Gays being kicked out of military at steady rate - 619 last year

[The Straight Story]

Gays being kicked out of military at steady rate
Email|Link|Comments (25) Posted by Bryan Bender May 19, 2009 01:48 PM

By Bryan Bender, Globe Staff

WASHINGTON -- A steady number of troops are being discharged from the US military for being gay, according to the latest Pentagon statistics, which show that 619 troops were kicked out last year under the controversial "don't ask, don't tell" policy that bars homosexuals from serving openly in the ranks.

The figures, which are on par with the previous four years, are bound to spark a new outcry from gay rights advocates who have grown frustrated with President Obama's unwillingness so far to take steps to lift the ban, despite a campaign pledge to do so.

Of the discharges for the fiscal year that ended September 30, 410 were male and 209 were female, according to the figures obtained by the Globe from Pentagon personnel officials. That compares with a total of 627 discharges in fiscal year 2007; 612 in 2006; 726 in 2005; and 653 in 2004.

The new statistics come to light as the Obama administration comes under growing pressure to use his executive powers to place a moratorium on the discharges while he lobbies Congress to overturn the controversial 1993 law -- which was enacted as a compromise after then-President Bill Clinton set off a mutiny when he tried to allow gays to serve openly in uniform.

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2009/05/gays_being_kick.html

[joeybee12]

1. "Unwillingness to take steps"...for all you Obamapologists out there...this is the key

all this crap about giving him time is BS...he should try and START the conversation...he's done nothing...re-read these four words until it sinks in.