Defense Secretary Robert Gates is looking to change DADT by making the policy less restrictive. For instance, gay servicemen might not be discharged if their sexuality is exposed by a jilted lover or as an act of revenge.
Gates added: "What I discovered when I got into it was it's a very restrictive law. It doesn't leave much to the imagination, or a lot of flexibility."
defense secretary said one possible modification might be consider the circumstances under which a service member is "outed" in determining whether or not he or she must leave the military.
Gates offered as an example "when we're given information from someone with vengeance in mind or blackmail, somebody who has been jilted.
"If somebody is outed by a third party, does that force us to take action?" he said.
"That's the kind of thing we're looking at -- seeing if there's a more humane way to apply the law until it gets changed."
I've got an even better solution for making DADT less restrictive: get rid of it! Seriously, how can we as a nation say we offer everyone an equal opportunity to serve their country and then discharge qualified, dedicated soliders because they're gay. A growing number of Americans (79 percent to be exact) are supporting a repeal. Also, other countries, such Britain, Canada, Argentina and Germany, allow gays to serve openly and their armed forces haven't collapsed. Why can't people just admit that this is discrimination, plan and simple. Don't Ask Don't Tell is no different from when black and white soldiers had to serve in separate units.
Gates added: "What I discovered when I got into it was it's a very restrictive law. It doesn't leave much to the imagination, or a lot of flexibility."
defense secretary said one possible modification might be consider the circumstances under which a service member is "outed" in determining whether or not he or she must leave the military.
Gates offered as an example "when we're given information from someone with vengeance in mind or blackmail, somebody who has been jilted.
"If somebody is outed by a third party, does that force us to take action?" he said.
"That's the kind of thing we're looking at -- seeing if there's a more humane way to apply the law until it gets changed."
I've got an even better solution for making DADT less restrictive: get rid of it! Seriously, how can we as a nation say we offer everyone an equal opportunity to serve their country and then discharge qualified, dedicated soliders because they're gay. A growing number of Americans (79 percent to be exact) are supporting a repeal. Also, other countries, such Britain, Canada, Argentina and Germany, allow gays to serve openly and their armed forces haven't collapsed. Why can't people just admit that this is discrimination, plan and simple. Don't Ask Don't Tell is no different from when black and white soldiers had to serve in separate units.
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