Oops....I Didn't Mean What I Just Said I Meant

Yesterday I said that Secretary of the Army, John McHugh, in interviewing gay soldiers about Don't Ask, Don't Tell, would not discharge anyone under that policy for coming out to him in the course of his investigation.

McHugh has now changed his mind.

John McHugh: "Yesterday, in response to a series of questions from reporters regarding "Don't Ask Don't Tell", I made several statements that require further comment.

First, while President Obama has asked Congress to repeal "Don't Ask Don't Tell", it is and remains the law of the land...

Second, I was incorrect when I stated that Secretary Gates had placed a moratorium on discharges of homosexual service-members. There is no moratorium of the law and neither Secretary Gates nor I would support one.
Third, with regard to the three soldiers who shared their views and thoughts with me on "Don't Ask Don't Tell", I might better have counseled them that statements about their sexual orientation could not be treated as confidential and could result in their separation under the law."

Now McHugh says he'll use a third party to interview soldiers so he won't be conflicted over discharging people for being gay:"The working group is likely to utilize a third party from outside of the department to solicit these views so soldiers can speak candidly and without fear of separation. I urge every soldier to share his or her views and suggestions on this important issue through this channel. This is the appropriate way to do so."

No, sir, the appropriate way to do so is to instantly repeal DADT and apologize to every gay man and woman affected by this decades long institution of discrimination.

John McHugh Stands with Dan Choi

All sorts of folks were in an uproar last month when Dan Choi chained himself to the White House fence--and was subsequently arrested--to protest Don't Ask, Don't. I, however, understood his frustration, and the idea that, when you spend years asking politely for something, and are told that it's being taken care, but a year goes by and you ask again and receive the same response and then you elect a man who says one of the first things he'll do is scrap that whole anti-gay discriminatory policy, and then it gets pushed back again, well, I understand the What The Fuck attitude.

A similar, and no less bold, What The Fuck attitude is being offered up by the secretary of the Army, John McHugh, who said yesterday that he was effectively ignoring DADT because he had no intention of pursuing discharges of active-duty service members who have publicly come out.

It's a figurative chaining of oneself to the fence.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced revised standards about DADT discharges last week, saying he would make it harder for the military to discharge service members whose sexual orientation is revealed by third parties. That's a small step, but it wasn't enough for John McHugh, who said it made no sense to pursue discharges of service members as he speaks with them about the change in policy.

People said that Dan Choi may have ruined his chances of being reinstated in the military with his protest and arrest, but sometimes, you get so tired of being told No that you have to do something drastic. And John McHugh is doing the same by blatantly ignoring the law.

Two heroes; two different methods; hopefully the same result.

The end of DADT.