SLDN's annual report on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Don't Pursue, Don't Harass" precedes an anticipated Inspector General report which surveyed 70,000 service members beginning this past January to assess the level of anti-gay harassment in the ranks. The Inspector's General findings and recommendations are due to the Secretary of Defense by March 13, 2000. SLDN has criticized the survey, saying there is no way under "Don't Tell" for the military to assess and contrast the experiences of gay and non-gay service members, thereby diminishing the efficacy of the survey. SLDN reports that some service members known to have information to report on anti-gay harassment have been denied access to the survey. SLDN also states that both the design and implementation of the survey cause great concern about its validity.
SLDN reports there is some good news under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Don't Pursue, Don't Harass." It cites that witch hunts, physical abuse by investigators, and criminal prosecutions of lesbian, gay and bisexual service members have all subsided. The organization, however, quickly notes that these success reflect the low baseline used to measure success and have required constant pressure from SLDN to achieve.
"Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Don't Pursue, Don't Harass" is a tortured law forged out of a heated political debate in 1993 shortly after President Clinton assumed office. The policy is the only law in the land that authorizes the firing of an American for being gay, and for coming out. According to General Colin Powell and others, however, the law, was an attempt to stop witch hunts and anti-gay harassment by placing certain limits on gay investigations to protect the privacy of service members.2 SLDN's report concludes that the Pentagon has tolerated a rule of 100% tolerance for asking, pursuing and harassing, and a 100% intolerance of telling, even in the course of reporting harassment.
The Pentagon discharged 1,034 service members for being gay last year, a slight drop from 1,149 the previous year, but still approximately three people per day. The current gay discharge rate is up 73% since the policy was first implemented. The Pentagon claims gay service members are leaving voluntarily. SLDN contends, however, that service members are leaving due to unchecked anti-gay harassment. The law, in fact, makes all gay discharges involuntary as it does not give a gay service member any choice to stay in, even if he or she has come out in the course of reporting anti-gay harassment.
Osburn concluded, "As military leaders continue to struggle with critical retention and recruiting shortfalls, they can ill afford to lose good and patriotic Americans to their anti-gay policy. Until Congress has the will to overturn a military policy that hurts our military and our nation, military leaders must obey the rules. After six years, it is time for military leaders to stop asking, pursuing and harassing."
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