Rvecently, two major veterans groups have come out in opposition to Barack Obama's plan to repeal "Don't ask, don't tell" (DADT). Obama desires to allow open homosexuals to serve in the United States Armed Forces.
In an article in the Washington Times http://washingtontimes.com/news/2010 written by Rowan Scarborough, VFW spokesman Joe Davis was quoted as saying, "The VFW is fully aware that societal norms regarding homosexuality have changed since the 1993 passage of [the ban], but what is considered acceptable by civilians must not be blindly imposed on a military institution that the great majority of society chooses not to join."
The same article includes a quote from American Legion spokesman Joe March. "We support 'don't ask, don't tell' and the position is, now, since we are still fighting two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, now is not the time to extend ourselves with a new social-engineering project. We expect the Pentagon will very carefully examine the implications before changing any policies to maintain that highest state of readiness."
On Thursday, February 11th, a second conference call will be held at 7:30 P.M. Central time. The purpose of the teleconference will be to develop a strategy to head off Barack Obama's plan to repeal DADT.
I'm sure many veterans know what is at stake if Mr. Obama has his way. Homosexuals openly serving in the U.S. military will certainly impact morale and esprit de corps. There are those who know America's combat readiness will suffer under a repeal of DADT. Some believe this plan is much more insidious and will lead to the ultimate destruction of the greatest and most honored military in history.
As those in the military say, we need boots on the ground. Those who call in, hopefully, will be willing to oppose Obama's plan in some way or form. The time for sharing words and hope-filled platitudes is past. This is a call to action.
Here's how you can join the discussion and get involved in what may be one of the most important fights of our time. The conference call is run through a system called Talkshoe. The Conference number is (724) 444-7444. Then punch in the Call ID: 75351 followed by the pound (#) symbol. If you do not have a Talkshoe account, simply punch in 1# to enter the call, otherwise you can use your Talkshoe account PIN (which is usually your 10 digit phone number).
You can also listen to the conference online by clicking on the following link: talkshoe.com/tc. There is also an opportunity to interact online. You can pose questions and suggestions and connect with others in the area or around the nation.
Daniel T. Zanoza of Lincoln, IL, formerly of Chicago, was born into life November 27, 1953, and born into eternity January 6, 2011.
He is survived by his wife, Julie, of Lincoln, IL.
Dan was a pro-life/pro-family activist, as well as chairman of the Springfield Nativity Scene Committee in Springfield, IL. He was also a journalist and freelance writer.
