Pentagon to Reveal Plan to Repeal DADT

Obama made brief mention at the SOTU on Wednesday that he will be taking steps to repeal ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell,’ and it appears that the Pentagon will be unveiling the steps they plan on taking to abolish a grossly homophobic and frankly inhumane policy.

Gates and Mullen are not expected to offer a specific legislative proposal to repeal the law, but rather to detail some of the preliminary steps that need to be taken inside the military in advance of formulating a legislative plan.
Gates will discuss options for more “humanely” implementing the current ban, for example, according to a senior Pentagon official. The secretary asked his general counsel’s office for options six months ago including how to possibly not expel personnel whose homosexuality is revealed by third parties, the source said.
The 1993 law bars gay men and lesbians in the military from revealing their sexual orientation, and prevents the military from asking about it.
Another military official familiar with the discussion said some of the issues to be considered include the cost of implementing a new policy, benefits for gay spouses, potential hate crimes, and even logistical questions such as the possible need to renovate barracks to separate straight and gay troops.
According to the official, the idea of separate housing or showers was not considered a serious possibility, but would be discussed in order to rule it out.

Let me just say, thank goodness! But the steps include benefits for gay spouses, potential for hate crimes and separate housing? I don’t know enough about military housing, but that doesn’t sounds right to me. I generally don’t equate segregation with humanity.
It is amazing to me that for all these years, young men and women that have given their life to serve in the military have not been given the simple ability to express their full humanity and be respected and supported.
I, of course, advocate the repeal of a law as ignorant and hurtful as DADT, but I advocate more wholly for a world where less and less people see the military as a viable option and to bring an end to militarism. The domination, greed and ignorance that propels our wars is the same ignorance that propels homophobia in the military. Without ending one, we probably won’t ever end the other.
But since we don’t live in a just or ideal world, at least they are truly taking steps to repeal DADT.