"DO ASK, DO TELL"

In the State of the Union Address back in January, President Obama generated buzz when he touched upon the issue of allowing openly gay/lesbian personal the right to serve in the armed forces.


Back in 93', President Clinton administered the policy "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" which barred openly gay/lesbian service members the right to enlist/serve their country.

In comparison to a recent Quinnipiac poll, a handful of De Anza students are in line with the general public on the topic of repealing the military's Don't Ask, Don't tell policy.


A U.S. Army veteran, Phil Pflager, 67 said last Wednesday he was stationed in Vietnam from 62' to 65' and in his time abroad, problems of sexual orientation did not arise.


"I had my suspicions, but that didn't get in the way of my job," he said.

Some students who are i favor of Don't Ask, Don't Tell said they believe openly gay service members would compromise the high standards of morale, good order and unit cohesion.


Steven Colbert, host of the Colbert Report, did a segment last year on the pros and cons of the Don't Ask, Don't tell policy.

The pentagon submitted an assessment to congress last Wednesday on whether permitting gays to serve openly might cause static in battle.

Jon Stewart, host of the daily show selected clips from last years House Armed Services Committee Hearing on the topic of D.A.D.T.


Kevin Franklin, 22, undecided major explained that soldiers receive extensive training and adjustment to openly gay service members would not be difficult.


"Soldiers should be able to distinguish their professional lives from their personal," he said.

Jenny Thai, 25, history major, studied the thread of inequality in the military.

"Only in the last century were women granted the right to be in the service," she said.

It wasn't until 1948, when President Truman signed "The Woman's Armed Services Act" that allowed women to serve along side their male counterparts.

Thai said African Americans have been discriminated greatly in the military as well.

"Blacks fought in separate divisions called 'Black Panther' units," she said.

President Truman signed an executive order in 1948 which desegregated African American forces.

Dominique Illaoa, 19, sociology major is against gay marriage but she does not have any problems with gays or lesbians serving in the armed forces.

"Its not like gays are asking to get married in the army," she said. "Its different because its a job...its a career."




Colleen Mceachern, 18, Theater Major emphasized how Don't Ask, Don't Tell is in violation of basic human rights.

"Why shouldn't gay service members be allowed to share such a special part of themselves with their comrades, whom they're fighting alongside with 24/7?'