A year after President Barack Obama
signed a bill that started the repeal of “Don't Ask, Don't Tell,”
New York Rep. Eliot Engel notes the “sky hasn't fallen.”
In a statement released last week,
Engel, who backed repeal of the law that for 18 years barred gay and
bisexual troops from serving openly, said the military is stronger
today for axing the policy.
“Despite the naysayers who claimed
all sorts of dire consequences for our armed forces, it is now one
year since the DADT policy became history and the sky hasn't fallen,”
Engel said. “Regardless of the bumpy road which led to the repeal,
one thing is for sure – America's military no longer discriminates
against gay men and women who wish to serve our country – and is
stronger because of it.”
“The gay community still has a long
way to go before they enjoy equal rights – the next step will be
marriage equality – but this was a giant leap forward.”
Engel observed that naysayers were
wrong about how repeal would impact unit cohesion and recruitment:
“Unit cohesion remains strong in our military and instead of a drop
in recruitment, all four branches have either met or exceeded their
recruiting goals.”
“Bravery and dedication have never
been solely possessed by heterosexuals. As the 1964 Republican
Presidential Candidate, Senator Barry Goldwater, said, 'You can be
gay and still shoot straight.' The sky didn’t fall on our military
after discrimination against the gay community ended, I am sure that
the institution of marriage will also survive once that restriction
is lifted for all Americans someday.”