Don't Ask, Don't Tell Policy

This policy was established in 1993 by President Bill Clinton which, "forbids homosexuals in the military from revealing their sexual orientation and others from asking about it." Just like how I read about this in another person's blog, there are positives and negatives of this policy. One positive aspect is that this policy allows homosexuals to participate in the military and gives them that opportunity to serve their country. What I don't understand is that the U.S. military may deny perfectly qualified and capable men and women just because of their sexual orientation. What if men and women are falsely accussed of being either gay or lesbian? It's almost as if the gay and lesbian troops are "silently" discriminated against. "Silently" meaning even though others are not actually discriminating against them, the fact that there is a policy purposely for the gay troops is discriminating. In my opinion, I don't agree with this policy because even though it allows homosexuals to particpate in the military doesn't mean those troops who are either gay or lesbian should be forced to hide or ignore a characteristic that makes them who they are. It's almost as if once they join the military, they have to ignore that characteristic, which is a large part of what makes them who they are.

"don't ask, don't tell policy." American History. ABC-CLIO, 2010. Web. 31 Jan. 2010. http://www.americanhistory.abc-clio.com/