How come the audience had to keep quiet on the View?

May 31, 2010 6:26 PM

How come the View's audience, which consisted of naval personnel, were not allowed to clap or cheer when Sarah Silverman suggested that DADT was about to be a relic of the equal rights movement?
posted by jmmpangaea to Society & Culture (5 answers total)

All military branches have regulations restricting members from expressing political beliefs or endorsing candidates in such a way that implies the military supports that belief/candidate. This has the effect of severely restricting what opinions a military member can express openly. The Army enshrines this in AR600 (refer to page 35). I'm sure the Navy has a similar regulation, but a rudimentary Google search does not reveal it.
posted by saeculorum at 6:32 PM on May 31, 2010

Best answer: After a moment of searching, I believe the relevent regulations for the Navy would be Department of Defense Directive 1344.10. Section 4.1.2 is very explicit:

A member of the Armed Forces on active duty shall not [...] Participate in any radio, television, or other program or group discussion as an advocate for or against a partisan political party, candidate, or cause.

posted by saeculorum at 6:37 PM on May 31, 2010

I think saeculorum has it. It's the same principle that kept judges from expressing approval or displeasure at Obama's State of the Union. Of course, no press coverage mentioned that they were not permitted and reported the lack of emotion as disapproval.
posted by dobbs at 6:38 PM on May 31, 2010

Response by poster: Thanks for the quick answer. I get it now.
posted by jmmpangaea at 6:40 PM on May 31, 2010

I know you already have the answer, but a relative of mine once attended the State of the Union while in uniform as a high-ranking member of a general's staff. The president in office was one my relative LOATHED. We teased him about it, and he told us the rule was when the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs clapped, everybody clapped. And when he didn't, they didn't. And when he stopped, they stopped.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 8:34 PM on May 31, 2010