Delaware politics: Congress moves to lift service ban
Source: The News Journal
By GINGER GIBSON and NICOLE GAUDIANO
May 29, 2010
As Congress moved closer to repealing the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy, some Delawareans applauded the decision while others were more cautious about the changes.
"It's long overdue," said Drewry Fennell, director of the Delaware ACLU. "It was a failed policy and one that really enshrined discrimination."
The changes, which were part of an amendment to a military spending bill, would allow the military to move away from a 1993 rule that allowed gays to serve in the armed services as long as they concealed their sexual orientation. The U.S. House approved the measure Thursday night and a vote must still be taken in the Senate.
Fennell said the move by Congress demonstrates the change in American society in the past decade to give more rights to gays and lesbians.
"It was really based on the bias of others," Fennell said.
Vietnam veteran David Skocik, 62, of Dover, said he doesn't have an opinion on the policy, but hopes politicians consider the needs of the military in moving forward with changes to the policy.
"I hope they would run everything through the military," Skocik said. "If a change is going to be made, I hope it would not affect morale, or retention or combat readiness."
Delaware's lone member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Mike Castle, R-Del., voted with Republicans against the amendment, which passed 234-194. Only five Republicans crossed party lines to vote in favor while 26 Democrats voted against the amendment.
While military leaders have told lawmakers they support allowing gays to serve openly in uniform, they also have cautioned against moving too quickly and urged lawmakers not to rewrite the law until the Pentagon has finished its own study on how to implement the change, Castle said. That study is due to be finished in December.
"I have said that Congress should follow the advice and expertise of our military leaders on major changes in military policy," Castle said in a statement "Instead of waiting for feedback from the military community on how best to apply any new policy, the issue has been brought before Congress to decide. My record against discrimination of any kind is clear and I sincerely believe that the best course of action for addressing 'don't ask, don't tell' is to follow a timeline and recommended application from the Joint Chief's of Staff."
Chris Coons, the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate running against Castle, praised the House vote.
"'Don't ask, don't tell,' is discrimination, plain and simple," Coons said in a statement. " We are at war, and people willing and able to serve, ought to be able to serve -- openly -- to protect our freedom."
Sen. Ted KAUFMAN, D-Del., was among six original co-sponsors of the Senate amendment. He was among 16 Senate Armed Services Committee members to vote for its passage Thursday. The measure must still be approved by the Senate as part of the defense budget bill.
"We must end discrimination in our military," KAUFMAN said in a statement. "Repealing 'don't ask, don't tell' means more brave, qualified young men and women will be free to serve their country."
Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., said the measure allows for Congress to "hit the pause" button if military leaders and President Barack Obama decide that the military needs more time to implement the new policy after the study is completed in December. If that happens, the current law remains in effect. Otherwise, "don't ask, don't tell" is repealed in 60 days. Carper called the amendment a "reasonable" and "thoughtful" approach that he supports.
Carper served as a naval flight officer in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War and later as a P-3 aircraft mission commander. He went on to serve in the Naval Reserve and retired from the military in 1991 with the rank of captain.
Asked whether he had any personal feelings about the measure, he said, "I suspect that a lot of us in the military who might not have been comfortable with this, you know, 30 years ago or 50 years ago, have changed our views [in] regard to homosexuality in our lifetime. I think a lot of people who might have had misgivings about this earlier in their lives have become more comfortable with it."
Andrew Zeltt, president of Delaware Pride, applauded the move and said he's hopeful it will be a step toward granting more rights to gays nationwide, including the right to marry.
"It's all in the right direction," Zeltt said.
