For immediate release: July 16, 1993
     
 For additional information:
 Bill Winter, Director of Communications
 (202) 543-1988
     
     
LIBERTARIANS: "DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL" POLICY IS UNWORKABLE AND UNFAIR
     
     
WASHINGTON DC -- The "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy compromise for
gays in the military is unworkable and unfair, said Mary Gingell,
National Chair of the Libertarian Party, and she urged President Bill
Clinton to "have the moral courage to stand up for his alleged
principles."
     
"Don't ask, don't tell? Don't believe it," said Gingell. "This
so-called compromise is a denial of the concept of equal rights, a
shameless reversal of Clinton's campaign promises, and a sell-out to
the blind ignorance and fear of the military establishment.
     
"Let's get government out of the discrimination business," urged
Gingell. "America should be a land where sexual orientation isn't the
government's business, and where the men and women in our armed forces
don't have to fear the military 'Sex Police.' The 'Don't Ask, Don't
Tell' policy will create a climate of doubt, suspicion, and mistrust
in the military, and decrease the effectiveness of our troops."
     
The "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy was recommended yesterday by
Defense Secretary Les Aspin, and President Clinton has made it clear
he will accept some version of it.
     
Stuart Reges, Libertarian Party National Director, labeled Clinton
"just another politician who promises anything to get elected," but
"caved in to pressure from the bigots. Democrats are long on promises,
and short on principles when it comes to defending civil liberties.
The Libertarian Party is the only party that calls for an end to
governmental discrimination -- in or out of the military."
     
Reges, an openly gay man, noted that since 1975 the Libertarian
Party's platform has demanded "an end to the Defense Department
practice of discharging armed forces personnel for homosexual
conduct."
     
The Libertarian Party is the third largest political party in America.
Its platform calls for free enterprise, free trade, individual
liberty, respect for the Bill of Rights, and no meddling overseas.