Gay Community Has Relinquished Momentum on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," Report Says

SANTA BARBARA, Calif., July 28 Politico.comhas announced the publication of a new Palm Center report on efforts by gay and gay-friendly activists, journalists and others to block consideration of an executive order suspending "don't ask, don't tell."  The new report, "A Self-Inflicted Wound: How and Why Gays Give the White House a Free Pass on 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'" was written by Palm Center director Aaron Belkin.

"Some members of our community have been circulating misleading arguments which ended up as talking points for the President of the United States," Belkin said.  "It is not our job to provide Washington with reasons to continue to discriminate."

Yesterday, a working group including former Congressman Marty Meehan and two retired Generals released a statement correcting misleading and inaccurate claims about "don't ask, don't tell" that are addressed in today's report.

The Palm Center is a research institute at the University of California, Santa Barbara.  The Center uses rigorous social science to inform public discussions of controversial social issues, enabling policy outcomes to be informed more by evidence than by emotion. Its data-driven approach is premised on the notion that the public makes wise choices on social issues when high-quality information is available.  For more information, visithttp://www.palmcenter.org/