News :: GLBT
House hears ’Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ repeal by Hannah Clay Wareham
Associate EditorFriday Oct 9, 2009 Rep. Patrick Murphy led a special order speeches hour to discuss the possibility of a ’Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ (DADT) repeal, which would allow gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military, on Tuesday, Oct. 6.
According to Murphy (D-PA), there are three reasons the repeal must be passed:
1. It is "vital" to national security.
2. The repeal is "doing right by our taxpayers." $1.3 billion has been spent on discharging gays and lesbians from the military since the law’s enactment in 1993.
3. DADT goes against "the very fabric of what makes our country the greatest country on Earth": the fact that all Americans are created equal.
Rep. Tim Walz (D-MN) is one of the 176 co-sponsors of the bill, and the highest-ranking military servicemember in Congress. Walz called the law "archaic and outdated," and promised to be with Murphy "every step of the way" as he works on its repeal.
The repeal is not without its adversaries, however. Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) spoke up during the hour, saying, "Every country that has adopted laws like this it has had an extremely chilling effect." Gohmert went on to predict that a repeal of DADT would lead to economic instability and "that guy with the little mustache," referring to Adolf Hitler.
As Gohmert began to read from the bible and predict the subsequent legalization of pedophilia and necrophilia that would follow a repeal of DADT, the special hour was adjourned.
Hannah can be reached at hclaywareham@baywindows.com.
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