The second attempt this month to repeal the law banning open homosexuals from serving in our military (“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”) was again defeated by Senate Republicans and Democrat Senator, Joe Manchin. The vote to take up consideration of the repeal was defeated 57-40.
The Thomas More Law Center (TMLC), a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, applauds Senate Republican leaders, and particularly Senator John McCain, for standing up to the political juggernaut of homosexual advocacy groups, which attempted to destroy our national security for the sake of their radical agenda.
Shortly after yesterday’s vote, however, two key supporters of the repeal, Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), are planning to introduce stand-alone legislation to try for a third time this year to overturn the ban.
These attempted repeals of the ban have nothing to do with improving America’s war-fighting capabilities and everything to do with fulfilling campaign promises. Quite telling, the major sponsors of the repeal have never served in the military, and yet are willing to ignore the recommendations of the chiefs of the Army, Marine Corps and Air Force that the ban on homosexuals serving in the military be kept in place, especially when we are currently fighting two wars.
Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Law Center, commented: “The Law Center would like to especially acknowledge the heroic efforts of Senator John McCain. His love of country and for America’s Armed Forces, and his understanding of the disastrous effect on our national security should open homosexuals be allowed in the military, informed his steadfast opposition to the repeal, despite the tremendous political pressures he faced.”
Continued Thompson: “The fight is not over. We have to be as zealous as these homosexual groups and their allies. Not only will they continue attempts to repeal the law in Congress, but they are still attempting to repeal it by federal court decisions. It is astonishing to see Secretary of Defense Gates and Admiral Mullen dumb-down the standard of morality relating to homosexual conduct and display such nonchalant attitude to the fact that most combat troops and heads of the Army, Marine Corps and Air Force oppose repeal.”