Chairman Of Joint Chiefs Supports Equality

Once again, the Republican Party is showing itself to be little more than the party of NO. This time they are opposing the removal of the terribly unfair "Don't Ask - Don't Tell" policy of the United States Military. Leading the opposition to equality is Senator John McCain (R-Arizona).

In the past, McCain had said he would consider changing the policy if the military leaders advocated making the change, but he seems to have changed his mind on that -- probably because he has to run for re-election this year and has a fundamentalist teabagger opponent in the Republican primary. He's busy now trying to appeal to that right-wing party base.

McCain told Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Admiral Michael G. Mullen, and Defense Secretary, Robert Gates (both of whom were Bush appointees) that they were trying to force through a change in the law. He said, "I'm happy to say that we still have a Congress of the United States that would have to pass a law to repeal 'don't ask, don't tell', despite your efforts to repeal it in many respects by fiat."

But it looks like McCain and his Republican cohorts are fighting a losing battle on this issue. A clear majority of the American people want to see the policy dumped and replaced with a policy that celebrates equality for all. And I believe a majority of the Congress feels the same way. It's possible that a few moderate Republicans will even back the change in law.

But the final nail in the coffin of "Don't Ask - Don't Tell" was hammered in by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Admiral Mullen. Mullen (pictured) told Congress yesterday, "Speaking for my self and myself only, it is my personal belief that allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly would be the right thing to do."

He went on to say, "No matter how I look at the issue, I cannot escape being troubled by the fact that we have in place a policy which forces young men and women to lie about who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens."

Well said, Admiral Mullen. Well said.