U.S. Defense Secretary Gates tells anti-gay Marine: You can't quit
Mon. June 6, 2011 11:39 PM by GoPride.com News Staff
Washington, D.C. -
Defense Secretary Robert Gates told a Marine point-blank that troops won't get to quit because they disagree with the repeal of the anti-gay "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy.
Gates took questions from troops while he was visiting a base in Afghanistan over the weekend.
"Sir, we joined the Marine Corps because the Marine Corps has a set of standards and values that is better than that of the civilian sector. And we have gone and changed those values and repealed the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy," the sergeant said, according to Reuters. "Is there going to be an option for those Marines that no longer wish to serve due to the fact their moral values have not changed?"
Gates said no.
"The reality is that you don't all agree with each other on your politics, you don't agree with each other on your religion, you don't agree with each other on a lot of things. But you still serve together," he said.
Gates took questions from troops while he was visiting a base in Afghanistan over the weekend.
"Sir, we joined the Marine Corps because the Marine Corps has a set of standards and values that is better than that of the civilian sector. And we have gone and changed those values and repealed the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy," the sergeant said, according to Reuters. "Is there going to be an option for those Marines that no longer wish to serve due to the fact their moral values have not changed?"
Gates said no.
"The reality is that you don't all agree with each other on your politics, you don't agree with each other on your religion, you don't agree with each other on a lot of things. But you still serve together," he said.