Your Son/Daughter gave their life in honer of Patriotism… WTF?… The only reason they joined in the 1st place is because we though you were gonna pay for collage… How did My child end up Killed in a War???… Ask yourself this… If war is such a bad thing, Then We should try to avoid it at all cost Right???… Yet, How come every time you look around 10,000… 25,000… 50,000 More troops are being sent somewhere?… Hummm, Someone has to be profiting off all this… anyone with 2 eyes and half a brain can see that.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/boaz92310/ boaz92310

    I been in the military for 22 years now and there are Gay and lesbian’s in the military I went to a club here in Korea and I saw two females hugged up and I was like WoW…I told a friend what I saw and he said this is what they do now.This is nothing new to the military I don’t think its right but we have to be real we have soldiers that are coming in now Bi,Gay and lesbian if they can pick a weapon and put some bullet’s down range then let it be.Yes there will be some people not liking what they see some may get merked but thats the price they will pay, you know a lot of men would love to see two women having sex and would want to be right in the mix with them…but let it be two men then all hell breaks loose. We have to think that this is the present day and hiding it is not going to solve anything… Let them serve when they are trained and taking care of business at the end of the day they will be Protectors of this Great Nation.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Bornn2winn/ Bornn2winn

    Out of all the damn rules the military has this is the one thats going to get changed? This is ridiculous.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/alpha111906/ alpha111906

    Thou shalt not kill. So why is homosexuality a moral issue in the U.S. military? I witnessed a lot of openly gay soldiers while serving. Just depends on the unit you are in.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Alphamanec/ Alphamanec

    TOP MILITARY OFFICIALS PROBABLY WANT GAY SOLDIERS TO SERVE OPENLY SINCE THERES A SHORTGAGE OF WOMEN IN THE MILITARY THEY PROBABLY WANT TO KNOW WHO THE GAY PEOPLE ARE SO THEY CAN POUNCE ON THEIR ASSES & GET THE MUCH NEEDED LUVIN THEIR MISSIN UNTIL THEY GET BACK HOME TO THEIR B!TCHES, WIVES &G/F…LOL THIS ARTICLE MAKES NO SENCE REALLY… WHY WOULD ANYONE HAVE TO STATE THEIR SEXUALITY… YOUR THEIR TO FIGHT & TAKE A FEW BULLETS & POSSIBLY LOOSE A LIMB IN COMBAT. NOT WORRY ABOUT HOOKIN UP…ITS NOT A DATING SERVICE OR SHOW. I THINK THEY NEED TO CONCENTRATE MORE ON GETTING BACK HOME ALIVE & IF THEIR ONLY IN TRAINING SUCH AS THE MILITARY CHANCES ARE SINCE THEIRS AN ONGOING WAR UR GONNA BE DRAFTED & U WILL HAVE TO FIGHT IN ANOTHER COUNTRY UVE NEVER SEEN B4…. SO WORRY ABOUT COMING OUT ALIVE… WITH AL THE BULLETS THEYLL BE DUCKIN THELL BE LUCKY IF THEY COME OUT IN 1 PIECE WITH THEIR P3NIS IN TACT…LOL

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/panamaniak/ panamaniak

    I don’t see what the problem is. I knew gay guy and they were just as good as “straight” Marines. As long as you can squeeze a trigger or whatever your job is it should not matter what your orientation is.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/mima57/ mima57

    Wow, what a difference a day makes. Our drill SGTs encouraged us to give them blanket parties and make them as uncomfortable as possible.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/producer6tray/ producer6tray

    thats bulls**t.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/producer6tray/ producer6tray

    once again blacks debating white bulls**t.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/doing_me74/ doing_me74

    Morality has nothing to do with sexual orientation it’s base on objectivity an action people think gay people have no morals not true.I think this why its such a big issue like all gay people is only about sex not true again just like you have straight people doing immoral stuff an sex that’s immoral now a gay person is associate with immorality that’s insane.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/star_kidd09/ star_kidd09

    this is what you out of hand!! why should the military care about your sexual orientation? ii mean you could be one of the best person in the military but once they find out you gay or a lesbian its a whole different story!!
    well guess what when ii go to the military i am going to be the happiest lesbian ii can be!!! can’t nobody stop my pride!!!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/CyphaDz/ CyphaDz

    I personally disagree with homosexuals being able to serve openly, i have a question, has anyone here been to combat? better yet has anyone served in the military?. Like the old saying “there’s always two sides to a story”. Now as civilians we all understand discrimination personally or indirectly, this country had its fair share and metaphorically we can place ourselves in their shoes. The flip side to that coin do we really understand the logistics and details of the military when facing this homosexual shift. Are we fully aware of the issues that will be posed to present and future mil. personnel both hetero and homosexual or are we just misinformed on our soap boxes ranting “it’s not fair”

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/PuroMestizo/ PuroMestizo

    CyphaDz, I’ve deployed to Iraq twice and Afghanistan once. Trust me, there are plenty of homosexuals in the military and as long as they do their job they cause no more problems than we heterosexuals.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/CyphaDz/ CyphaDz

    PuroMestizo
    I’ve have 3 OIF tours and was in theater countless times for OEF, i’m well aware of gays in the military but our dont ask, dont tell policy protects both hetero. and homo. as oppose to openly serving. For instance lets take it back to boot or any close quarters sharing, how do u think heteros. would respond to those conditions and lets include everyone from admin. to the killers up front, present and future. And lets build on that, what would be the consensus over time.. how would that affect lets say morale that silent booster in turn mission accomplishment. Plus where would we draw the line at recruitment, from flamers to the folk who just want to be subtle? and that’s just couple issues what about the unforeseen. Again i understand there’s homosexuals in the military but we shouldnt be hasty to abandon our current policy for an open one.

  • http://newsone.com/nation/news-one-staff/dont-ask-dont-tell-disproportionately-affects-black-women/ “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Disproportionately Affects Black Women | News One

    [...] Top Military Officials Say Gay Soldiers Should Serve Openly [...]

  • http://www.blackinfo.net/?p=12557 “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Disproportionately Affects Black Women | Black Info.Net

    [...] Top Military Officials Say Gay Soldiers Should Serve Openly [...]

  • http://newsone.com/nation/associated-press/lesbian-sues-police-department-for-outing-her-to-air-force/ Lesbian Sues Police Department For Outing Her To Air Force | News One

    [...] UPDATE: Top Military Officials Say Gay Soldiers Should Serve Openly [...]

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