Gay Troops and the Trouble With Polls

Nathaniel Frank

Remember the major poll taken of enlisted personnel asking them if they felt like invading Iraq?  read more »

A New Pentagon Strategy on Gays

Aaron Belkin
After Senator Carl Levin announced yesterday that he would hold hearings on "don't ask, don't tell," anti-gay forces in the Pentagon responded immediately. Levin was sending a strong signal that both the White House and Congress are ready to move forward with plans to repeal the gay ban, so the Pentagon needed to move quickly.

"We're here to defend democracy, not to practice it."

Guest Blogger
 (This post submitted by Christian Leuprecht) Implicit in this claim is the proposition is an allegedly inherent contradiction: That mounting an effective defence of the democratic way of life and its fundamental values of freedom, equality, and justice requires undemocratic practices that skirt these values.

Maybe the Delay in Addressing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Wasn’t Such a Bad Idea After All

Guest Blogger
(This post submitted by Diane Mazur) Like many others, I was frustrated to see President Obama stand by and do nothing to stop the steady stream of discharges under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

Marine Defies White House on Gay Troops

Aaron Belkin
Conway's apparent resistance may be a warning shot to the White House telegraphing arguments that opponents of repeal will invoke if the Senate holds hearings on "don't ask, don't tell."

Dan Choi Broke the Rule

Guest Blogger
(This post submitted by Becky Kanis, Knights Out Chair) On March 19, Lieutenant Dan Choi came out as gay on The Rachel Maddow Show and violated the military regulation that identifies “homosexual admission” as an offense punishable by separation.

Refuting the Latest Arguments Against Gay Troops

Nathaniel Frank
Below is a point-by-point refutation of James Bowman's article on honor and gay troops, which is marred by errors and assumptions that do not serve to forward the debate over service by open gays and lesbians.

Law Students Discuss Potential for Change

Guest Blogger
(This post submitted by Beth Hillman, J.D.) October 15th, 2009 in Cambridge, Mass., a “don’t ask/don’t tell” panel drew a standing-room-only crowd.

More on Air Force Censorship

Aaron Belkin
My original commentary on this case did not present the Air Force's side of the story.

Policing Gender in the Military

Indra Lusero
Lt. Col. Edie Disler's censure comes as no surprise in light of the epidemic of violence against women in the military.