'Don't Ask Don't Tell' Tougher on Minorities, Women

[cory777]

Source: Politics Daily

Here's one thing you probably know about "don't ask, don't tell," the Pentagon policy on gays and lesbians in the military. As my colleague Patricia Murphy reports, a bill to dismantle this outdated policy is wending its way through Congress.

Here's one thing you probably don't know about the 17-year-old law that says, essentially, gays and lesbians can remain in the military as long as no one knows they are gay:

The ban has disproportionately affected minorities and women. The latest data, compiled by the gay rights group Servicemembers United from Defense Department numbers, show that in 2008, minorities made up 45 percent of troops discharged under "don't ask, don't tell," while minorities were 30 percent of the service. Women accounted for 34 percent of the discharges but comprised 14 percent of the military.

USA Today, reporting the study, contacted Pentagon spokeswoman Cynthia Smith who said the military does not know why there is a disproportionate number of discharges for minorities and women and, under the ban, can't look into the question.

Read more: http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/06/01/dont-ask-dont-tell-tougher-on-minorities-women/

[glen123098]

1. So bigotry leads to more bigotry...

Who knew?

[defendandprotect]

2. Still a big right wing war on women in military . . . . and violence against women in military/rape

is also a threat to them -- long has been -- Vietnam, as well!

[Starry Messenger]

3. This *should* be obvious, but nothing shocks me anymore.

People just don't see this stuff.

[EFerrari]

4. They don't. It would be helpful if John at AmericaBlog or someone

made announcements of who had been discharged every week. The details. Make it real to people what we are losing to this horrible policy and whose life is being disrupted or even ruined by it. Things would get a lot clearer pretty quickly.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

5. Before those numbers are accepted, it would be critical to know how they were outed

[Solly Mack]

6. K&R