Catching Up, Part III – Congress (sort of) Repeals "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

Dateline December 18th, 2010

After 17 years it’s finally happened.  Congress has repealed “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”, the law that allowed for gay & lesbian Americans to be forced out of the armed services regardless of their record has been stricken down.  Well, sort of.  Repeal, though passed by both the House and the Senate, still hinges on the top brass of all branches of the US Armed Forces to actually move forward on the matter.

Certainly this is a step in the correct direction but it could be months or years before this is actually carried out.  Until then, LGBT Americans are still subject to dismissal even if they are heroes simply because of what they do in their private lives that should be nobody’s damn business.

American society has always been behind the curve on societal changes regarding those whom we deem different that “make people uncomfortable”.  Slowly, but surely, we do eventually come around.  It took over 100 years to properly implement equality and civil rights into law for African Americans and other minorities.  LGBT rights are the new legal civil rights battle for the 21st century and I know we’ll get there in time.  Unfortunately while we drag our feet we look ridiculous and backwards to the rest of the world.

– “Left of Center”