Editing Don't ask, don't tell (section)

==Views of the policy==
===Public opinion===
[[File:Everyone Joins the Soulforce Sit-In.jpeg|thumb|Protest in New York by [[Soulforce (organization)|Soulforce]], a civil rights group.]]

In 1993, ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' reported that 44% of those polled supported openly gay service members,<ref>Mark Thompson (July 12, 2010). [https://content.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2003075,00.html "Why Is the Military Polling the Troops About Gays?"]. ''Time''.</ref> and in 1994, a CNN poll indicated 53% of Americans believed gays and lesbians should be permitted to serve openly.<ref>Paul Steinhauser, [https://web.archive.org/web/20100225214400/http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/02/22/cnn-poll-69-ok-with-gays-in-the-military/ CNN Poll: 69% OK with gays in the military]. [[CNN]]. February 22, 2010.</ref>

According to a December 2010 ''[[Washington Post]]''–[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] poll, 77% of Americans said gays and lesbians who publicly disclose their sexual orientation should be able to serve in the military. That number showed little change from polls over the previous two years, but represented the highest level of support in a Post-ABC poll. The support also cut across partisan and ideological lines, with majorities of Democrats (86%), Republicans (74%), independents (74%), liberals (92%), conservatives (67%), white evangelical Protestants (70%) and non-religious (84%) in favor of homosexuals serving openly.<ref>{{cite news|last=O'Keefe |first=Ed |url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/federal-eye/2010/12/most_back_repealing_dont_ask_d.html |title=Most back repealing 'don't ask, don't tell,' poll says |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=December 15, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211116023139/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/federal-eye/2010/12/most_back_repealing_dont_ask_d.html |archive-date=November 16, 2021 |access-date=December 19, 2010}}</ref>

A November 2010 survey by the [[Pew Research Center]] found that 58% of the U.S. public favored allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military, while less than half as many (27%) were opposed.<ref>Pew Research Center: [http://people-press.org/report/679/ "Most Continue to Favor Gays Serving Openly in Military", Nov 29, 2010]. Retrieved February 14, 2012.</ref> According to a November 2010 [[CNN]]/[[Opinion Research Corporation]] poll, 72% of adult Americans favored permitting people who are openly gay or lesbian to serve in the military, while 23% opposed it.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/11/17/rel16e.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101121160201/http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/11/17/rel16e.pdf |archive-date=2010-11-21 |url-status=live |title=CNN Opinion Research November 11–14, 2010 |access-date=December 19, 2010}}</ref> "The main difference between the CNN poll and the Pew poll is in the number of respondents who told pollsters that they didn't have an opinion on this topic – 16 percent in the Pew poll compared to only five percent in the CNN survey", said CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "The two polls report virtually the same number who say they oppose gays serving openly in the military, which suggests that there are some people who favor that change in policy but for some reason were reluctant to admit that to the Pew interviewers. That happens occasionally on topics where moral issues and equal-treatment issues intersect."<ref>Steinhauser, Paul (November 29, 2010). [https://archive.today/20120721043037/http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/11/29/poll-majority-support-gays-serving-openly-in-military/ "Poll: Majority support gays serving openly in military"], CNN Political Ticker: Retrieved February 14, 2012</ref>

A February 2010 [[Quinnipiac University Polling Institute]] national poll showed 57% of American voters favored gays serving openly, compared to 36% opposed, while 66% said not allowing openly gay personnel to serve is discrimination, compared to 31% who did not see it as discrimination.<ref>Quinnipiac University: [https://archive.today/20120805133053/http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x1284.xml?ReleaseID=1422& "U.S. Voters Say Gays In Military Should Come Out, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds"], February 10, 2010. Retrieved February 14, 2012.</ref> A [[CBS News]]/''[[New York Times]]'' national poll done at the same time showed 58% of Americans favored gays serving openly, compared to 28% opposed.<ref>CBS News: [https://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/pdf/poll_021110_2pm.pdf "Gays in the military"], February 11, 2010. Retrieved February 14, 2012.</ref>

===Chaplains and religious groups===
Chaplain groups and religious organizations took various positions on DADT. Some felt that the policy needed to be withdrawn to make the military more inclusive. The [[Southern Baptist Convention]] battled the repeal of DADT, warning that their endorsements for chaplains might be withdrawn if the repeal took place.<ref>[http://www.zimbio.com/Gay+and+Lesbian+Rights/articles/wZNA33qCpho/Baptists+Catholics+Threaten+Withdraw+Chaplains "Baptists, Catholics Threaten to Withdraw Chaplains Over DADT", November 1, 2010]  {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121011195552/http://www.zimbio.com/Gay%2Band%2BLesbian%2BRights/articles/wZNA33qCpho/Baptists%2BCatholics%2BThreaten%2BWithdraw%2BChaplains |date=October 11, 2012 }}. Retrieved February 16, 2012.</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/18/AR2010061804890.html | newspaper=The Washington Post | first=Adelle M. | last=Banks | title=Southern Baptists Convention fighting 'don't ask, don't tell' repeal | date=June 19, 2010}}</ref> They took the position that allowing gay men and women to serve in the military without restriction would have a negative impact on the ability of chaplains who think homosexuality is a sin to speak freely regarding their religious beliefs. The [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic Church]] called for the retention of the policy, but had no plans to withdraw its priests from serving as military chaplains.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/18/AR2010061804890.html |title=Southern Baptists Convention fighting 'don't ask, don't tell' repeal |newspaper=The Washington Post |date= June 18, 2010|access-date=October 13, 2010}}</ref> Sixty-five retired chaplains signed a letter opposing repeal, stating that repeal would make it impossible for chaplains whose faith teaches that same-sex behavior is immoral to minister to military service members.<ref>[http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/oct/31/retired-chaplains-back-dont-ask/ "Retired chaplains back 'don't ask'"], ''The Washington Times'' October 31, 2010. Retrieved February 16, 2012.</ref> Other religious organizations and agencies called the repeal of the policy a "non-event" or "non-issue" for chaplains, saying that chaplains have always supported military service personnel, whether or not they agree with all their actions or beliefs.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2010/04/religious-organizations-support-%E2%80%9Cdon%E2%80%99t-ask-don%E2%80%99t-tell%E2%80%9D-repeal |title=HRC Back Story, April 28, 2010 |publisher=Hrcbackstory.org |date=April 28, 2010 |access-date=October 13, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101019042618/http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2010/04/religious-organizations-support-%E2%80%9Cdon%E2%80%99t-ask-don%E2%80%99t-tell%E2%80%9D-repeal/ |archive-date=October 19, 2010  }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sldn.org/blog/archives/bishop-robinsons-letter-exposes-empty-arguments-of-repeal-opponents |title=Servicemembers Legal Defense Network |publisher=Sldn.org |date=August 4, 2010 |access-date=October 13, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101010012335/http://www.sldn.org/blog/archives/bishop-robinsons-letter-exposes-empty-arguments-of-repeal-opponents/ |archive-date=October 10, 2010  }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Resnicoff |first=Arnold E. |url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2010-07-12-column12_ST_N.htm |title=If gays serve openly, will chaplains suffer? No, the mission is to serve all troops. |author-link=Rabbi Arnold E. Resnicoff |work=USA Today |date=July 12, 2010 |access-date=October 13, 2010}}</ref>