Biden Grants Clemency for Dishonorably Discharged LGBTQ Veterans
US Pres. Joe Biden is set to pardon former military members who were convicted and dishonorably discharged under the now-defunct Article 125 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, which criminalized sodomy in the military....
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Facts
- US Pres. Joe Biden is set to pardon former military members who were convicted and dishonorably discharged under the now-defunct Article 125 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, which criminalized sodomy in the military.1
- Article 125 was established in 1951 before the military issued its 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy in 1993, which allowed LGBTQ people to serve more easily as long as they didn't reveal their sexuality. Congress then allowed openly LGBTQ troops to serve in 2011.2
- However, Congress didn't legalize sodomy in the military until 2013, with around 2K servicemembers convicted under the law between 1951 and that year.3
- The veterans who receive clemency will be allowed to apply to see proof of their overturned convictions, have their dishonorable discharges upgraded, and obtain lost pay and benefits.1
- Biden, who supported several anti-LGBTQ laws during his decades as a senator, has since shifted his stance on issues such as gay marriage and the service of transgender members of the military.4
Sources: 1FOX News, 2Al Jazeera, 3New York Times and 4New York Post.
Narratives
- Democratic narrative, as provided by Modern Military Association of America. This long overdue policy should be welcomed by all who support US soldiers and veterans. Thanks to the blatantly homophobic laws of the 20th and early 21st centuries, thousands of brave soldiers were legally discriminated against, had their service records tarnished, and were deprived of veterans' benefits. To return honor and dignity to these heroes as quickly as possible, military officials should work to expedite these pardons.
- Republican narrative, as provided by The Heritage Foundation. Given the state of decline of today's military, debates over past policies are irrelevant. Woke military policies have resulted in the lowering of physical fitness requirements and prioritized radical left agendas over the operational readiness of the armed forces. There's nothing wrong with promoting a more traditional culture within the US military and, especially, prioritizing the role of the armed forces to uphold the national security of the United States.
