Resolution Supports Acceptance and Diversity
By: Autumn Winslow and Kathy Greenier
Issue date: 4/7/06 Section: Opinion
On Tuesday, April 4, SGA held their weekly meeting, in which a proposed resolution by the American Civil Liberties Union of Mount Holyoke concerning military recruitment on campus dominated the night's discussion.
The issue at hand is the Armed Forces' policy regarding homosexuals and bisexuals in the U.S. Military. "Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Don't Pursue, Don't Harass" was created as a compromise measure in 1993 during Bill Clinton's presidency. It was crafted by Colin Powell and has been maintained by the current Bush administration.
Under the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law, a service member may be investigated and discharged if they make a statement that he or she is a lesbian, gay or bisexual; engage in, attempt to engage in, or solicit a homosexual act; or marry/attempt to marry someone of the same sex.
The law holds that "the presence in the Armed Forces of persons who demonstate a propensity or intent to engage in homosexual acts would create an unacceptable risk to the high standards of morale, good order and discipline, and unit cohesion that are the essence of military capability."
Given the overt discrimination described in this law, the ACLU has called into question the military recruiters' presence on the Mount Holyoke campus in light of the College's anti-discrimination policies. Military recruiters table in Blanchard at least twice a semester--the problem is close to home.
Members of the Mount Holyoke community understand the importance of acceptance and diversity; this law is antithetical to our shared values.
Due to the constraints of the Solomon Amendment, it is not in the College's best financial interest to ban military recruiters from campus. The proposed resolution urged the SGA to make a statement on behalf of their constituents condemning the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law. The resolution strongly suggests that the SGA works to implement a policy in which all recruiters, including employment agencies, receive a copy of the College's anti-discrimination policies and sign a receipt upon receival.
The issue at hand is the Armed Forces' policy regarding homosexuals and bisexuals in the U.S. Military. "Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Don't Pursue, Don't Harass" was created as a compromise measure in 1993 during Bill Clinton's presidency. It was crafted by Colin Powell and has been maintained by the current Bush administration.
Under the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law, a service member may be investigated and discharged if they make a statement that he or she is a lesbian, gay or bisexual; engage in, attempt to engage in, or solicit a homosexual act; or marry/attempt to marry someone of the same sex.
The law holds that "the presence in the Armed Forces of persons who demonstate a propensity or intent to engage in homosexual acts would create an unacceptable risk to the high standards of morale, good order and discipline, and unit cohesion that are the essence of military capability."
Given the overt discrimination described in this law, the ACLU has called into question the military recruiters' presence on the Mount Holyoke campus in light of the College's anti-discrimination policies. Military recruiters table in Blanchard at least twice a semester--the problem is close to home.
Members of the Mount Holyoke community understand the importance of acceptance and diversity; this law is antithetical to our shared values.
Due to the constraints of the Solomon Amendment, it is not in the College's best financial interest to ban military recruiters from campus. The proposed resolution urged the SGA to make a statement on behalf of their constituents condemning the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law. The resolution strongly suggests that the SGA works to implement a policy in which all recruiters, including employment agencies, receive a copy of the College's anti-discrimination policies and sign a receipt upon receival.