lgbtblogger

As we rise on the morning of September 20, we wake to the dawn of a new day as the United States military once and for all “puts to bed” the discriminatory policy known as Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.  Since Congress enacted Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell in 1993, nearly 15,000 troops have been discharged for no other reason than being gay.  Beginning today, official restrictions regarding sexuality for active service members are lifted.  Gay service members will no longer be compelled to hide their sexual orientations for fear of reprisal Gay men and women with the noble intention of serving their country can now enlist without the added burden of hiding in the closet.  Pride in self and pride in serving one’s nation are now in unison.

In 1993, President Bill Clinton, in an effort to appease a hostile Congress, signed into law Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.  The policy, as heralded by Congress, served to affirmatively impact military readiness.  The presumption at the time rested on the assertion that, in close military quarters, openly gay individuals would somehow negatively affect heterosexual service members’ focuses by imposing a sort of uneasy air within the units.  Since 1993, many have opined that the policy was anything but effective in promoting military readiness.  Reports indicate that dozens of ranking military personnel, many of whom spoke fluent Arabic, have been discharged.  Additionally, there seems to be no indication that the policy had any effect whatsoever on military readiness.  In a time in American history with seemingly endless war and ever-declining enlistment, the idea of losing even one service member for any reason other than lack of ability seems foolish and unnecessary.

In 2008, then-presidential candidate Barack Obama promised to end Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell if elected.  In late 2010, a federal court judge in California issued an injunction declaring the policy unconstitutional, and directed the military to immediately stop employing it.  The Obama Administration effectively followed suit by declining to appeal the injunction; Congress then voted for its repeal.  This past summer, Obama, along with Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and Joint Chief Chairman Mike McMullen, drafted a declaration directing an end to the policy as of September 20, 2011.  Eighteen years of discrimination is enough!

As auspicious as September 20, 2011 seems to gay people serving in the military as well as gay people everywhere, the end of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell does not mark the end of discrimination per se.  The Defense of Marriage Act (DoMA), a federal policy that denies federal recognition to same-sex marriages performed anywhere in the world, continues to infuse discrimination in the military.  The Untied States military, an arm of the federal government, is bound by DoMA.  Therefore, same-sex spouses of military personnel are not eligible for benefits that would extend to heterosexual spouses.  These include veteran’s benefits, death benefits and military housing to name a few.  Of course, victories must be recognized, but efforts to achieve full benefits for LGBT people, including those serving our country, should nevertheless continue.

Yet, for today, we can stop for a moment to realize the significance of September 20, 2011.  Reports indicate that young gay men and women are poised to enlist as a result of today’s event.  News articles have featured stories of previously discharged gay service members that have every intention of re-enlisting, regardless of past injustices imposed upon them by Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.  As of September 20, 2011, military readiness is alive and well.  Gay men and women can now serve their country with pride.  We all like the sound of that.