Sam Nunn Reconsiders DADT: ‘Times Change,’ May Be ‘Appropriate’ To Lift The Ban On Gays In The Military
Sam Nunn Reconsiders DADT: ‘Times Change,’ May Be ‘Appropriate’ To Lift The Ban On Gays In The Military
As chairman of the powerful Armed Forces Committee in the 1990s, then-Sen. Sam Nunn (D-GA) led a series of hearings that helped undermine President Clinton’s attempt to lift the ban on gays and bisexuals serving openly in the military. Nunn faced strong opposition from gay and civil rights groups. As UPI reported in January 1993:
Nunn, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has opposed lifting the ban and had proposed a six-month waiting period during which federal hearings would be held to consider the impact of removing the restrictions.
“We are here today to call upon Sen. Sam Nunn to stop obstructing President Clinton’s effort to end discrimination in the United States military,” said Don George, the Atlanta field coordinator for the Human Rights Campaign Fund.
Speaking in Atlanta, GA today, however, Nunn indicated a shift in his views, saying that it may now be time to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT):
“I think [when] 15 years go by on any personnel policy, it’s appropriate to take another look at it — see how it’s working, ask the hard questions, hear from the military. Start with a Pentagon study,” Nunn said. [...]
Pressed for his position on the matter, Nunn said, “I’m not advocating anything — except I’m saying the policy was the right policy for the right time, and times change. It’s appropriate to take another look.”
Although he doesn’t specifically say he supports a repeal, Nunn’s change of views is refreshing and follows progress by other traditionally conservative institutions. Last month, Joint Chiefs Chairman Michael Mullen also said that the military was ready to accept gay servicemembers if Congress repeals DADT. A December 2006 survey of servicemembers who had served in Iraq or Afghanistan found 73 percent of those polled were “comfortable with lesbians and gays.”
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New enlistment and re-enlistment rates are way down. The last thing they need right now are for all the gay servicemembers to be kicked out.
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:02 pmOf course, they won’t do that…
until they complete at least one tour in Iraq.
I doubt seriously that some new social awareness has come over Nunn and those previously opposed to gay servicemembers. More likely this is all about recruitment goals.
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:06 pmNunn is correct that it’s appropriate to take another look. Not only is it appropriate to take another look, it’s appropriate to lift the ban altogether. Furthermore, it was appropriate to lift the ban 15 years ago, if not before.
However, I recognize that DADT was necessary as a temporary measure, just to convince people that the gays who proudly serve aren’t causing the military to come unraveled. It’s served its purpose, and now it’s time to let gays serve as openly as straights do.
C’mon Sam — you’ve taken a step in the right direction. Now take another step — that’s it — and another one — and another one — don’t be afraid — it’s gonna be OK…
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:06 pmOh man… Fred Phelps is gonna blow a fuse.
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:09 pmThe lack of cannon fodder promotes change.
You wait…when the Christian Conservative Republicans see the baby boomers medicare/medicade/social security entitlement bills they will throw their support behind Euthanasia.
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:13 pmIs Daryll here yet?
Can someone alert me when he shows up? I want to get a clarification on his suggestion that whenever we feel horny, we should “shake the devil off”.
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:19 pmBut Ralph – Daryll told me that that’s what a wife is for! If your wife properly provides you with, to quote Daryll, “more than enough sex” then you won’t stray! If you stray then it’s your wife’s fault!
He declined to define what more than enough sex was – wouldn’t that mean too much sex? Of course, there are many out there who really can’t imagine too much sex!
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:26 pm‘Although he doesn’t specifically say he supports a repeal, Nunn’s change of views is refreshing’
Oh nonsense! I’m being cynical but it’s gotta be all about needing more recruits.
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:28 pmralph the wonder llama Says:
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Is Daryll here yet?
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:29 pm—
No he is still “shaking off the devil”
Hi Daryll:
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:34 pmI was thinking couldn’t you clean up by contracting your gay conversion therapy program to the military?
Not just an idle “mind”, eh, Daryll?
how did your “shaking off” go this morning? …if it’s not too personal a question, I mean.
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:35 pmSounds like an election year suck up…gotta keep da Log Cabin RePugniScums in the camp…
Or maybe it’s a change of focus from stalking House pages to stalking military recruits!!!
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:39 pmDaryll – no matter how hard you wish it, the devil and god do not exist.
