On the recordDecember 9, 2010
discrimination has never served America very well. When it applies to those who serve America in the Armed Forces, it is both disgraceful and counterproductive. The theory behind don't ask, don't tell is a thing that happened way in the past. The theory behind this should be a thing of the past, and we should put the policy behind us. It is obsolete, it is embarrassing, and it weakens our military and offends the very values we ask our troops to defend. We need to match our policy with our principle and finally say that in the United States, everyone who steps up to serve our country should be welcomed. That is the only argument that is right and it should be enough. That is not the only reason we should repeal it. Repealing it will make our military stronger. It doesn't make America safer to discharge troops with critically needed skills, and that is exactly what has happened. This policy is responsible for the discharge of about 14,000 highly qualified service men and women--people whom we have spent millions of dollars training--and we never will know how many wanted to sign up but stayed away because of don't ask, don't tell. It doesn't make us stronger to limit military readiness of an all-volunteer force. Don't ask, don't tell doesn't help morale; it hurts morale. The other side may feel passionately that our military should sanction discrimination based on sexual orientation, but they are clearly in the minority and they have run out of excuses.
