Santa Barbara, Calif. – Today, the Palm Center responded to Secretary Gates’ announcement that the Comprehensive Working Group Report on the implementation of repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell” will be released on November 30th, one day earlier than previously planned. Palm Center Director Aaron Belkin stated:

“After Senators are presented with the Pentagon report on November 30th, it is the overall content of the report that must drive and inform the next steps in this process, not political maneuvering based on bits of data cherry-picked by anti-gay politicians and groups and employed as smokescreens to obscure the report’s broader conclusions. The military’s rationale to continue firing good troops who happen to be gay or lesbian is finally coming to an historic end, thanks to this report. Upon reading it, Senators should ask: ‘What does the weight of the evidence show about openly gay service in the military?’ It would be an insult to the efforts of the Working Group, the commitment of the gay and lesbian troops already serving, and the promise offered to those who wish to serve to not demonstrate the proper respect for the report’s complete findings and recommendations.”