Date: Fri, 9 Dec 1994 13:40:39 -0500 From: "Thomas W. Holt Jr." Subject: (fwd) Clinton's Gay Ban Marches On Path: onyx.indstate.edu!usenet.ucs.indiana.edu!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!gatech!paladin.american.edu!auvm!nyxfer.blythe.org!ww Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU Newsgroups: bit.listserv.gaynet Comments: ******************************************************** Comments: * The following "Approved" statement verifies header * Comments: * information for gateway passage. No approval of the * Comments: * content is implied. * Approved: NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU * Comments: ******************************************************** Sender: gaynet-owner@queernet.org From: Workers World Service Message-ID: <9412010526.AA14746@nyxfer.blythe.org> Subject: Clinton's Gay Ban Marches On Date: Thu, 1 Dec 1994 00:26:25 -0500 (EST) Reply-To: ww@wwp.blythe.org X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.4 PL23] Content-Type: text Content-Length: 2159 Sender: gaynet-owner@queernet.org Precedence: bulk Lines: 46 Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit Editorial: Workers World, Dec 7, 1994 CLINTON GAY BAN MARCHES ON The Clinton administration's hypocrisy on the issue of gays in the military marches on. The latest episode unfolded over the last two weeks in November. First, the government hailed an appeals court ruling upholding the ouster of a gay cadet from the U.S. Naval Academy. Then, in a seeming contradiction, the Justice Department announced it would not challenge a separate appeals court decision overturning the ouster of another gay sailor. The second move means Keith Meinhold can stay in the Navy--for now. But it's only a victory for the civil rights of lesbian and gay military employees in a very narrow sense. That's because the "new" Clinton-era ban on gays in the military--the one that says you can "be" gay but you can't tell anyone or have sex-- remains in force. In fact, some sources have reported an increase in witch hunts against gay and lesbian service members in the last year. Navy officers have already told Meinhold that even if he's won his case for now, they'll be watching him. His lawyer reports that "if he says he's gay again, then they would be taking action against him under the new policy." That, of course, virtually assures that they'll kick Meinhold out again. And that's okay with President Clinton. The whole sorry spectacle shows again that the struggle for full rights and liberation is key. The only reason Clinton ever promised to lift the ban in the first place was because of the strength of the struggle. Now he marches to the brass's tune. It also shows again that the Pentagon is the enemy of every worker and oppressed person. Nevertheless, soldiers and sailors stuck inside the military must not be left at the mercy of the racist, sexist, anti-gay brass. The fight for full rights for everyone in the armed forces is part of the workers' struggle. -30- (Copyright Workers World Service: Permission to reprint granted if source is cited. For more information contact Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail: ww@wwp.blythe.org.)