The “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy has recently been under debate with the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. District Court Judge Virginia Phillips.
On Oct. 12, Phillips suspended the policy, stating that it was unconstitutional.
The Department of Justice attempted to convince Phillips that repealing the policy would be detrimental to the case and could make matters worse.
“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” enacted in 1993, created a ban on homosexuals, restricting them from enlisting in the military. Why was the policy enacted?
The policy might have been created to protect soldiers from being targeted for their sexual orientation.
It does provide soldiers the right to not reveal their orientation if questioned.
However, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” has also had a negative impact on soldiers who might have openly shared their orientation.
The policy does not only affect a soldier’s participation in the armed services, but it also carries on in the soldier’s personal time. According to public law concerning homosexuals serving in armed forces, military life is different from civilian life in that soldiers are monitored 24 hours a day.
In other words, if a solder is found having any sort of intimate relation with someone of the same sex, the behavior could be questioned and potentially lead to the individual being discharged. What is the current state of the
“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy? On Tuesday, Phillips ignored the Department of Justice’s plea to reinstate the policy. “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is currently under review. The policy should be repealed because it has no effect on a soldier’s performance.
“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” may “claim” to protect some soldiers, but it also restricts them of their basic human rights. It isn’t a question as to why are people are raising this issue. The “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy has been debated over the past 17 years by lawmakers and politicians. According to Fox News, until a decision has been made to repeal the policy, openly gay military applicants have been warned that “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is in a “state of legal limbo and could be reinstated at any time.”
If the policy is overturned, it could mean an influx of new applicants and it could lead to reopening closed cases on discharged soldiers.
The change would definitely cause a stir, but in the long run it would also create an environment with more trust as well as a stronger and more united government that appreciates and accepts others’ values and beliefs.
What are your thoughts on banning the policy?
Do you think “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” should continue to be in effect?
Or do you think Congress should repeal it?
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