Bob Menendez: “It is time to stop discrimination. It is time to repeal don't ask, don't tell. This is a policy that should have been…”

“It is time to stop discrimination. It is time to repeal don't ask, don't tell. This is a policy that should have been repealed long ago--long ago. It should have been repealed for its discriminatory nature. It should have been repealed because the Defense Department's own report makes it clear that those who pointlessly cling to this discriminatory, wrongheaded, shortsighted policy, by claiming the mantle of national security, have absolutely no ground--no ground-- to stand on. Don't ask, don't tell is a ridiculous notion, a bad policy, and a relic of a bygone era. It is keeping brave, able, educated, technically skilled, multilingual, trained soldiers, men and women who want nothing more than to defend their country from doing so. We are preventing them from making our military even stronger, making it better, and contributing to what we need in a modern military force. In my view, a vote to repeal this antiquated policy is a smart vote. It is the right vote. It is the fair vote. It is a just vote. It is a vote to keep our military strong, keep good people in the military, who want to serve.”