LIFT THE BAN "DON'T ASK; DON'T TELL"? - DON'T BELIEVE IT June 1993 - Faced with the realization that an outright ban on military service by gay men, lesbians, and bisexuals is both unrealistic and unfair, Senator Sam Nunn (D-GA), Chairman of the Senate Armed Service Committee, has put forth a so-called compromise of "Don't Ask; Don't Tell'. Under this policy, servicemembers would neither be asked about their sexual orientation nor would they be allowed to 'tell' about it. The so-called compromise has caught on among members of the House and Senate who arc troubled by the outright ban on gay men, lesbians and bisexuals but have not reconciled themselves to a complete repeal. By putting forth this specious and untenable compromise, Senator Nunn is acknowledging that gay men and Iesbians should be able to serve their country in the armed forces. He has backed away from a codification of the ban to an acceptance of the presence of gay men, lesbians and bisexuals in uniform. Senator Nunn has finally realized that gay men, Iesbians and bisexuals have served, are serving, and will continue to serve, and that banning their presence is unjustified and ineffective. He and his allies must now be forced to recognize that their compromise is no better than the status quo. Don't Ask and Don't Tell, won't work and will be just another tool to continue the vicious witchhunts. "Don't Ask Don't Tell" is a head-in-the-sand approach. - It suggests that by neither asking them about nor allowing them to declare their sexual orientation, gay men, lesbians and bisexuals can continue to serve without problems. This, of course, ignores the reasons that we are fighting to change the policy. It is not just about being able to server --- gay men, lesbians and bisexuais have done so for generations --- it is about being forced to lie about who you are. This so-called compromise not only perpetuates dishonesty, it validates dishonesty. Requiring people to lie or misrepresent their lives violates the basic tenets of the military's values of honesty and integrity and is detrimental to unit cohesion at the very least. "Don't Ask - Don't Tell" is absurdly simplistic. - It assumes that "telling" involves some kind of assertive act syn- onymous with misconduct and ignores the realities of people's lives. When people work together over a period of time they come to know about each other's private lives. When does such common sharing of personal information become "telling"? Is it "telling" if a lesbian servicemember talks about the new house she and her partner bought? Is it "telling" if a gay servicemember has a picture of his partner on his desk or in his locker? Is it "telling" if a lesbian servicemember confides her sexual orientation to a friend who happens to be a fellow servicemember? Is it "telling" if lesbians, gay and bisexual servicemembers read gay newspapers during their breaks from work? Or have them delivered to their APO/FPO addresses? This compromise does nothing to eliminate the closet in which gay, lesbian and bisexual servicemembers submit to lives of exhausting vigilance, for fear of being outed. "Don't Ask - Don't Tell" doesn't address what happens when a servicemember is told upon. - This compromise doesn't deal with situations in which a service- member's sexual orientation comes to the attention of his/her superiors or co-workers in ways other than an act of "telling" by the gay, lesbian or bisexual servicemember. This means that gay, lesbian and bisexual servicemembers could continue to be outed by anyone with a suspicion or a grudge, to become victims of sexual harassment, to be caught up in protracted and harrowing investigations, to have their careers ruined, and to receive stigmatizing discharges. "Don't Ask - Don't Tell" allows witch hunts to continue. - Very few known gay, lesbian and bisexual servicemembers have vol- unteered information about their sexual orientation. Those that have done so (Air Force Sergeant Tom Paniccia, Navy Lieutenant Tracey Thorne, Navy Petty Officer Keith Meinhold, Marine Segeant Justin Elzie, Army Sergeant Joe Zuniga) took such action to draw attention to the discriminatory and outrageous nature of the policy. Some, like Army National Guard Colonel Margarethe Cammermeyer, have been forced to out themselves during the course of routine security clearance in- vestigations. Most are outed: Barbara Baum --- was a Marine turned in by the former boyfriend of the woman with whom she had an off-base, off-duty relationship. An investigation a year after the relationship resulted in her court martial for sodomy and incarceration in the Marine Corps brig for almost 8 months. Her conviction was later over- turned. Kyle Harney --- is a Gulf War Navy vet who was investigated and discharged after a shipmate read his mail. Beth Harrison --- was a career-minded Navy petty officer who served on a ship where a campaign of harassment against women resulted in the top women crew members facing accusations of lesbianism. She survived one attempt to discharge her only to have the charges immediately reinstated successfully. "Don't Ask; Don't Tell" wouuld allow these atrocities to continue. What about Congressman Barney Frank's proposal? - Congressman Frank's proposal would force gay, lesbian and bisexual servicemembers to deny their sexual orientation on duty and on base while being "allowed" to live a gay lifestyle off duty, off base. This is no solution and is completely unrealistic and unenforceable. By forcing gay, lesbian and bisexual servicemembers to stay in the closet while on duty does not address the numerous problems with "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" that an outlined. What Congressman Frank has proposed is a gag rule for gays, lesbian and bisexuals in the military. For more information, contact Tanya Domi, NGLTF, 1734 14th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009. (202) 332-6483 ext. 3308.