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Don't Ask Don't Tell not an Obama priority
Barack Obama
President-elect Barack Obama won't prioritise a review of Don't Ask Don't Tell
"While revoking the law remains a key issue, the Obama administration considers matters such as the global economic crisis more of a priority"
It has been revealed that US President-elect Barack Obama does not intend to prioritise a repeal of the ban on openly gay, lesbian and bisexual people in the US Armed Forces.
Gay campaign group Servicemembers Legal Defence Network found that while revoking the law remains a key issue, the Obama administration considers matters such as the global economic crisis more of a priority.
Around 12,500 troops have been dismissed under the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ law which prohibits anyone who "demonstrate(s) a propensity or intent to engage in homosexual acts" from joining the United States armed forces.
Barack Obama himself said in an interview with Gay History Project in September:
"I want to make sure that when we revert ‘Don't Ask, Don't Tell,’ it's gone through a process and we've built a consensus or at least a clarity of that, of what my expectations are, so that it works," he said.
"My first obligation as the President is to make sure that I keep the American people safe and that our military is functioning effectively.
"Although I have consistently said I would repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," I believe that the way to do it is make sure that we are working through a process, getting the Joint Chiefs of Staff clear in terms of what our priorities are going to be.”
Gay support group, the Servicemembers Legal Defence Network estimates around 65,000 lesbian and gay service members serve on active duty and in the reserves of the U.S. military. Despite a recent poll showing that 75% of Americans want gay people to be able to serve openly, only 500 are doing so without consequence.
Barack Obama will be sworn in as 44th Present of the United States of America on 20th January.
