WATCH: Army Secretary Clifford Alexander on "Rachel Maddow"

Former Army Secretary Clifford Alexander, Jr. has been one of the leading critics of the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. Alexander, who was the first African-American Secretary of the Army under the Carter Administration, slammed the inconsistency of the policy's supporters.

Alexander told Maddow: "They have a new approach now. Their approach is, 'Since we are fighting two wars now, this is going to be difficult.' If we were at peace, their argument would be, 'Well, you must not try this social experiment because you can't tell if it would work during [war].' Their approach is to avoid discussion of how to allow American men and women act in an honorable way and not lie to themselves and those around them. And there is nothing but hatred, ignorance ... a little bit of fear ... to keep this 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy in place."

The former Army Secretary is disappointed the Obama Administration is delegating its authority. "They're talking about having a long study. The President of the United States, instead of calling for a study, should have told the Secretary of Defense, 'Tell me how we can get this moving in 30 days on the hill.' The President is the Commander-in-Chief, he is in charge of the Army and the Navy. It is quite clear it is up to him to set the tone."

Alexander's bona fides at the Pentagon and in the Civil Rights Movement are impeccable. He was also the chairman of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission under LBJ. It's a great interview, watch it WHEN YOU JUMP ...

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Comments

[Jim]

Alexander states: “The President is the Commander-in-Chief, he is in charge of the Army and the Navy. It is quite clear: It is up to him to set the tone.”

Yes, that is quite clear. And actually, President Obama has set the tone quite clearly, on this and many other issues.

[Da'Realist One]

"And actually, President Obama has set the tone quite clearly, on this and many other issues."

- Setting the tone and ACTING on the tone is two very different actions.

We can talk and "Set the tone" all day and won't nothing get done.

But, if someone has the POWER (and in this case we know who does) and puts their foot down and says, "This is what we're gonna do", then we can say we're getting somewhere.

Some body, some where, some way, some how, isn't holding up to their job.

[Jim]

Da'Realist One: I think you may have misunderstood me.

My point is that Obama has clearly set the tone, and that tone is the opposite of what many of us would like, in many areas.