“So I had Cheneys on both sides of the family and we don’t even live in West Virginia,” Cheney quipped.
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:40 pmTranslation: We’re running out of cannon fodder.
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:46 pm*eyeroll*
40 Years ago, Barry Goldwater (R.Arizona) said:” You Don’t have to BE straight to SHOOT Straight”
The Military is finally catching up with the Times.
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:53 pmNo for real Daryll. Why not employ the gay conversion technique? Is it that it doesn’t work or is it that you do not wish to support the nation while doing your weird god’s work?
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:56 pmMethinks good old Sam should take a closed look at the Resucklicans in the House and Senate before he goes off half-cocked with Larry Craig.
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:57 pm#19
I meant “closer” but “closed” works as well as “closet.”
My point is that it is nobody’s damn business except those concerned. Mine not to make reply, mine not to question why, mine just to do as I want and you to do the same.
June 3rd, 2008 at 6:02 pmDaryll:
June 3rd, 2008 at 6:08 pmOne definately has to have a tool if they wish to “shake-off the devil” All kidding aside, why do you think the military chaplains aren’t using these tools on these folks? My future sinners have a little concert at their little public school sinner factory so I will check back later. It just seems so odd that the military would solve this problem with this tried and true technique. Actually I am sort of ignorant of how it works. Is it anything like Clockwork Orange where the gay serice people have to watch endless episodes of Top Gun and Spartacus?
Hey Daryll, what you think about Hagee saying Hitler was doing GODs work?
June 3rd, 2008 at 6:59 pmdbadass Says:
“Actually I am sort of ignorant…”
No Shit, Sherlock!
June 3rd, 2008 at 7:01 pmUmm, Voalse, this is not the Limbaugh/Hensley webpage…
June 3rd, 2008 at 7:01 pmCrusty Old Bastard Says:
No Shit, Sherlock!
June 3rd, 2008 at 7:21 pm—
I sort of dig the juvenile phrasing. Folks just don’t use silly old middle school phrase enough these day don’t ya think?
dbadass Says:
“Folks just don’t use silly old middle school phrase enough these day don’t ya think?”
I am not sure how you would recognize anything from middle school since, judging from your grammar, spelling, and syntax, you never made it that far.
I do apologize, however. When you stated your ignorance I didn’t take you seriously but now I do agree with you and will not ridicule you for your handicap ever again.
June 3rd, 2008 at 7:44 pmAh but by taking the phrase regarding ignorance out of the context it was in do you not set up a false premise?
June 3rd, 2008 at 7:47 pmIs Daryll being funny? Or just tragically ironic?
June 3rd, 2008 at 7:51 pmlooks like an escape clause to me
June 3rd, 2008 at 7:56 pmGet some footage of Sam Nunn and his opposition to gays serving openly in the Military in 1993. As a commenter noted on Pam’s House Blend:
“Start with a Pentagon study,” Nunn said. (0.00 / 0)
THERE WAS ONE BACK THEN THAT INDICATED THEN THAT HAVING GAYS SERVE WAS DOABLE, BUT THE PENTAGON SUPPRESSED IT AND NUNN IGNORED ALL OF THAT!!!!!!!!
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by: oddjob
EY: Obama will alienate gays if he puts Nunn on the ticket. It’s especially of concern, if Nunn becomes the big adviser on military issues. Dick Cheney thought the gay ban was “an old chestnut”, when Nunn was hyterically bleating about the topic.
June 4th, 2008 at 12:15 amI’m really not sure just why Sam Nunn would bring this up at this juncture. Is he trying to supplant this issue into the election? And is Sam just a republican in sheeps clothing? This subject is important but for a Democrat to get this ball rolling at this time seems right out of place.
June 4th, 2008 at 8:55 amComing from him, it sounds more like desperation than acceptance…
June 4th, 2008 at 3:39 pmThe anger that I feel for Sam Nunn’s in blocking Clinton’s move to lift the ban on gays serving openly in the military has not diminished. He does not now even state that he has changed his position. It is merely politically expedient now for him to appear more open-minded.
When he says, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is wrong now; it was wrong then; and I was wrong to oppose equal right for our gay and lesbian sons and daughters,” when he apologizes for having been a roadblock to equal rights, then maybe, we can forgive him.
He has not. He will not. Leave him on the trash heap of history’s bigots.
February 20th, 2009 at 3:04 am