Gays in the military

Given the poor recruiting stats recently posted by the military, an effort to eliminate the ridiculous "don't ask, don't tell" policy seems timely.

As part of their strategy, opponents of the policy are now highlighting the ongoing struggles of Army and Marine recruiters. The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network say in a new report that many highly trained specialists — including combat engineers and linguists — are being discharged involuntarily while the
Pentagon "is facing extreme challenges in recruiting and retaining troops."

On other fronts:

_A federal court hearing is scheduled in Boston next month on a lawsuit by 12 former service members challenging the 12-year-old policy.

_In Congress, four Republicans — including stalwart conservatives Wayne Gilchrest of Maryland and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida — have joined 81 Democrats co-sponsoring a bill to repeal the policy. Gilchrest, a former supporter of the ban, said he changed his view partly out of respect for gay Marines he served with in Vietnam and for his brother, who is gay.

_A U.S. Military Academy professor, Lt. Col. Allen Bishop, wrote a column this spring in Army Times urging Congress to repeal the ban. "I thought I'd get lots of hate mail, and my colleagues would walk on the other side of the hall — but there's been none of that," he said Tuesday.

This represents a tremendous opportunity for gays and lesbians. For if allowed to serve openly in service to America, other rights denials become immediately untenable.

As the civil rights movement of the 60s was an evolutionary step for blacks beginning with their service in WWII and after, so would open military service for gays and lesbians be now.

How do you tell someone who's put their life on the line for this country that they don't have rights (like the right to marry) equal to those of their fellow citizens?

That's right. You can't.