Let me finish tonight with a letter from a soldier fighting in Afghanistan.
"I found out this soldier under my command was gay. I learned about it after he died, when his longtime partner wrote to me, not knowing my orientation, to tell me how much this staff sergeant had loved the army; how we were the only family he'd ever known.
In my own life, my partner has none of the privileges of a spouse. We have weathered three long deployments like any other couple might. My partner and I have happily accepted my various assignments because we're truly committed to the army, its soldiers and their families. But after our ten years together, my partner has earned the right to be told first about my death. He has earned the right to be recognized for his sacrifices just as any other spouse.
I deeply believe that America is fighting the right fight in Afghanistan. I believe in this battle against our enemies. And, I believe that the US Army is the single greatest force for good the world has ever known.
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
But I want to tell the guys I eat lunch with every day about my partner. After all, these are the guys I risk my life with -- the guys who think they know me. I can tell you every detail of how each of them met their wives; how one of them still feels guilty about an affair he never had, but thought about; how one of them cried so hard the day his son was born.
Yet they don't know much about my life. Over the years, I have become good at evading and changing subjects artfully. To slip up -- using the wrong pronoun when describing whom I was with during R&R, or mentioning who I talked to on Skype last night -- is no longer something I worry about. I have become so good at this lying game it eats at my soul.
A week ago, two of my friends were killed in a bombing. The days since then have bled into each other. It is usually not until the evening that I allow myself to think about these things. I will risk my life; I ask to be treated simply like anyone else in the service -- nothing more and nothing less."
That's from a serviceman fighting for his country.
I'd like to tell you his name so you could send him a note of support. You might want to call instead a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee which votes tomorrow on "Don't ask; don't tell." Here's
the phone number for the US Senate: 202-224-3121.
This post originally appeared on Hardblogger.
Seems to me too many people are obssessed about sex.
So lets take a step back and take it to what it really is. The repeal of DADT is not about gay people wanting to be able to have sex and tell everyone about it without fear of being kicked out, but about a gay person when asked about their loved one at home, not having to hide or lie for fear that if someone finds out the person sitting at home while they are in battle is of the same gender, they will then get kicked out of the forces.
Allow anyone to be anything they want, as long as their behavior as a soldier isn't inappropriate. That means no sexual activity with anyone within the barracks. Done.
I swear, between half the country having a stick up their ass and the other half having their head up their asses it's amazing anything gets done.
Oh yeah. Almost nothing does get done.
Men and women don't bunk together, but there are still relations going on. Gays who DO bunk together are a lot more able to engage in said activities, than a guy and girl trying to sneak off somewhere.
"Sinfull (sic) life stile (sic)" Who gave you the right to play God and sit in judgement of another human?
"..fight sinfull (sic) nations..." Who gave you the right to play God and sit in judgement of another nation of human beings?
No, that "Ain't (sic)" right!
Ther are four judges in San Diego running to replace judges they deem "Not Christian enough". If they wish to play politics then I hope they don't mind being taxed out of existence.
The most sacred of the duties of a government [is] to do equal and impartial justice to all its citizens.
-- Thomas Jefferson, note in Destutt de Tracy, "Political Economy," 1816. ME 14:465
Remember THIS guy? Drafted the Constitution or something.