Military-Minded San Diego Ready for Repeal of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”
June 24, 2009
Yesterday the San Diego City Council voted 7-0 to approve a resolution urging passage of a repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. This move demonstrates the overwhelming support for ending the military’s ban on gay, lesbian and bisexual servicemembers in a place like San Diego and its surrounding communities that are heavily influenced by military facilities including Fort Pendleton and a slew of naval installations both within the city limits and in San Diego County. Thanks go to Joel Trambley, HRC San Diego’s political co-chair, for news of this development. Here's what the San Diego Union-Tribune reported about the vote:
Eric McDonald, a retired Navy captain with 24 years service and a gay man, was among the speakers. "The most important values in this country are life, liberty and the pursuit happiness. It is not the value of this country to prohibit speech and limit who people can love," he said. "It's not a value of the military to ask people to hide and lie." ... Councilmen Carl DeMaio and Todd Gloria, who are both gay, made short speeches in support of the bill. "I see supporting the repeal of 'Don't Ask Don't Tell' to be completely in synch with San Diego's tradition of standing in support of our military and their families," Gloria said. The San Diego Human Relations Commission, an advisory group, sought the council's support for the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell, which was signed into law in 1993.
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