President Barack Obama on Tuesday hailed the end of the policy banning gays from serving openly in the armed forces, as the Pentagon vowed "zero tolerance" for harassment of homosexuals in the military.
"Today, the discriminatory law known as 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' is finally and formally repealed," Obama said in a statement. "As of today, patriotic Americans in uniform will no longer have to lie about who they are in order to serve the country they love."
The repeal went into effect on Tuesday, ushering in a new era in the armed forces. The law had allowed gay men and women to serve in the military only if they kept their sexual orientation a secret. They faced the threat of being kicked out of the military if they were open about their homosexuality.
Obama last December signed legislation to repeal the policy known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," which had been passed by Congress and signed into law in 1993 under then-President Bill Clinton.
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta made it clear that the military would not tolerate mistreatment of gays in the ranks.
"This is an historic day for the Pentagon and for the nation," he said. "We have a zero tolerance with regards to harassment," Panetta told a Pentagon briefing.
Under the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, more than 14,500 service members were thrown out of the military since it went into effect in 1993, according to the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network. (See graphic http://r.reuters.com/vaj83s)
Gay rights groups for years denounced the law and called its end a important milestone in the fight against anti-homosexual discrimination. Some have compared its demise to the integration of the armed forces.
"Today, every American can be proud that we have taken another great step toward keeping our military the finest in the
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Resumen: President Barack Obama on Tuesday hailed the end of the policy banning gays from serving openly in the armed forces, as the Pentagon vowed "zero tolerance" for harassment of homosexuals in the military.
Guia de Conversacion: El Lider USA le da la bienvenida a tus pensamientos, historias e información relacionada a este articulo. Por favor mantegase dentro del tema y sea respetuosos con los demas miembros.(Se el primero en dejar un comentario)
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