Locals react to ruling on ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’

Retired Navy Capt. Steve Castinetti has mixed feelings about the recent ruling by a federal court judge that suspends the military’s controversial “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy which forbids gays from disclosing their sexual orientation.Castinetti, who is also president of the Saugus Veteran’s Council, said gays have always served in the military and he doesn’t believe it affects anyone’s ability to serve.”I think that today that gays serving in the military is not as controversial as it once was,” said Castinetti, while stressing he was speaking for himself. “I think ? the right regulations and sets of rules for activity would make it easier for gays to serve.”Castinetti says during his time serving in the Navy, the military had the highest level of security clearances in the country.”In the days when gays had to stay in the shadows, it became a risk for espionage for a gay individual to have security clearance,” said Castinetti.His comments came of the ruling earlier this week by U.S. District Court Judge Virginia A. Phillips who ordered the Pentagon to immediately stop discharging soldiers identified as gay or lesbian.Phillips issued the landmark injunction a month after she ruled that requiring gays in the military to keep their sexual orientation secret is unconstitutional.The Obama administration has 60 days to appeal the injunction.U.S. Rep. John Tierney, D-Salem, supports the repeal of the policy.”There is evidence of significant support for repeal both in the military community and among the public,” said Tierney. “While we must ensure that repeal will not impact our strong national security, military readiness and recruitment and retention of service members, it is imperative that we move toward a policy of non-discrimination.”His Republican opponent, Bill Hudak, acknowledges that civil rights are important regardless of sexual orientation and is leaving the decision up to the judiciary.”It’s a judicial decision based on constitutional grounds,” said Hudak. “My position on don’t ask, don’t tell has always been that the interests of national defense are paramount and if the military defense feels that it will not endanger the military, than it would be appropriate. They should be the ones ultimately to make the decision.”Swampscott veteran Bill DiMento thinks the current ruling should have been put in place a long time ago. “‘Don’t ask don’t tell is morally wrong as far as I’m concerned and I hope the government does not appeal the ruling,” said DiMento. “They (gay or lesbian soldiers) shouldn’t have to be dishonest with themselves and are no different from the rest of our society.”Rea Carey, the executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, responded to the ruling in a press release,.”After 17 years of this discriminatory policy and thousands of discharged American troops, this order to halt is long overdue,” said Carey. “We call on President Obama not to appeal this injunction of ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ and effectively put an end to a program he has called a threat to our security.”