DADT repeal has been a hot topic this year, and surprisingly uncontroversial. The repeal is supported by more than 70% of Americans. John McCain has become one of the leaders in Congress against DADT-repeal. At one point during the hearing, McCain showed a letter which he claimed had been retired military officers against the repeal. A group called Servicemembers United researched McCain’s letter and found it was not quite as compelling as McCain represented it to be.
However, a new Servicemembers United report obtained in advance by DC Agenda severely undermines the legitimacy of this letter. Some of the problems:
– The average age of the officers is 74. The “oldest living signer is 98, and several signers died in the time since the document was published.” Servicemembers United Executive Director Alex Nicholson added that only “a small fraction of these officers have even served in the military during the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ period, much less in the 21st century military,” so it’s hard to believe that they “know how accepting and tolerant 18- and 21-year-olds are today.”
– “At least one signer, Gen. Louis Menetrey, was deceased when the letter was published and didn’t sign the document himself. According to a footnote on the letter, his wife signed the document for him after his death using power of attorney — six years after Alzheimer’s disease robbed him of the ability to communicate.”
– One signatory said that they “no longer want to be a part of the letter, writing to the organization, ‘I do not wish to be on any list regarding this issue.‘”
– Multiple generals said they “never agreed” to sign the letter in the first place, writing “I never agreed. To represent either side of this issue” and “I do not remember being asked about this issue.”
– At least seven officers “were involved in scandals tarnishing their careers.” Gen. Carl Mundy, for instance, gained negative publicity when he told CBS’s 60 Minutes that “minority officers do not shoot as well as the non-minorities.”
In June 2009, a PBS’s Ray Suarez also did a report on the letter, reporting, “The NewsHour contacted a number of four-star officers requesting an interview for this story. However, none agreed to speak to us on camera. One general expressed surprise his name was even on the list, since he says he had never agreed to sign the letter, and at least three officers listed as signatories are dead.”
So, to recap – the signatories are mostly elderly (not surprising given the generational gap in perceptions of LGBT); not all signatories actually signed; not all are distinguished and not all are even alive.
Nice work John McCain! Seriously though, has there ever been a more pathetic sight than the fall of John McCain? Just over one year ago, he was the man who might be president. Now, he’s the anti-gay ghost whisperer – conservative backbencher who stands a good chance of losing his Senate seat.