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Meister Issues Statement Regarding President’s Move to Repeal Don’t Ask Don’t Tell
January 27, 2010
“On behalf of the estimated 13,000 men and women who have left the military, the thousands who have been deterred from entering it and those who are forced to live a life of hypocrisy solely because of this demoralizing and discriminatory policy, I say to the President, 'It is about time.'
Our government has spent more than $1.2 billion on a policy that forces gays into the closet or out of the military. Our government would sooner provide waivers to felons convicted of rape and murder, and happily wave goodbye to more than 13,000 honest men and women. The actions amount to a high-priced billion-dollar witch hunt.
The United States has held hands in hypocrisy with four of the 26 NATO countries in this blatant act of discrimination. Don’t Ask Don’t Tell was a backward policy when it was enacted and its enforcement is contrary to everything it is to be an American.
The fight for equal rights for members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender communities is clearly the fight for civil rights. Continued exclusion and dismissal of LGBTs from the military presents our country with national preparedness and homeland security challenges.
This evening it is my hope that three things will happen as a result of the President’s actions: that Congress will act quickly; that Defense Secretary Gates stop using resources and suspend enforcement of DADT; and lastly, that the President will continue to promote measures of equality and move forward with legislation that prevents any person from being discriminated against for their sexual orientation.”
