Newsweek featured a story this week about the possibility of gays and lesbians being able to serve in the military- openly. President-elect Barack Obama promised this during his 2008 campaign. A 2008 Washington Post ABC News Poll illustrated that public support for gays serving openly is at 75 percent. What may seem as a natural progression to many in the United States, the attitude within the military is a different story.
In 1993 Congress said that gays could serve as long as they hid and denied their sexual orientation- this law is better known as Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. It seems, the majority of active-duty service workers would like it to remain as it always has been. In a survey released last week, 58 percent said they would oppose any changes in the military’s policy toward gays. Astonishingly, according to a Military Times Poll, up to 23 percent indicated they may not re-enlist should the law be appealed, let alone overturned.
Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff may have the responsibility of seeing that Obama’s campaign promise is brought to fruition. Mullen says he would like to time to study the pros and cons of the possible appeal before making any decisions.
“I think I owe him (Obama) a very thorough review of the potential impact of repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” he said.
It will be extremely hard appeal the law, and even harder to force people to abide by it. Reports show that in recent years the military has expelled at least 4,000 gay service members and nearly 13,000 since 1993.
Obama will certainly be met with both open arms and closed fists on this issue. It is my hope that one day soon whoever decides to risk their lives to save others’ will able to do so- no questions asked. But if for some reason, someone does ask- they will have no fear in answering- truthfully.
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