Don't Ask Don't Tell

Don't Ask Don't Tell needs to be removed. Most of our Western partners allow Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual and Transgendered (LGBT) folks to serve openly. I don't think we can claim that the British are made less effective by this. As these LGBT folks honor our country with their service, we should honor them.

The resistance to the idea that is coming from the fundamentalist conservatives is a desire control the votes of our soldiers, who are largely young people aged 18-21. The fundamentalists know that if our soldiers get to know LGBT folks as individuals, they will lose the "culture war." Those soldiers will come home, knowing that their gay buddy took a bullet for them, will vote differently on issues that effect the LGBT community.

Maintaining DADT has nothing to do with keeping out military effective. It has everything to do with keeping our young people ignorant.

For those that think repeal of DADT will endanger our LGBT soldiers; there is no requirement for individual gays to "come out." If that individual thinks doing so will endanger them, they can make the decision not to. As a LGBT individual, I think our civil rights movement can learn a lot from MLK and Gandhi. Some of us may get hurt in the process of seeking our equality, but the whole of us will thrive.