United States House Approves Defense Spending Bill With Provision To Repeal Gay Military Ban, Defense Secretary Suggest Full Repeal At Least A Year Away, Tactical Concerns Of Repealing DADT, Jason Akermanis Faces Fine And Suspension Over Homophobia Column, NHL Combine Fun With Taylor Hall

The United States House Friday, as expected, voted to advance a defense bill that contains a provision to repeal the military ban on openly gay men and women serving. The roll call was 229-186. 220 Democrats voted yes, as did 9 Republicans. 26 Democrats voted no, as did 160 Republicans. The bill contained a clause to add another $700 billion to the defense budget, and now moves to the Senate, where passage depends on 60 of the 100 votes available. Already, Senator John McCain, who is against the repeal, has stated he intends to filibuster the session. The White House suggested it may veto the bill as passed because the House version contains a $485 million allotment for an alternative engine for a new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, which both President Obama and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates oppose.

Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Robert Gates told the troops that he did not expect the Senate to pass the repeal for months, perhaps not until the end of the year. Gates added that even if the Senate passes the proposed repeal, President Obama must sign the legislation, and the Pentagon, pending a commissioned review, would have final approval. “Every man and woman in uniform is a vitally important part of this review,” said Gates. “We need to hear from you and your families so that we can make these judgements in the most informed and effective manner. So please let us know how to do this right.”

With the repeal of the policy informally known as “don’t ask, don’t tell” comes the transition to armed services where openly gay men and women, and where there are concerns by gays that they will treated differently is they publically reveal their sexual orientation. According to reports, there are a number of questions that require answers: will openly gay service members reside in separate quarters? What benefits, in any, will partners or spouses of homosexual service members are afforded, particularly when the federal Defense of Marriage Act prohibits the recognition of same sex unions? According to Aubrey Sarvis, the executive director of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, “the reality is, getting rid of “don’t ask, don’t tell” doesn’t ensure that all lesbians and gay service members will be equal on that day. There will continue to be challenges to make full equality for gays and lesbians in the armed forces a reality.”

Jason Akermanis now faces a fine and a suspension by his Australian Football League team the Western Bulldogs after he admitted his hideously homophobic column advising gay players not to come was written entirely by him. Earlier, in defence of Akermanis, club officials suggested that some of words were added – in particular a phrase that said if a gay player came out it could “break the fabric of a club.”

The National Hockey League, the worst managed professional league, attempts to mimic the National Football League’s draft combine, and poor Taylor Hall, the 18 year old of the Windsor Spitfires, likely a top draft pick is subjected to having done whatever it is that is being done to him.