and then David said: People of Color in Positions of Power

andthendavidsaid:

President & First Lady Obama brought out all the asians he could find for the official State dinner with Chinese President Hu Jintao. Vera Wang, B.D. Wong, Jackie Chan, Michelle Kwan and other celebrities are showcased in this Huffington Post article wearing only the finest—I love how Vera Wang is…

wish i was here!

Senator Scott Brown’s Response E-mail

Dear Matthew,

     Thank you for contacting me regarding the repeal of the law known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”  As always, I value your input on this and other issues, and strive to keep you updated on the important issues facing us today.

     Current members of the military are required to abide by the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy that became federal law in 1993.  This policy restricts the United States military from forcing service members to disclose homosexual or bisexual orientation, while barring those that are openly gay, lesbian, or bisexual from military service.  In response to this policy, the Military Readiness Enhancement Act of 2010 (S. 3065) was introduced in the Senate on March 3, 2010, and referred to the Senate Committee on Armed Services where it was offered as an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2011 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).  As a member of the committee, I voted against this amendment, which was ultimately approved by a vote of 16 to 12.  Currently, the NDAA awaits further consideration by the full Senate.

     The service chiefs of the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps sent individual letters to the Senate Committee on Armed Services expressing their support for not repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” until the Pentagon completes their ongoing review.  I agree with the views expressed by the service chiefs and believe it would be premature to act on a repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” until Congress receives and analyzes the findings and recommendations of the Department’s report.  I am keeping an open mind and I do not support moving ahead until I am able to finish my review, the Pentagon completes its study later this fall, and we can be assured that a new policy can be implemented without jeopardizing the mission of our military.

     Having served over 30 years in the military, I understand the sacrifices and efforts made by service members and their families.  I commend the ability of our military to excel at the full spectrum of military operations, whether it be fighting the Taliban and al Qaeda in Afghanistan or providing humanitarian assistance in Haiti.  As your United States Senator, I will do my best to ensure that the brave young men and women serving in our armed forces are provided the tools they need to ensure that our military remains the best in the world.

     Again, thank you for sharing your comments with me.  I will keep your views in mind should the full Senate consider the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” or related legislation.  If you have any additional questions or comments, please feel free to contact me or visit my website at www.scottbrown.senate.gov.

     Sincerely,

     Scott P. Brown

     United States Senator

Please visit Senator Brown’s website and public pages

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