House of Representatives Votes to End "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

Image from source, MSNBC

I'm not in the military, and it isn't because I'm gay. It's because I'd make a lousy soldier. But being gay is a really stupid, and kind of strange reason to kick people out of the military.  Oh, there's hand-wringing about proximity, and showers and bunks, but those stories are almost entirely "gay panic."  The truth is, gay people are in almost every region of society. If you've ever been to camp, been in a dormitory, been in scouts, been on sports teams, belonged to a gym, you've been there with gay people. Probably naked or nearly so with gay people. Has there been some sort of epidemic of gay-on-straight attacks in society at large? Hardly.

It's true in the military too, and will continue to be regardless of the outcome of this legislation.  The only question is, will gay people be able to serve openly. You'd really think that if a service member were particularly worried about being "attacked" by a gay, they'd appreciate knowing who they are, wouldn't you?

Anyway, the legislation to end "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) has passed a Senate committee vote, and now the House of Representatives. Next up is the big vote in the Senate over the entire defense bill.  Senate Republicans are claiming they'll filibuster the whole darn thing--better no military at all than openly gay people in it, apparently--but I'm not sure they have the votes or the stomach to do so. I guess we're going to find out very soon.

[Excerpt]

House votes to end 'don't ask, don't tell'

The U.S. House of Representatives voted Thursday to end 'don't ask, don't tell,' the 1993 policy that bars openly gay men and lesbians from serving in the military. . .

Read more at: MSNBC