Subject: HRCF blasts Gingrich on military
From: [email-masked]
Date: Mon, 3 Apr 1995 14:40:52 -0400

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PRESS RELEASE            PRESS RELEASE            PRESS RELEASE

               THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN FUND                    

The Nation's Largest Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Political Group   
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE    
MONDAY, APRIL 3, 1995

               HRCF BLASTS GINGRICH FOR SEEKING TO RESTORE
                    OLD POLICY ON GAYS IN THE MILITARY

       "Don't Ask, Don't Tell Is the Same Ban -- There's Nothing
          to Restore," Says Leading Gay Political Organization

     WASHINGTON -- The nation's largest lesbian and gay political
organization today blasted House Speaker Newt Gingrich for
proposing that the old policy on gays in the military be
restored.  Gingrich said yesterday in an appearance on "This Week
With David Brinkley" that he thinks the military should return to
the policy of discriminating against qualified personnel who
happen to be gay or lesbian.  However, Gingrich opposed requiring
military recruits to answer questions about their sexual
orientation when the House voted on the issue during the debate
over the military's ban on gay service members, according to
records compiled by the Human Rights Campaign Fund (HRCF).   

     "The 'don't ask, don't tell' policy is the same as the old
ban -- there's nothing to restore," said HRCF Public Policy
Director Daniel Zingale.  "Both policies discriminate against
qualified personnel for reasons that have nothing to do with
their abilities.  Service members continue to be discharged at
about the same rate under the new policy as under the old policy.

These discriminatory policies have wasted millions of taxpayer
dollars through discharging qualified service members, retraining
others to replace them, and defending an indefensible policy in
court.

     "Rehashing the policy yet again would be another waste of
Congress' time and the taxpayers' money," Zingale continued. 
"This is clearly a mean-spirited effort to pander to extreme
special interest groups.  The Speaker is misreading public
opinion on this issue.  Most Americans oppose discrimination, and
don't want to see gay and lesbian people singled out for
discrimination.  It is also puzzling that Mr. Gingrich would
propose reinstating the ban, because he voted against that
position before." 

     On September 28, 1993, when Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.)
proposed an amendment requiring the Department of Defense to
resume asking military recruits about their sexual orientation,
Gingrich joined the majority to defeat the amendment by a vote of
144-291.  In 1992, Gingrich was quoted by the Associated Press as
saying that he saw no reason to expel people from the military
"for purely private behavior."

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