It is About Time!
“No matter how I look at the issue, I cannot escape being troubled by the fact that we have in place a policy which forces young men and women to lie about who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens,” Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Senate Armed Services Committee. (Quoted in NY Times Article, Top Defense Officials Seek to End ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’).
Did it really take our military 16 years to figure that out!?!
The message that has been sent to those serving our country is that it is ok to lie, but not to be gay. Even though it is actually against the law to lie, that is better than telling your fellow service people that you are gay. And, now, 16 years later the military leaders are thinking that maybe they were wrong.
It is about time! Actually, it is way past time, but better late then never. How about the message: accept others for who they are because all humans have more in common than they have differences. How about the message: if you are willing to put yourself in harms way for the benefit of your country, we are all grateful.