Will DADT Tweaks Kill Morale?

Get your news from a source that’s not owned and controlled by oligarchs. Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily.


Will Defense Secretary Robert Gates’ latest overhaul of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, the US’ policy on gays in the military, kill soldiers’ morale? A day after Gates announced the new changes to DADT, the right is crying foul, saying the new regulations will “more confusion and fear among military members” and undercut morale in the armed services. Gates announced yesterday new guidelines that essentially make it more far more difficult to kick out of the military a soldier, sailor, marine, or airman who doesn’t publicly admit they’re gay. Gates’ latest announcement is a “major step toward the end of the law,” said a spokesman for Servicemembers Legal Defense Network.

Today, multiple conservative and Christian groups decried Gates’ decision, warning of the damage it will inflict on servicemembers and claiming it’ll weaken the military. “Members of the military already fear punishment for agreeing with the federal law that homosexuals in the military ‘would create an unacceptable risk to the high standards of morale, good order and discipline, and unit cohesion,'” said Penny Nance, CEO of Concerned Women for American, a conservative Christian group that blasted Gates’ decision. CWA’s president, Wendy Wright, also chimed in, this time playing the national security card. “Our military should have one objective: to keep America safe,” she said. “The job of the military—and the ability to do that job—is too important to be subject to the demands of a special interest group.”

Of course, groups in favor of repealing DADT deny these assertions altogether, saying the safety of American troops will only be improved by ridding the armed services of the Clinton-era policy. Comments like those made by CWA and its ilk, then, are most likely so much sound and fury before DADT is thrown out into the dustbin of history.

PLEASE—BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things it doesn’t like—which is most things that are true.

We’ll say it loud and clear: At Mother Jones, no one gets to tell us what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please do your part and help us reach our $150,000 membership goal by May 31.

payment methods

PLEASE—BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things it doesn’t like—which is most things that are true.

We’ll say it loud and clear: At Mother Jones, no one gets to tell us what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please do your part and help us reach our $150,000 membership goal by May 31.

payment methods

We Recommend

Latest

Sign up for our free newsletter

Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

Get our award-winning magazine

Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights.

Subscribe

Support our journalism

Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation.

Donate