Rep. Calls for End to "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

By: Brian Montopoli
Topics: Social Issues

(CBS)

Rep. Patrick Murphy, a Pennsylvania Democrat and Iraq war veteran, today called for an end to the "discriminatory" policy known as "don't ask, don't tell" that prohibits gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military.

"The policy is not working for armed services, and it hurts our national security," Murphy (pictured at left) said at a speech at Washington's National Press Club, where he appeared with gay and straight service members supporting repeal of the policy.

The event was a kickoff to the "Voices Of Honor" national tour sponsored by gay rights groups the Human Rights Campaign and Servicemembers United that features members of the military who oppose the Clinton-era compromise that allows gays to serve only if they keep their sexuality a secret. Murphy's office also helped set up a Web site called www.letthemserve.com.

"Opponents of lifting the ban argue that allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly will be detrimental to unit cohesion and morale," the congressman said. "As a former officer and West Point professor, that is an insult to me and to all of the troops serving in uniform. In Iraq, my men did not care what race, color, creed or sexual orientation their fellow paratroopers were. They cared about getting the job done. We cared about serving with honor and coming home alive." (Watch Murphy's full remarks here.)

Murphy vowed to take the lead in pushing through Congress the Military Readiness Enhancement Act, which would overturn the policy. He noted that President Obama has vowed to sign the bill if it crosses his desk and said it is Congress' responsibility to make that happen.

The president has taken heat from gay rights groups for not pushing harder for the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" or the Defense Of Marriage Act, something he promised to work toward as a candidate. Gay rights groups were particularly outraged by a brief filed by the Obama Justice Department defending DOMA that compared gay marriage to marriage between family members.

More than 13,000 service members have been discharged under "don't ask, don't tell," including nearly 300 under Mr. Obama. The White House insists the policy must be overturned through legislation, though some say the president could suspend it via executive order should he decide to do so.

Military leaders have suggested they are in the early stages of considering how best they might repeal the policy and stressed that they do not want to hurry the process.

"We look forward to ensuring that our military can recruit and retain the best and the brightest troops regardless of their sexual orientation," Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese said in a statement. "As this tour will highlight, poll after poll continues to show the vast majority of Americans, including the majority of active service members, support the right of gay and lesbian service members to serve openly and honestly."

Brian Montopoli
Brian Montopoli is the senior political reporter at CBSNews.com.
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by neindependent July 9, 2009 9:07 AM EDT: My my... a lot of bigots on today... I have several family members currently in the armed forces... and I've asked them all point blank, what would it mean to them if they found out a member in their unit was gay.. To a person, they all said "Who gives a sh*t, as long as they can shoot a gun when needed". I guess it all has to do with how one was brought up... being raised in a bigot's home, will raise bigots.... hate is not something one is born with, it is taught and it's about time for all bigots to just go away and die somewhere and let the rest of the world move forward..

I, for one, do not appreciate millions of dollars being thrown down the toilet training soldiers, and then kicking them out simply because they are gay.. What a waste of money and manpower.; Reply to this comment


by 6591Hou July 9, 2009 7:21 AM EDT: Rep. Murphy needs to extend his thought process out further, off the battlefield, and onto the military bases both CONUS and overseas. Barracks life is segregated, male and female servicepeople are billeted in same sex rooms, wings, or entire barracks. Throw in a new parameter and what will you have? Male, female, other? There are clothing regs for both on, and off duty, will they be rewritten for transgender (or will only gays who dress straight be allowed to openly serve)? Will the military housewife in base housing have to explain to her children why the two men, or two women, next door were kissing each other? Or do we just automatically give BAQ and COMRATS to gay personnel so they can live off base and avoid those issues. A good friend of mine at a duty station we both served at in the early 80's was gay, she lived with her girlfriend off base. She was not hounded out by her command because she was gay, and there were a lot of people who knew or suspected that she was. In my career I knew of nobody who was investigated or processed for being gay, based solely upon their orientation. I knew of a few gay people who were processed out for their conduct, who also happened to be gay. I also knew of several heterosexual people who were processed out because they thought they could beat the drug screening program when it first started. The point being that the orientation was not the issue, it was the conduct that was the issue.; Reply to this comment


by mnbrant July 9, 2009 7:00 AM EDT: Hurry up and get don't ask don't tell repealed so I can get some of that crappy VA medical care that has a million member backlog.

by npkppprc July 8, 2009 3:51 PM PDT
Why would anyone want to put another human being in danger Mr. Murphy, this will cause nothing but problems. The military is a close knit organization and a lot of soldiers do not agree with you. Not knowing is good, if a soldier knows it will alienate the gay and may even lead to mental abuse, physical abuse, and loss of trust.

If your not being metally, psychologically or physically abused in your unit already theres something already as that is the whole point of the military. To abuse the troops.; Reply to this comment


by vuenbelvue July 8, 2009 9:36 PM EDT: Tell us, Rep. Murphy, what you actually know about the per centage of gays in the military? What per cent is male and what per cent is female? What per cent of the US military is Gay Rep.Murphy? Or is this the same as voting for Stimulus plans you and your comrades haven't read? Give up your health benefits Rep. Murphy and pay into social security like the rest of us. Your hot air like the rest of the clowns and the circus hopefully will be over in a few years when voters start voting you people out after one term.; Reply to this comment


by npkppprc July 8, 2009 6:51 PM EDT: Why would anyone want to put another human being in danger Mr. Murphy, this will cause nothing but problems. The military is a close knit organization and a lot of soldiers do not agree with you. Not knowing is good, if a soldier knows it will alienate the gay and may even lead to mental abuse, physical abuse, and loss of trust.; Reply to this comment