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The Defense We Need, And Can Afford
The New York Times
Letter to the Editor
Published November 23, 2008
To the Editor:
One way to move forward on your sensible recommendations would be for the Pentagon to ask Congress to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" law and replace it with open military service without regard to sexual orientation. Our military would be stronger today if more than 12,000 service members had not been discharged under the law.
The new defense secretary and the Joint Chiefs of Staff must eventually acknowledge what many major corporations, city and county fire and police departments around the country, and 24 of our international military allies already know and practice: Sexual orientation bears no relationship to job performance.
Basic fairness and integrity aside, common sense and the urgent need for qualified military personnel should dictate that the Pentagon do the right thing and urge Congress to end this discriminatory law.
Aubrey Sarvis
Executive Director, Servicemembers
Legal Defense Network
Washington, Nov. 17, 2008
