After years of talking about how the military’s discriminatory Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT) policy must end, it has finally come down to the next couple of weeks. If the Senate is going to act to repeal this law, they must act now, before a more conservative Congress takes over in 2011.
A recent Pentagon study concluded that the United States is ready to abandon DADT. Apparently “asking and telling”—having gay, lesbian, and bisexual individuals serving honestly—is not a big deal. It is, however, a big deal to be asked to lie about who you are and whom you love, or risk losing your career.
As a Unitarian Universalist, I believe our message of unity and love has a particularly transformative potential in the military, where, when you are dealing with all the other stressors of military life, away from loved ones, a crisis of faith can only be exacerbated when you are forced to lie about your very identity.
Whatever your feelings about our military, we can all be proud of those who are risking their lives. We can do our part to support them by speaking out against DADT.
Please join me in doing everything possible to dismantle Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and implement a policy of non-discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in the military.
Press on senators Harry Reid and Carl Levin to vote on the defense budget during the Senate’s lame-duck session, including the provision to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell!
This article appears in Dec 2-9, 2010.
