Yeah, I know I'm posting this late, and yet it's strangely timely. Enjoy. Todd Gross tag@cs.utexas.edu -=-=- -=-=- -=-=- -=-=- -=-=- -=-=- -=-=- -=-=- -=-=- -=-=- June 14, 1993 Dear Mr. Gross: I can appreciate your strong feelings concerning President Clinton's plans to life the corrent ban on homosexuals in the military. President Clinton has announced that he would order the ban to be lifted on July 15th. In the meantime, actions against gay personnel will stop except in cases of improper conduct. This announcement came shortly after an agreement was reached between the President, Senate Majority Leader Mitchell, and Senator Nunn, Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, to temporarily hold off on lifting the ban. The six month delay is designed to allow Congress, the Joint Chiefs, and the Administration to iron out their differences on this issue. At this time, no agreement has been announced. However, I have been encouraged by Secretary of Defense Aspin's efforts to reach an agreement between military officials and the gay community. Furthermore, I will be interested in the findings of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees' hearings on this subject. The Committees will consider arguments for and against the change in policy and will look at how such a change might be implemented. At the conclusion of these hearings, the Committee may make recommendations to the Administration and to Congress on what should be done. I want to make it clear that I do not think our armed forces should discriminate on the basis of sexual preference. This is the President's call, and basically, I think he is right. Sincerely, J J Pickle