Repealing 'Don't Ask Don't Tell'

The New York Times article discusses President Obama's promise to repeal 'Don't Ask Don't Tell', which keeps gay men and lesbians in the military from openly discussing their sexuality. When it comes to the issue of gay people in the military, Obama's decision to repeal the act is definitely the best choice. Religious Americans believe being homosexual is immoral, and while religion plays a factor in politics, it should not be one of the deciding factors for who can be in the military. The First Amendment of the Constitution includes freedom of religion, which gives the right of Americans to practice any religion they choose. If Americans choose to go against the word of God and be homosexual, the government has no right to stop them from practicing that nor should they stop them from hiding it while they are in the military, for it violates the first Amendment.

Bumiller (author of the article) also points out, that by not allowing homosexuals in the military, many desperately needed translators are being discharged. One example is Dan Choi, a West Point graduate and an Arabic linguist. He served a very important role in the military, and is now being discharged for openly announcing that he is gay. With Obama's promise to "end the war in Iraq" not being kept, and his decision to send more troops to Iraq, the most logical decision for most would be to keep as many options open as to who can serve in the military. With the discrimination against homosexuals, America is simultaneously risking losing resources while pushing away some bright and talented people just because of their sexuality. In fact, the article points out that recent polls show most Americans support openly gay service.

The final fact is; sexuality does not play a factor in the ability of a person to be a soldier, character and personality do. The politicians and citizens obstructing the repeal of 'Don't Ask Don't Tell' are just showing close-mindedness, and their inability to see what is best for the country. 'Don't Ask Don't Tell' was a thing of the past, even Bill Clinton regrets passing the policy. President Obama and the Pentagon have already met to discuss the repealing of the policy. I think this meeting shows that the policy being repealed is inevitable, the only question that is left to answer is: When will Obama, Congress, and American citizens push to have it repealed?


http://http//www.nytimes.com/2010/02/01/us/politics/01military.html