I just got this in from AFA (American Family Association) urging the president to re-think "Dont ask, don't tell" ... I signed an e-mail this morning about it. Here are the details:
Tell President Obama to listen to the troops and his own commanders
June 15, 2010
Dear Casey,
Despite vigorous resistance from the heads of each of the military's branches, President Obama is determined to overturn the ban on open homosexual service before a survey of rank and file members of the military is completed on December 1.
If this ban is overturned, it will have a catastrophic effect on military morale, unit cohesion, recruitment, retention and readiness.
The Senate intends to repeal the existing law as early as next week. Moving ahead without receiving input from the men and women who wear the uniform tells them that their opinions don't matter. This is the ultimate sign of disrespect for the military members who put their lives on the line to protect our freedom. It's inexcusable and unconscionable.
Yet on April 19, at a fundraiser for Sen. Barbara Boxer, the president said, "We need to repeal don't ask, don't tell."
It is urgent that we instruct President Obama to listen to his military commanders, who are putting their careers on the line to challenge the commander-in-chief.
Please take a moment to read the following excerpts from letters written to Congress by the men in charge of the armed services.
"[T]he value of surveying the thoughts of Marines and their families is that it signals to my Marines that their opinions matter." ~ Gen. James T. Conway, Commandant of the Marine Corps
"I...believe that repealing the law before the completion of the review will be seen by the men and women of the Army as a reversal of our commitment to hear their views before moving forward." ~ George V. Casey Jr., General, United States Army
"My concern is that legislative changes at this point, regardless of the precise language used, may cause confusion on the status of the law in the Fleet and disrupt the review process itself by leading Sailors to question whether their input matters." ~ G. Roughead, Admiral, U.S. Navy
"I believe it is important...that the Secretary of Defense commissioned review be completed before there is any legislation to repeal the DA/DT law. Such action allows me to provide the best military advice to the President, and sends an important signal to our Airmen and their families that their opinion matters." ~ Norton A. Schwartz, General, United States Air Force
Send an e-mail today insisting that he listen to the voice of his commanders and the voice of his troops and stop the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"
It is very important that you forward this alert to your friends and family members.
Sincerely,
Tim Wildmon, President
American Family Association